cannabis

SPRAY PAINT ART @ Cannifest 2024 Humboldt, CA Headlining Lettuce

/ N.Pearson / Leave a comment

 I came to Cannifest to support my local cannabis scene, and it didn’t disappoint. Sponsored by SAFFY THC, the first Black and Jamaican-owned cannabis farm in Humboldt County that offers the community sun-grown, greenhouse-controlled dank light dep flower that can be found at Zen Humboldt and Proper Wellness. What I discovered went beyond my favorite cannabis community, local glass artists, and funky, groovy music—what truly captivated me was the underground street art culture.

Cannabis businesses, dispensaries, and farms from all over California gathered to showcase their products. Local dispensaries like Arcata Fire, Proper Wellness, Phenotopia (Santa Rosa), Zen Humboldt, Moca + The Ganjery, and Heritage (Ukiah) were all in attendance, showing the diversity and dedication of California’s cannabis industry. Many out-of-towners were surprised to see street artists painting directly on the city walls. These murals stay up until Cannifest rolls around the following year, when they are painted over, and the cycle starts again.

“It’s too bad,” Ember from Soulshine Glass remarked to me. “I really liked some of the previous art.”
“Well, it’s kind of like your glass art,” I said, perhaps a bit dimly. “It doesn’t last forever.”
“Well, it can,” she replied. That’s when I realized I’ve been seriously mistreating my own glass collection.

The impermanence of street art is something I find absolutely beautiful. Artists create for themselves—to express a fleeting moment, connect with their community, push boundaries, and make bold statements. Knowing their work will eventually be covered challenges them to create again and again, evolving with every piece. It’s a cycle of relentless creativity. Maybe that’s why graffiti culture pulls at my heartstrings so strongly.

This year at Cannifest, I made it a point to chat with some of the street artists to hear what they had to say about their work and the impact of this ephemeral art form.

Willow + Ember from Soulshine Art
Winning Banger

And of course, the music was on fire! The main stage lineup featured incredible performances from Lettuce, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rainbow Girls, Mendo Dope, Oteil & Friends, the Nth Power, Junior Toots, the Magnificent Sanctuary Band, and a Wiyot Tribe Blessing to honor the event. Over at the Unity Stage, Deep Groove Society, Storytime Crew, Pressure Anya, One Wise Sound, Redwood Roots, and Marjo Lak kept the energy flowing.

Note from Conversations with Participants
Indoor growers will tell you they’re too good for trimming—“Trimming sucks!” Meanwhile, outdoor homegrown farmers will tell you how much joy they get from trimming fat, crystal-coated nugs—“Oh yeah, I love trimming!”

Take the poll: Where do you stand on trimming?

Natascha: So. What’s your tag name?

Artist1: Eesh.

Natascha: Eesh. Can you tell me some advice about tagging to unexperienced artists?

Artist1: Get in where you fit in.

Natascha: All right. Thank you very much. I love the colors that you use. Is there anything that inspires this piece that you did today?

Artist1: Artwork and vandalism.

Natascha: Hi. I’m here with a tag artist. What was your tag name?

Artist2: Oh, I don’t have a tag name. My name is Matthew Olivieri, though.

Natascha: Okay. Thank you, thank you. Matthew. Um, this is a very distinct cube.

Natascha: What kind of cube is this?

Artist2: Well, um. That’s a different question. Um, yeah, it’s.

Natascha: Revert back to the original question.

Artist2: The original question? Um, yeah. The shape of the cube is an isometric cube.

Natascha: Yes. Thank you. And where did you learn about isometric? And, like, what inspired the isometric cube?

Artist2: Well, I actually teach a lot of, uh, I teach art at the juvenile detention facility here in town. Yeah, so I teach how to do 2D or. I’m sorry. Two. Two point perspective and three point perspective and things like that. So I’ve been working with kind of geometric stuff like this for a little while. Um, but in an educator capacity. But I kind of take my, my work home with me a little bit by drawing things like this for myself, you know? So this is actually a logo of sorts. Um, a shout out of sorts for the business that I’m starting with my cousin.

Natascha: Um, what’s the business name?

Artist2: It’s called Faux Real Design Group.

Artist2: Cool for real design group FAUX.

Artist2: And it actually says F A U X.

Artist2: R e a l.

Natascha: Oh, I see it. So, so, um, and then we do.

Artist2: He does, uh, augmented reality on top of my artwork.

Natascha: Wow.

