Cultivation
Thanks to the wave of recent recreational cannabis legalization, the last five years have been a veritable renaissance for cannabis growers, manufacturers, and dispensaries in the northeast. And in a region so influenced by the local food movement, it only makes sense that there would be robust support for hyper-local cannabis cultivation, too. Here, the Berkshires-based The Pass, a vertically integrated grower and producer of adult-use recreational cannabis products, offers a peek into its “farm-to-label” cultivation practices and philosophy.
Presented with The Pass
Jun 17, 2021
Tags: Cultivation Cannabis marijuana weed legalization The Pass Berkshires Sheffield greenhouse farming Web Only Sponsored Content
Legislation
Understanding the opt-out rule and how you can get involved
While excitement about New York's newly budding recreational cannabis industry has never been more palpable, it’s also just the beginning for the regulatory and licensing framework that will be overseen by the newly created Office of Cannabis Management. For eager consumers and prospective cannabis entrepreneurs alike, there’s still several major regulatory hurdles left to clear. Among them is the power the new law gives municipalities to “opt-out” of hosting retail dispensaries and public consumption facilities within their borders. Here's a primer on the opt-out rule and how you can get involved in your town's decision.
Presented with Jacobowitz & Gubits
Jun 12, 2021
Tags: Legislation cannabis marijuana recreational hemp Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act MRTA Office of Cannabis Management Jacobowitz & Gubits municipal law opt-out rule Web Only Sponsored Content
Dispensaries
Industry Legend Chemdog’s “Smash Hits” Comes to Canna Provisions
If you’re a longtime canna-connoisseur, you definitely know who Greg “Chemdog” Krzanowski is. If you’re one of the many who are just now dipping their toes into the culture as cannabis legalization sweeps the nation, you’ll want to get acquainted with the living legend—and fast. A pioneer of the modern cannabis movement, Chemdog is most known for his eponymous Chem Dog strain, said to be the parent strain of mega-popular varieties like Sour Diesel, OG Kush, and countless others. After his over 30-year cultivation career, he's finally releasing his first ever legal line of cannabis, Smash Hits, exclusively at Canna Provisions in Massachusetts.
Presented with Canna Provisions
Jun 3, 2021
Tags: Dispensaries cannabis marijuana Canna Provisions Massachusetts weed flower preroll dispensary legal weed Web Only Sponsored Content
Product Reviews
How Today’s Cannabis-Infused Products Deliver on Quality, Consistency, and Effects
Though edibles might seem like the modern-day cannabis frontier, many cultures around the world have a long history of infusing the plant into food and beverages. While cannabis’ criminalization in the US lessened the popularity of edibles, the publishing of Alice B. Toklas' 1954 cookbook, which included a recipe for "Hasish Fudge" helped reignite the public's interest. Today, edibles are one of the fastest growing parts of the legalized recreational cannabis industry, and growers and dispensaries like The Pass in Sheffield Massachusetts are working to make a wide variety of edibles with a focus on consistent quality and effects.
Presented with The Pass
May 20, 2021
Tags: Product Reviews cannabis marijuana edibles gummies THC dispensary The Pass Berkshires Massachusetts Web Only Sponsored Content
Legislation
What to Know about New York’s Recreational Marijuana Law
On Wednesday, March 31, New York officially became the 15th state to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults, and the wait seems to have been worth it.
By Phillip Pantuso
May 1, 2021
Tags: Legislation Marijuana New York Cuomo
Cannabis Recipes
It seems like a new state legalizes marijuana every week, with New York being the latest to hop on the bandwagon. This is good news from everyone from casual pot smokers to legacy market operators to small farmers and...chefs. When her home state of Vermont started the process of legalization in 2018, cookbook author Tracey Medeiros’s ears perked up. “I found myself continually reading about the plant’s potential for medicinal benefits,” she says. “This piqued my interest, motivating me to reach out to folks all across our country who use cannabis as a culinary ingredient. I was amazed to see and hear how this plant was transforming the culinary and cannabis landscape.”
Medeiros has written several other recipe books, including The Connecticut Farm Table Cookbook, and The Vermont Non-GMO Cookbook, and, most recently, The Art of Cooking with Cannabis, whose release serendipitously coincided with New York’s legalization. “I felt this was something that needed to be written because this is how the food industry is evolving,” she says “ Now, those who cook and create nourishing recipes can feel comfortable stepping out of the shadows and into the sunlight to share their passion for the use of this plant.”
The book is broken down into three overarching sections: CBD, Hemp, and THC recipes, and within each section, further divided by geographic region. “I thought it would be interesting to divide the book by regions, thereby enabling folks to see what each of these areas were doing with cannabis and how they were incorporating this plant into their local cuisine,” Medeiros says.
