Critics often highlight odor nuisances associated with cannabis cultivation, but it is important to acknowledge that vineyards, too, emit strong smells due to the use of agricultural inputs like sulfur. Addressing odor concerns without considering the broader context of other agricultural activities may lead to unfair treatment. Similarly, noise and lighting impacts are often cited as potential drawbacks of cannabis cultivation, but vineyard operations involving heavy equipment and non-downcast lighting practices can also disrupt neighboring communities.
Let’s step off the cannabis farm for a minute and instead look to agriculture as a whole. The cannabis industry has picked up a lot of lessons from the farming world, and while taking a fallow year doesn’t yet appear to be a widely-adopted trend, this year may be different.
While winter brings some time for rest and recovery, for those involved in year-round cultivation, the new season brings added complexities for growing cannabis. The plant is thought to have evolved about 28 million years ago on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, which is home to extremely cold winters. While cannabis can grow in the winter, taking some extra steps to support your greenhouse cannabis cultivation can certainly help.
In a market that’s increasingly being taken over by large-scale production, lower quality, and cheaper prices, it’s important to look at the better alternative: craft cannabis. What makes Giving Tree Farms and other craft cannabis producers stand out? From seed-to-package, there’s a certain mindfulness involved. So, let’s take a look at what harvesting craft cannabis entails.
Fresh-frozen cannabis has taken the cannabis world by storm in recent years. As the name suggests, fresh-frozen cannabis entails freezing the harvest directly after it’s been picked. It’s been growing in popularity—especially as it’s one of the best methods we have to preserve terpenes and cannabinoids.
Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how we go about producing fresh-frozen cannabis.
In a market that’s increasingly being taken over by large-scale production, lower quality, and cheaper prices, it’s important to look at the better alternative: craft cannabis. What makes Giving Tree Farms and other craft cannabis producers stand out? From seed-to-package, there’s a certain mindfulness involved. So, let’s take a look at what harvesting craft cannabis entails.
When it comes to large-scale cannabis production, it’s important to take some time to plan for success. Learning will certainly happen along the way, but it’s far better to optimize your space rather than make mistakes and have to spend time and money to correct them. With this in mind, here are 5 tips to consider when designing a cannabis farm for success.
As cannabis cultivators who have worked in the industry for over a decade, we've tried multiple different growing methods to find what works best for us. We've had to discover where the perfect balance of working with the land and optimal efficiency lies to develop Giving Tree Farms into what it is today. Over the years, we've learned that our desire for optimal control over our environment and the need for multiple cultivation cycles throughout the year was only possible by evolving our approach. From the installation of both our cold-frame and climate-controlled greenhouses to the continuous improvement of our workflow, our personalized approach to sustainable cultivation provides our clients with the highest quality craft cannabis in the state.
We live in a reality where technology has given us access to a wealth of knowledge and resources that can help us on our personal and professional journeys. The world around us is continually changing, and if we want to keep up with new opportunities and developing regulations, we have to evolve with it. Success in anything isn't found by staying stagnant; we have to overcome hurdles, adapt, and create solutions that we can apply to various areas of our life. We're acquiring wisdom as we move through each day, and it's these lessons that we use to grow our business, cultivate outstanding craft cannabis, and maintain long-term relationships with our clients and partners.
Sustainable cultivation comes in many forms, each uniquely beautiful in its own way. This is because being sustainable means working with your land and adjusting your approach to serve its needs. From the soil you grow within to the average cloud coverage in the sky, understanding your microclimate is key to creating a sustainable garden that is perfect for your particular space.
We started our solar journey by signing up for Sonoma Clean Power as our source of grid energy. This program guaranteed that all of our energy use was obtained from renewable sources, like solar and wind energy. But where this came up short was during California's rolling blackouts throughout the fire season. As a cannabis cultivator, fire season takes place during our fall cultivation cycle, harvest, and through part of processing, when it's absolutely imperative that we have electricity for irrigation, humidity and temperature controls, and security measures. When we process fresh-frozen harvests, this adds an even more critical need for continuous power. Otherwise, we could lose our entire crop. We knew we needed to take matters into our own hands or possibly face an uncontrollable fate. This thinking was the start of our off-grid solar journey.
As a wholesale cannabis cultivator, we’re introduced to some exceptional brands throughout the year. Some of them, however, have really stuck with us. Whether it's their sustainable values, their small farmer sourcing, or their drive to make a difference, the following brands have taken "business" a step further.
In an effort to raise efficiency standards for indoor cultivators in California, the California Energy Commission (CEC) has proposed a new mandate that would require all cultivators currently using supplemental lighting to switch to LED lights by 2023. This costly requirement has put many California cannabis cultivators on edge, knowing that this transition may not be possible in an industry that's heavily taxed and already expensive to operate compliantly in. Most cultivators who want to produce cannabis outside of the regular season, like within a greenhouse or indoor facility, don't have the monetary means to support such a costly transition so soon.
Cannabis has a unique relationship with our human anatomy due to the cannabinoids it delivers when consumed. Our bodies naturally produce endocannabinoids, a molecule similar to cannabinoids, that keep our bodily functions operating appropriately. These molecules interact with our endocannabinoid system (ECS), a series of receptors found throughout the body.
A smart farm starts with a smart design, and new technologies can help us create a plan that maximizes efficiency and encompasses sustainability, all while keeping our unique land restrictions in mind. Regardless of the crop(s) we decide to grow, taking the time to ensure our garden will be able to operate at peak performance will prove beneficial. The future of agriculture relies on efficiency, and with a little brainpower and help from technology, even small, personal gardens can enjoy the advantages of a well-designed cultivation space.