Artist2: So if you scan this QR code, you can actually activate activate the the augmented reality on your phone.

Natascha: Sweet. I’ll tag it in the blog. I really appreciate your time and your art and what you do for the community. That’s awesome. Thank you.

Artist2: Thank you.

Natascha: Hi. What’s your tag name?

Artist3: Uh, Lauren Wheeler. Oh, tag. Uh, I’m. For what? For this. Okay. Yeah. Or. Yeah. Uh, 21 bangers over Instagram.

Artist3: What does this piece mean to you- Politically.

Artist3: Politically?

Natascha: Yeah.

Artist3: Uh, I’m not into politics, so it doesn’t have anything to do.

Natascha: So is it anti-political?

Artist3: It ain’t. Anti anything. It’s it’s it’s pro thinking.

Natascha: Um, you don’t feel like there’s revolutions going on all the time when people protest and speak up?

Artist3: Well, I feel like revolutions just puts you right back into the same spot. It’s an evolution that has to happen.

Natascha: Do you think that happens within, or do you think that happens on a governmental level, on a whole country level.

Artist3: That happens within because it’s thought that put us into these spots. It’s thought that even is going on right now. Everything is only a thought and people’s been killed to think this thought for many years. And then everybody thinks the same thought about the revolt or what’s going on with the government or the money or all this thing. Right? So to evolve, you got to think drastically different and not in those terms.

Natascha: If people are looking for healing, what kind of community do you recommend to find healing in.

Artist3: The same vibration.

Natascha: All right. Thank you very much.

Artist3: Yeah. Thank you.

“The people shouldn’t confirm around the community, the community should confirm around the people.

Lauren Wheeler

Natascha: Hi. What’s your tag name?

Artist4: Uh, my name is Zevo. Z-E-V-O.

Natascha: All right. Zevo, I was wondering, what part of your culture has influenced your tag piece today?

Artist4: Uh, so I’m Chicano, and the Chicano handstyle really influenced me. The old English letters and stuff like that. It’s a big part of my culture.

Natascha: All right. It’s super dope. And where are you from?

Artist4: I’m from Santa Barbara. Socal.

Natascha: Okay. All right. Thank you so much.

Natascha: Hey, what’s your tag name?

Artist5: My tag name is Golden Flower underscore CA.

Natascha: This is a really awesome piece. What is the hand in the in the snake represent to you?

Artist5: To me it represents a connectedness with the water as well. And, yeah, the symbols of just, something humanistic or creature like. Yeah.

Natascha: What about SEON? What does that represent?

Artist5: So this is a collaboration with my friend from Chile. And so this is supposed to be some type of compass. And that is literally the country of Chile in a chili like pepper form.

Natascha: I love it. That totally brings the two pieces together. Thanks for the explanation.

Natascha: Hi Christopher, I love this piece that I’m looking at. Can you tell me a little bit about your style?

Artist 6: Um, yeah. Just try to keep it sharp and clean and vicious looking. And we’re doing, we’re doing a comic book called the Max. Kind of like a tribute to it and putting our own graffiti twist to it.

Natascha: Okay. Thank you so much. It looks sick.

Natascha: Hi, Erica. This is a really beautiful, feminine piece that you put up here at CanniFest. Can you tell me a little bit about the story behind this piece?

Artist7: Well, quick blurb. We have our queen bee and her best buds, and it’s- I’ve been messing around with doing figurative work with creature heads, alluding to a more feral side of things that we often don’t acknowledge and probably should acknowledge more.

Natascha: All right, I see that absolutely.

Artist7: -Know your monsters. I like to paint a lot of the animals that are often given a bad rep and, you know, misunderstood monsters and bees are definitely one of them. So we gave a feminine woman with a bee head and her beast buds.

Natascha: Awesome. Thank you for keeping it fresh, I love it.

Artist7: Yeah. Thank you.

Show Some Love by adding these artst on IG!

@baaby._____

@wandering_eyess

@uglyeyes

@santacruzlurk

@nofacenocase_ui

@therealmichealwinslow

@notyouraverageshane

@zevor400ml

@_Whipple

@thejamsbrand

@s.murphyart

@shawnthemonster

@perplexx_art

@thor.ski

Sales Representative for Cannabis: The Secret to Securing Appointments at Dispensaries

/ N.Pearson / 1 Comment

A little over six months after leaving my Sales Representative job, I wanted to share my experience securing appointments so that growers who like to get their cannabis out on the white market can have the same opportunity my husband and I had. It always succeeded. I could showcase our indoor bud to my county with the proper script that I wrote and I’m now ready to share.