Like her other books before, this one straddles the line between cookbook and cultural anthology. “This cookbook showcases a collection of personal stories as well as culturally diverse recipes,” Medeiros says. “The folks who share them touch upon their personal struggles and successes as well as the potential health and wellness benefits of the cannabis plant. These stories are both heartwarming and uplifting bringing hope and a possible medical alternative.” This book also offers sidebars, informative tips, and practical how-to guidance.
The 125 recipes in the book are a far cry from the pot brownies we all made in high school. They range from soups and sides to cocktails and desserts. Most of them don’t even sound like they have cannabis in them. Take Medeiros’ favorites: sweet corn ice cream with brown sugar crumble and wild blueberries; smoked mussels with roasted corn puree and peppers; raw sweet corn and cashew chowder and and chicken kale meatballs with CBD-infused cherry tomato and pesto sauces. For newbies, she advises to “start low, go slow,” in terms of moderating your milligram intake. “One dose does not fit all,” Medeiros says. “Always review a product’s packing information to be educated on milligram dosages. Purchase brands that offer a certificate of analysis which ensures that the product you buy has been tested and is safe.”
Below is a recipe excerpted from The Art of Cooking With Cannabis for a raw hemp pesto from Freya Dobson of Hudson Hemp. Other Upstate contributors to the book include SFOGLINI Pasta (West Coxsackie, NY) and Local 111 Restaurant (Philmont, NY). The Art of Cooking with Cannabis is on sale now.
—Marie Doyon
Raw Hemp Leaf Pesto
Excerpted from The Art of Cooking with Cannabis: CBD and THC-Infused Recipes from Across America by Tracey Medeiros (Skyhorse Publishing, May 2021).
Yield: makes approximately 1 cup
Freya Dobson of Hudson Hemp says, "For those wishing to add CBD oil to the pesto, I recommend adding 10 milligrams of Treaty Balance per serving. Treaty’s parent company is Hudson Hemp. The Balance formula includes only the farm’s proprietary organic hemp, grown and processed at our regenerative farm. It’s the simplest formula for experiencing the benefits of broad-spectrum hemp extract in isolation.
Ingredients
• 3 or 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons organic raw pine nuts, walnuts, or cashews
• 1 cup fresh organic hemp leaves, woody stems removed, lightly packed
• 1 cup fresh organic basil leaves, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped organic kale leaves, stems and inner ribs removed and discarded, lightly packed
• Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or hemp seed oil
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, or to taste
• Pink Himalayan sea salt, fine-grain
• Freshly ground black pepper
Method
• Process the garlic and pine nuts in a food processor until minced. Add the hemp, basil, kale, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and process until well combined. While the food processor is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Spoon the pesto into a decorative bowl and fold in the nutritional yeast. Adjust seasonings with additional lemon juice and nutritional yeast, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, spread on toasted bread rounds topped with sliced cherry tomatoes or lightly drizzle pesto over and around your favorite eggs. Note: See fried egg recipe (page 186).
Notes
The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, for up to 2 days.
Raw hemp leaves are rich in cannabidiolic acid (CBDa). It is a nonintoxicating, inactive cannabinoid. When CBDa is heated (activated) through a process known as decarboxylation, it converts to CBD. Since this recipe uses raw hemp leaves that have not gone through a decarboxylation or extraction process, CBD is not present.
...
By Marie Doyon
Apr 30, 2021
Tags: Cannabis Recipes art of cooking with cannabis cannabis cooking tracy medeiro hemp weed pot weed recipe pot recipe marijuana Web Only
Dispensaries
There are four days until 4/20. While in New York State it is now legal to smoke pot and possess up to three ounces (which is way more than enough for your own at-home festivities) you’ll have to cross the border into Massachusetts for official dispensary celebrations. We’ve rounded up the Berkshires marijuana dispensaries that are offering deals and new products in honor of 4/20.
Berkshire Roots
Celebrate 4/20 at Berkshire Roots’ Pittsfield location with local musicians Tony Lee Thomas, Jenny Porter, and Melissa Brinton, favorite vendors like Betty's Eddies organic fruit-based edibles, Fernway Vapor, and Kushley, plus a Chillin & Grillin Food truck selling grilled cheeses and other food on Tuesda. And on Saturday, check out the tie-dye air streamer from the Garcia Hand Picked cannabis brand with Ozzies food truck. They are also offering six new products and special branded limited-edition merch. The dispensary specializes in edible culture, and offers a range of cannabis-infused treats and foods online. The group won Best Edible in the 2020 Commonwealth Cannabis Competition for its culinary efforts.
