Annual cannabis harvest underway in Northern California as pot economy transitions

By Julie Johnson

The pungent smell of cannabis planted on this west-facing hillside in the Sonoma Valley mixed with the odors of damp volcanic soil, aromatic pine and cattle musk from a herd watching over a calf crying for its mother. A five-person farm crew cut... read more

"Erich Pearson, SPARC’s founder and executive director, said he could find a more affordable place to grow cannabis than this bucolic valley surrounded by regenerating forests and parcel after parcel of vineyards. Instead, he’s attempting to create a taste for high-end, biodynamic cannabis infused with the unique terroir of this Glen Ellen area hillside."

"When I look at this, I think about the brand we’re building."

Cannabis grower rebuilds after devastating Nuns Fire

By Dan Ashley and Ken Miguel

The Nuns Fire started in the early evening on Oct. 8, tearing through Glen Ellen. This isn’t just wine country, it’s also home to a growing number of cannabis farms. A year later, they too are still rebuilding. One year ago, Erich... read more

"One year ago, [SPARC Founder & CEO] Erich Pearson woke up to a firestorm. Flames tore through Glen Ellen in Sonoma County. It reduced homes to ashes, and turned farms into wastelands. Pearson had just harvested his cannabis crop. It was completely destroyed."

"We want to have public access to this farm, we want to have educational tours, we want folks to come here and purchase cannabis one day, much like a winery, so this is a long term plan."

A Day in the Life of a Cannabis Lounge

By David Downs

The morning sun barely clears the Berkeley hills east of the San Francisco Bay today, yet the Volcano vaporizers are already warm at the public cannabis lounges across the region. Over at Barbary Coast Collective on Mission St. in San Francisco, the... read more

"When the doors open at 9 a.m. over at SPARC lounge on Mission St., lawyers and pensioners alike stand in line to show their ID, pick up a grinder, and sit down to hit Volcano bags. Some stop by before their shifts at work. Others come straight from government housing where federal laws prohibit medical cannabis use."

Valley Forum: Cannabis advocate Erich Pearson calls for compromise

By Erich Pearson

The town of Sonoma is sometimes called “the Island,” referring to our slight geographic isolation and unique civic character. The truth, of course, is that this town is no more an island than is any one person. Yet recent actions around the... read more

"It’s time to allow Sonoma voters to decide upon local dispensaries and it’s more than time for politicians and signature seekers to find the middle ground on an issue that most of Sonoma County has worked so hard to manage."

Burned Out Marijuana Farm Fires Up Rebuilding

By Joe Rosato Jr.

Even with tubs once again filled with bright green leafy marijuana, there was ample evidence all around of the devastating fires that consumed the SPARC marijuana farm in Glen Ellen last October, wiping out the company’s first cannabis crop just... read more

"[The SPARC Farm] took quite a hit. We lost 95 percent of the cannabis we harvested that season."

"The ground was still smoldering early last October when Pearson made a pledge to rebuild."

"This crop is gorgeous this year. We’ve done a really great job so far of rebuilding this field."

"I think this business sort of comes with — you don’t quite understand what’s around the corner the next day."

Cheap cannabis products available before new California rules kick in

By Peter Fimrite

A bonanza of cheap marijuana is flooding the market this week as growers, manufacturers and retailers unload excess cannabis in preparation for the enforcement of strict testing and packaging regulations that are sure to further shake up... read more

"I suspect we’ll have a shortage for a while until distributors get their testing figured out. We’ll see limited supplies of brands and products, and probably lesser quantities, too. This at a time when we’re reaching the time of year when the highest demand for cannabis products is in the summer months."

"The black market is so large, and the taxes and regulations are so hard, that until the state decides to take action against the black market, it will remain a very robust and profitable business for those who participate in it. The over-regulation and taxation creates a very attractive alternative for consumers."

The Dawn of a New 420

To celebrate California’s first fully legal 420, San Francisco dispensaries turned to vinyl and drag queens

By Zack Ruskin

For many pot enthusiasts, 420 will always be a day to gather with hundreds of fellow stoners and smoke a truly staggering amount of cannabis. However, for dispensaries, the occasion also offers a chance to make big sales and hopefully welcome some... read more

"This first 420 with adult-use was something that we wanted to get right. Everyone had to scratch something together with very short notice because no one really knew what the regulations were going to be. People did some interesting things to draw attention to their stores. It’s a fun industry to be in because there’s a lot of experimentation going on right now."

Where Cannabis Enthusiasts Go to Get High on San Francisco

By Aislyn Greene

As of January 1, 2018, you can legally buy cannabis at any dispensary in California — just for the sheer pleasure of it. All you need is 21 years under your belt, a valid ID from any state, cash-money (dispensaries don’t take credit or debit... read more