First, I gathered a spreadsheet with all the information on local dispensaries. I googled everything close to me and expanded the search one town at a time. Every time I went out for sales, I would take an updated version of this spreadsheet. I dated the top corner, and on the spreadsheet, I included the business name, phone number, address, the buyer’s email address, the Cannabis buyer’s name, Orders/ Presentations, and follow-up. I added a link to this spreadsheet on my Etsy, and Fivver you can find it at the bottom of this post. 

I left the last two columns, “Orders/ Presentations” and “Follow-ups,” blank. I then bring this spreadsheet with me when I make my presentations. I also have a blank page that I title notes. 

Then I go down my list, and I call the dispensary.

The first thing they are going to ask you is for your LIC. Don’t waste your time if you don’t have a license.

Hello, this is (Name) with (Farm).

Can I speak to your cannabis buyer? What is their email? When will they be in? Can I get the spelling of their name?

**Wait to be transferred*

Hello, my name is (Name) with (Farm), formally known as (include any farms, names, or brand you might also associate under), a fully licensed (outdoor/indoor) cannabis farm based in (location). We sell (hash/cannabis/desolates/edibles) that test at (percent)%. As well as (hash/cannabis/desolates/edibles) that test as high as (percent)% at a flat low rate (name something good about how you grow the bud.)

When are you available for a presentation? 

Thank you for your time. Have a nice day.

Write down the cannabis buyer’s name and the presentation date on the spreadsheet. Immediately follow through with emailing your menu to the buyer. Most recommend including in the header Attention: (Buyer Name). If the appointment was not set, go in a few days later and follow through with the person’s script.

In Person:

Hello,

My name is (Name) with (farm), a local (indoor/outdoor) farm. I’m looking for (name of buyer). I’ve sent an email with our menu but haven’t heard back. I wanted to drop off a hard copy in case they never got it. Are they available to talk? 

***If they are available, use the phone script.

During your appointment, always look the buyer in the eyes. Open the bag for the buyer and spiel your product. Tell them in what environment the cannabis is grown and what kind of system the grower uses. If they are not interested, ask them why. What are they looking for? Get more information on what is trending in that area and the prices the buyer wants. Avoid getting trapped in exclusive sales rights, selling to only one place in a given area. When you leave your appointment, write down the notes and the follow-up information. Congratulations, you might have made your first sale!

Once a month, or whenever your menu changes, you can send a monthly newsletter about life on the farm, new strands, and trending news. 

Here is an example follow up email. 

Happy (Holiday)!

(Funny one-liner)

This is (name) the sales representative for (farm), an (location) (indoor-outdoor) farm (follow up with any previously known names). We are happy to introduce our (cannabis) testing at (%)THC. You may also be familiar with our (2nd strand) and (3rd Strand)! We have added (Vape Strand) vape carts and (edibles) to our menu, along with (name of joint) joints. You can check out the grow on Instagram (Instagram link.)

(Insert Menu)

Don’t see the product you’re searching for? We take recommendations! Please reply with the strains and extracts that you would like to see in the future.

You can look forward to our next harvest which will be processed in (month) and will also have (new strand)

Want to book a presentation?

I can’t wait to meet with you. Please email the date and time, and I will confirm promptly. Thank you for allowing us to showcase our top-of-the-line buds (one line that showcases the quality of your bud.)

Thank you,

(Name)

(Farm)

(Location)

(Phone)

(Email)

Here is the link to the spreadsheet!

Etsy

Fiverr (currently unavailable)

Zen Humboldt

/ N.Pearson / 1 Comment

Saturday, December 5, 2022- (Eureka, CA) Little Lost Forest put on its first art exhibition, Eris’ Apple, at Zen Humboldt dispensary, which will be on display throughout December. The opening occurred during Arts Alive Eureka from 6-9 pm, accompanied by other local artists. Landscapes, female characters, and meditative practices are themes in the acrylic and spray paint art by Natascha and Jeremy Pearson. The paintings are strung along with a story that will be developed into a book called Discordia, to be released in 2024. 

@original_cannabis_leaf_art– Dan, a Rio Del local, creates unique customized items using real marijuana leaves in his delicate approach. He showcased Christmas ornaments and “high Santa” and Halloween art like a framed pot leaf spider.

