I spent the weekend hosting Penny Barthel and Emily Gogol of Grow It From Home at my home in Los Angeles. Penny and Emily are two c*nn*bis gardening experts who teach workshops on how to grow weed at home. Penny is the author of “The C*nn*bis Gardener” and Emily is a scientist and large-scale hemp farmer. Both were absolutely delightful guests for a pot girl gardening weekend.
“You don’t need anything special. Just dirt, compost, lots of sunshine 6-8 hours a day, water, and BT spray to combat the caterpillars,” they explained with the humor of two sassy aunties. “Treat your c*nn*bis plants just like you would an annual tomato plant. Give it a little fruit and vegetable fertilizer, and follow the instructions on the bag. The c*nn*bis plant is very forgiving.”
I watched people eagerly ask questions and scribble notes at the two sold out workshops at Fig Earth Supply. These two impressive women are the first to sell legal [tea]HC c*nn*bis seeds in garden centers and plant shops across the U.S. They’re on a mission to teach people how to grow c*nn*bis at home, and they’re just getting started.
The cannabis seed industry is a lucrative one that’s been traditionally gatekept to hype strains and keep prices high. You can buy a pack of five feminized seeds from your local cannabis dispensary for about $100, and you’re told that if you get a male plant you should kill it immediately or else it’ll pollinate the female plant and you’ll get seeds in your flower.
You mean my plant would make free seeds that I can plant next season to grow myself more weed, that will then make more seeds indefinitely that I can also give to all my friends? The same weed that costs $45 for an ⅛ oz.? So you see how the traditional model of gatekeeping is a capitalist trap.
From my own experience growing at home, just one or two plants will provide you with more cannabis than most people could dream of consuming. With all the excess you can make your own pain salves, tinctures, and edibles at home. My homegrown isn’t the best quality, in fact it’s very meh. But it works and I know it’s 100% organic. If you have space for a garden with bright all day sun, try growing a plant this season.
Got any questions for the experts? Drop your questions in comments and I’ll share an AMA with Emily and Penny in a future post.
Vol. 31 // In this Issue:
Edibles Review: Queen Mary Enchanted
Ideas for how to celebrate Lunar New Year, with weed!
HIGH-ly Recommended Events
I previously shared that I’m writing edibles reviews for Budist, a new social review app for cannabis products and brands. Download the free app to see what I’m trying and recommending. Here’s a recent review I rated 99 out of 100.
Edibles Review: Queen Mary Enchanted
💮 Free-wheeling creativity and talking to tree spirits.
I am obsessed with these fast-acting rosin gummies because I feel the effects in 15-20 minutes rather than waiting 2 hours. Similar to the nighttime Moonstruck gummies, these vegan gummies give a robust, full-bodied high thanks to the rosin. At 10mg THC each, Enchanted is the daytime formula in a Strawberry Lemonade flavor with added Rhodiola and vitamin B12 for added mood enhancement, energy, focus, and stress relief. Made using Blue Dream, a perfectly balanced hybrid strain that delivers a balanced high.
LOOKS: Amber-colored squares with a light dusting of sugar crystals.
AROMA: Slightly sweet, floral and tart, a subtle aroma.
TEXTURE: A firm gummy, very satisfying to chew.
FLAVOR: Subtly sweet floral strawberry notes with tart citrus on the back. Just the tiniest hint of the herbal flavor from the nano emulsified rosin extract.
EFFECTS: I pop one of the Enchanted into my mouth as I enter South Coast Botanic Garden for a day of playing hookey in nature. The high starts like warm sunshine blossoming and radiating outward from the center of my chest, just below my throat. As the effects intensify, it feels like a golden hour cast over everything: the garden, the sky, my thoughts, and my body. And I’m loving life.
There’s a fragrant meadow of paperwhites, and stabby trees with squishy flowers. The Desert Garden is popping off in shades of neon flowers amongst glittering shadows reflected from the garden discoball. I dance under a yellow rainfall of ginkgo leaves, shaken loose by a gusty breeze. A tree spirit reveals herself at the far back of the Rare Fruit Orchard.