Canna Provisions
Canna Provisions is marking 4/20 with the public debut of their iconic director of cultivation Greg “Chemdog” Krzanowski’s first legal line, Smash Hits, which will be carried exclusively at Canna. Krzanowski will be onsite at both the Lee and Holyoke Canna Provisions locations with his growers for a meet-and-greet plus merch signing and photo ops. There will also be food trucks and live music.
Calyx
Calyx Berkshire in the heart of downtown Great Barrington is gearing up for their first 420, with three new strains over 30% off, plus a fun day in-store with raffles and prizes in-store. This women-owned dispensary, named after the female part of the cannabis plant, offers a wide range of products, including deli-style choices, pre-rolls, vape cartridges, tinctures and topicals, and a selection of edibles.
Rebelle
For the 10 days leading up to 420, Rebelle is offering a different deal every day, including free merch, sales, and limited edition items. Yesterday, if you purchased four eighths, you got a ‘No One Should Be in Prison For Weed’ t-shirt for free. This weekend, customers spending more than $420 will get complimentary limited edition legalization merch. This female and minority-led business donates three percent of its net profits toward expunging low-level cannabis convictions and empowering its community. They offer flowers, pre-rolls, topicals, vapes, edibles, and tinctures, and a wide range of accessories and branded merch also for sale.
Temescal Wellness
Temescal Wellness is celebrating 4/20 live and in-person at all three of their Massachusetts locations in Framingham, Hudson, and Pittsfield, as well as on their website with sales. They are offering exclusive accessory bundles on in-store purchases of $200 or more, lots of different cannabis products, and several promotions for medical patients in-store. Their Hudson store location is partnering with Shishkaberrys of New England’s food truck––offering their standard berry kabob menu with a special 4/20 menu of half kabobs for $5 for Temescal Wellness customers. Buy a skewer and show your receipt when making a cannabis purchase to be eligible for a special promotion.
Theory Wellness
In honor of 4/20, Theory Wellness is offering its medical cannabis customers a sweet weeklong deal: spend $150 on a medical cannabis order, and they add a gram of flower or a 4-pack of Hi5 for just a penny. They’re also offering bundles of five .75mg pre-rolls for $40. And on 4/20 itself, medical patients that spend $50 on a medical cannabis order can get a 4-pack of Hi5 for a penny.
The Pass
On Saturday, April 17, go-to vaporizer company Airo will be on-site at the Pass's Sheffield location, offering an Airo battery for just a penny with purchase of an Airo vape cartridge while supplies last. And on Sunday, April 18, Betty’s Eddies, whose vegan and gluten-free edibles are made with organic fruits and veggies, will be stopping by with non-infused samples of its pun-happy products like “Berry Good Things” and “Elderbetty." In addition to these events, the Pass is celebrating 4/20 with several special deals and new releases. Love merch? Purchase a half-ounce of Pass flower, and get a free Pass hat. The farm-to-label dispensary is also releasing their own brand of one-gram vape cartridges and a high-testing flower both grown in-house. On April 23, the festivities continue at the Sheffield location from 1-6pm with the Jerry Garcia-inspired cannabis brand Garcia Hand Picked, which will be onsite with a their psychedelic Airstream experience, selling merch and playing music.
Silver Therapeutics
Silver Therapeutics is celebrating 4/20 with price cuts on over 30 items between their locations in Williamstown and Orange, Massachusetts. The weed of the week in their Orange store is the Power Africa––crossed between Durban Poison, Skunk #1 and Haze––a Sativa dominant hybrid best for daytime usage.
...
Apr 17, 2021
Tags: Dispensaries cbd marijuana 420 4/20 pot weed legal weed Web Only
Dispensaries
Berkshire Roots’ Goal Is to Create Quality Cannabis Products Alongside Social Change
Legalization of adult-use cannabis, while a victory for enthusiasts and businesses alike, is more fraught for communities that have disproportionately suffered from the War on Drugs. For Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based Berkshire Roots—a vertically integrated medical and adult-use cannabis dispensary and one of the state’s leading cultivators of craft-grown cannabis from Berkshire County—its success in the industry and its commitment to racial justice have always been intertwined.
Presented with Berkshire Roots
Apr 10, 2021
Tags: Dispensaries Berkshire Roots cannabis marijuana legalization dispensary adult-use War on Drugs Web Only Sponsored Content
Dispensaries
While recreational marijuana has just been legalized in New York it'll take some time for the retail scene to catch up. But a quick trip over state lines will bring you to a multitude of dispensaries in the Berkshires.
By Amadeus Finlay
Apr 1, 2021
Tags: Dispensaries Marijuana Berkshires Massachusetts Dispensary Cannabis Weed
Beacon
Quality CBD from Seed to Sale
At The Leaf in Beacon, the Focus is on Quality CBD from Seed to Sale
Presented with The Leaf
Jan 1, 2021
Tags: Beacon The Leaf Hemp CBD Sponsored Content