Ruthie Creates Art @ruthiecreates_4 (IG) & @Ruthiecreates (FB) from Arcata brought a whirlwind of fun, colorful, and comfortable goods such as crocheted animal-styled beanies, plushies, and shell chimes sourced from local beaches. These pieces are all unique, custom, and one-of-a-kind, perfect gifts. 

Alexis, a Eureka artist, and her partner Novak set up their booth Fern + Fire which can be found on Etsy under FernnFire. They displayed wood-burned wall pieces, runes, Christmas ornaments, and beanies. 

Loren with Primitive Roots brought his wooden goods! (info@primitiveroots.art and FB at Primitive Roots 707) displayed resin and wood bowls, cutting boards, some with transformer-burned wood designs with a resin coating, unique cribbage boards, and much more. You can find a video of Loren woodburning with a neon sign transformer here and his IG.

Jeremy and Natascha Little Lost Forest @littlelostforestart brought rolling trays, local photographs on metal plates (@emeraldtriangle.photos), and self-care boxes including rose salve, face scrub, and body scrub made from all-natural ingredients. 

Water and Tea were served, and as it rained, guests trickled in. They folded up their umbrellas and walked through the cannabis room to a large lounge room where the artists were set up. Guests had a chance to talk with the artist, and once again, our community came together for a beautiful event. If you find yourself in Eureka, please stop by Zen in December to see the Little Lost Forest paintings.

 

Thank you, Zen Humboldt, for allowing us in your space, and I look forward to January’s Arts Alive at Good Relations. See you there! 

Cannabis: Edibles, A look into a Small Business Start-Up

/ N.Pearson / 1 Comment
THC Almond Butter Cups in Toffee, Coconut, Coffee, Strawberry, Regular

Since college, I have been a big fan of making pot brownies. Later, I’ve noticed that it is more of a medicine than a party favor. Edibles are a less harmful way to intake THC and CBD than smoking. Edibles can get a seasoned cannabis smoker high again. A more significant amount of Delta-9-THC goes into your liver when digesting an edible and converts to 11-hydroxy-THC. This form of cannabis intake is noninvasive to your surroundings and environment, with no smell to latch onto your clothes or linger in the air. Edibles are discreet and offer a relaxing high. While it may take a while to kick in, it’s long-lasting. The benefits of eating edibles, according to healthline.com, include treating “poor appetite, pain and weight loss in cancer patients, reduce pain and muscle spasms, relieve nausea and vomiting, enhance sleep quality, and improve anxiety.”

My goal would be to offer affordable, high-quality edibles that focus on health and healing, compared to your average sweet treat. The brand highlights dark and earthy tones, reflecting on my Celtic heritage and the change of the seasons.

The primary base for my 420 edibles is coconut oil. Coconut oil is saturated fat like butter. It is a plant-based alternative. Coconut oil helps the body assimilate fat-soluble vitamins. According to research from Hightimes, coconut oil distracts THC second best to butter. It also attributes to weight loss, “coconut oil contains a high amount of MCTs, or medium-chain fatty acids, also called triglycerides. These MCTs are harder for our bodies to store as fat and easier for us to burn off compared to long-chain fatty acids. “

I make a variety of chocolates, including almond butter cups, white chocolate bars with rice crispy, and coffee-infused cocoa. Chocolates are good for menstrual cycles, depression, and anxiety. They come in bite-size, squares, and cups. I add natural ingredients for deluxe treats like green tea, toffee, strawberry chunks, and coconut shavings.

420 Hot sauce has been my favorite for a while. You can check out my blog Caribbean style hot sauce here. Even though my hot sauce in the past has come out like a paste, my brother is in the craft hot sauce business in San Diego, and he will be assisting me in making coconut-based hot sauces that keep their liquidity. Hot sauce is low-calorie and easy to store and use on the fly.

My newest addition to making edibles is the green bars. Green bars are a healthy mix grain bar that includes dates, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and spirulina. This bar will not only contain medical benefits but will also give you energy.

Are you interested in opening a cannabis edible business? I assume I’m not the only one. My friend sent me these classes I am interested in attending at College of the Redwoods on building a business in the marijuana industry, https://www.redwoods.edu/communityed/Detail/ArtMID/17724/ArticleID/6299/Cannabis-Business-Training-Program. I’m considering taking these classes if I can afford them. You can make a donation on my home page. I will make sure to blog about my experience.

I haven’t even thought of a name for my edible company yet. After years of being associated with the cannabis industry, I would like to see how I can share natural healing edibles with my community.