“Enchanted to meet you,” I whisper, as I touch her beautiful, fluttering outstretched leaves.
Celebrate Lunar New Year + Year of the Dragon
Fun Weedy Ways to Celebrate:
Keep an eye out for limited edition dragon rolling papers from Papers + Ink
Infused Pocky sticks, fortune cookies, and mooncakes from Moonies Bakery – tell them Fruit + Flower referred you
Lychee Dragonfruit mochi gummies from Sundae School
Fierce dragon pipes, available at Cornerstone Wellness
Try These Recipes:
8 Cannabis Infused Lunar New Year Recipes from Monica Lo @sousweed
Where to Celebrate:
My Mogu Magu Year of the Dragon event is sold out, but here are a few non-cannabis-related celebrations around Los Angeles where you can be discreetly high and ring in the Lunar New Year!
1/22-2/11 - Gold Dragon Bruce Lee Cupcake in partnership with Gold House and the Bruce Lee Foundation, feed your munchies with this red velvet cupcake swirled with almond slivers on an almond cookie crust, topped with almond cream cheese frosting. | Sprinkles Cupcakes (everywhere)
Every weekend in February - Lunar New Year Celebration complete with red lanterns and festive activities throughout the month. Featuring lion dancers, folk dancers, drummers, and activity stations. South Coast Botanical Garden (Los Angeles)
2/10 - Shanghai Nights: A Lunar New Year Celebration with live performance by Jessica Fichot who draws from her multi-ethnic French, Chinese, American heritage to create an intoxicating mix of jazz, swing, and international folk. | Benny Boy Brewing (Los Angeles)
2/10-11 - Chinese New Year Festival in the Huntington Library’s Chinese Gardens with lion dancers, martial arts demonstrations, and Chinese music. | Huntington Gardens (Los Angeles)
2/17 - Golden Dragon Parade & Chinese New Year Festival, one of L.A.’s oldest traditions with colorful floats, lion dancers, martial arts troupes, firecrackers, and food. Parade parts at 1 p.m. | LA Chinatown (Los Angeles)
HIGH-ly Recommended 🥦 Events
A roundup of vibe-checked cannabis-friendly events:
2/2 - 420 After Dark Live! Featuring music artist Kady Rain serenadin you with some poppy tunes. | Mary Jae Social Club (Austin)
2/4 - Valentine’s Day Sesh, a celebration of love and light with the baddest muthapuffas. Live music, games and crafts, giveaways, and think pink Valentine attire are encouraged. | Elevate Sesh Events + Wonderland Events (Anaheim Hills, California)
2/6 - Green Galentine’s, a magical Galentine’s dinner filled with green vibes, great food, and a painting party. By invite only, DM host for link. | The Dab Dinner (Los Angeles)
2/11- Big Bad Queen’s Mixer of the Year, partial proceeds will be donated to the Palestine Children Relief Fund. DM host for access code. | @bigbadwolfsf (San Francisco)
2/24 - Truffletopia, learn about these fascinating fungi with shroom experts, go mushroom foraging, enjoy fungi-inspired culinary dishes, and truffle dog demonstration. | The Madrones (Philo, California)
2/24 - Lunar New Year and Full Moon Feast, DM host for access code. | @bigbadwolfsf (San Francisco)
3/3 - Puffdao Carnival, save the date for an epic anniversary party. | Puffdao (Los Angeles)
3/26 - Elevated Sound Bath Meditation, with sacred sounds by Devon, henna by Mehndi420, infused drinks, dab bar, and goodie bags. | @thcntechno (Los Angeles)
4/20 - 420 Infused Dining Experience is popping up in 5 cities! Menus featuring classic munchies classics, each guest is dosed based on their own individual tolerance level. Chef Table upgrade available. DM or comment on IG post for ticket link. | @The_NomadCook (Kansas City / Seattle / St. Paul / Edmonton / Kelowna)
5/4-5 - The Emerald Cup, a craft cannabis marketplace with panel sessions, activations, live music, food, drinks, the legendary Emerald Cup competition, and awards. | The Emerald Cup (Oakland)
Living la vita dolce, Christina W.
Weed for the People