***DISCLAIMER EDIBLES ARE NOT FOR SALE. THIS IS A START-UP COMPANY THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN LICENSED. Investors may send inquiries to littelostforestart@gmail.com***

REFERENCES:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/eating-weed#:~:text=Edible%20cannabis%20products%2C%20such%20as,9%20%2C%2010%20%2C%2011%20).

https://www.vice.com/en/article/bj5mza/edible-high-vs-smoke-high

The so-called, “Billion Dollar Industry”

/ N.Pearson / 1 Comment

The Unjust Pay System in the Marijuana Industry

As an observer of the marijuana community, a question pops up all too often that has everyone wondering, where is all the money at? We have hard-working employees, males, and females, who work long hours, which are not afraid to get their hands dirty. So, where is the profit with all the planting? As COVID brings marijuana sales to a record high while dispensaries remain open as an essential business, why do farm workers remain at the bottom of the pay scale?

The real reason the grower and the owner can’t see eye to eye. A worker goes on to a farm, helps them turn their harvest to an abundant green yield, and in the end, their pay comes late, scarce, and more work is expelled without a full payout up to that point. Bonuses are promised but never seen. What once was a decent paying job, the worker finds themselves waiting for their pay, unmotivated to work, and easily replaceable with the next willing participant. Where did this mom and pops, family valued, hippie ‘ love and peace,’ grow community, one might think they are stepping into, go? It went to corporate America.

Yes, the men with ties and suits are to blame. Even if the owner thinks they are the big shoot, spending outside of their means on music equipment, big cars, and overextended vacations, here’s the catch- that money isn’t there. Corporate America is making the so-called billions in the billion-dollar industry. So much of the profit goes into taxes that the once hippie-dippie landowner is now hanging with rappers, sporting an image they can’t afford. While white market owners can’t value their pounds half of what the black market can, none of this money dwindles to the grower. The lead grower is being worked to the bone, and his profits directly reflect the owner’s value in people. As the quality withers, prices and pay drop slowly, the farmworkers starve while the owner keeps his appearance.

Marijuana was legalized in California in November 2016. Growers didn’t have great expectations for this. It was expected to take away thousands of pot dealers’ jobs by bringing the marijuana industry into businesses. What did this mean to the grower? What many Americans might have assumed would keep thousands of pot growers outside of jail, growers had to face a new reality, now they had to follow the rules, regulations, and worse of all, pay taxes or be subjected to raids and fines. As growers race to get permits, many growers end up taking the easier way out and remaining black market.

So how does this affect the ones growing the weed? White/ Black, “whatever” market, growing weed isn’t like working at Carl’s JR, but the pay of a lead farmer isn’t far off from the income of being hired off the street at a Carl’s JR. The skills of the marijuana grower are being undermined in an industry that is holding onto nickel and dime compared to pre-legalization, where the industry was about helping the little guys out, not using them. Farmers with years of skill are treated like basic laborers, and even the white market players are getting away with not paying their employees what their worth is.

So how to fix this problem? Illuminate the greed and go back to the root. Project owners should appreciate the person growing their weed. We’re not talking about a robot. The farmhand is a human being growing medicinal plants to help people heal. The handling of marijuana influences its outcome, and if we grow weed like we farm our meat, we will all end up glutenous.


Happy Cows come from Happy Farms. Happy Plants come from Happy Farmers.


Staffing companies pocket 20-30 percent of the worker’s pay in exchange for legal paperwork, including paychecks, benefits, and HR work. The farms might have their employees covered, but those employees don’t see the benefits. Their pay becomes minimal, and they are once again replaceable. To solve this, farm owners can’t just be suits and jackets. They have to have humility and care for their workers. Their workers, in return, will care about the outcome of their product. And how do we get the owner to care for their worker? By lowering taxes so that they are not stretched so thin, they too are just looking for the next dollar to keep the farm afloat. Let them keep their facade image, which may never change, but do it so that they can pay their farmer and put food on the table for their families. Then, add a structured pay scale for positions on farms. As the government recognizes this industry, its positions should be recognized and compensated adequately. Like any business, starting laborer shouldn’t be paid the same as long-term workers, transparency about weight and numbers should be available, bonuses shouldn’t just be a dream, and lead farmers should be paid for their skills and knowledge, not the equivalent of a fast-food worker with no experience. Last of all permanent employment shouldn’t be waved in front of staff like a golden ticket, without any winner.