The Texas Hemp Reporter attended the first ever Texas Hemp Day at the Capitol and Rachel was there for a report with activity with lawmakers. Written & Produced by Rachel Nelson.
Texas Hemp Day at the Capitol was a huge success, marking the first time that Texas’ hemp industry came together at the capitol. The event provided an opportunity for members to interact with one another, as well as state representatives and senators. The work accomplished at the capitol is expected to benefit the industry in the current legislative session.
The Texas Hemp Coalition expressed their appreciation to all those who came to Austin to show their support for the coalition and the Texas hemp industry, and looks forward to seeing them again soon.
As the 88th Texas Legislature convened on January 10, 2023, the Texas Hemp Coalition’s tenant of “advocacy” is carried out during this session as they continue to fight for the industry’s prosperity. The final day of the legislative session is May 29, 2023, and the coalition encourages industry supporters to reach out to their State Representatives and Senators to voice their concerns and support for the hemp industry in Texas.
The coalition’s federal and state legislative priorities include protecting all cannabinoids for consumable hemp products, ensuring retailers and manufacturers are protected for future cannabinoid products for the market, advancing regulatory efforts towards legalizing hemp feed as a protein for animals for human consumption, urging the FDA to regulate CBD as a dietary supplement, protecting and fighting for farmers to have a more efficient program, updating legislation to reflect changes from USDA rules, passing a 2023 Farm Bill to reflect a more industry-supported hemp program, and giving agencies the ability to update statute per the 2023 Farm Bill.
In terms of Texas legislative priorities, the coalition is supporting SB 264 by Senator Charles Perry, which relates to the production, sale, distribution, delivery, and regulation of consumable hemp products, and SB 321 by Senator Charles Perry, which relates to the production and regulation of hemp, providing administrative penalties, and creating a criminal offense.
On the federal level, the coalition is supporting H.R. 6645: The Hemp Advancement Act of 2022 by Rep. Chellie Pingree, which aims to make it easier and more profitable for U.S. farmers to grow hemp while ensuring consumers of hemp are protected against unsafe products, the Safe Banking Act by Rep. Ed Perlmutter, which would protect institutions administering financial services to all legal cannabis businesses by preventing any penalization from federal regulators, and the Hemp and Hemp Derived CBD Consumer Protection and Market Stabilization Act of 2021 by Rep. Kurt Schrader, which would ensure that hemp-derived CBD and other non-intoxicating hemp ingredients could be lawfully marketed as dietary supplements.
Overall, the Texas Hemp Coalition’s legislative efforts are focused on supporting the growth and prosperity of the hemp industry in Texas, and they are actively engaging with lawmakers and stakeholders to achieve these goals.
Native Austinite Embraces The Budding Hemp Industry
By Rachel Nelson
Marco Krause began experimenting with cannabidiols after a high school baseball injury left him with chronic shoulder pain. Today, he’s an entrepreneur, hemp activist and aspiring chemist.
Krause launched Dr. MAK’s Apothecary, an Austin-based e-commerce store, in 2019. With his chemistry background and help from his dad’s lab — Krause Analytical — he has formulated an assortment of natural therapeutic products.
Dr. MAK’s signature formula is its Magic Pain Juice (MPJ), a mixture of natural monoterpenes, alcohols and herbal extracts that provides several hours of pain relief. Eventually, Krause decided to add a hemp extract to the formula and dubbed it MPJ Extra Strength, or MPJXS.
While Krause admits that he laughed about the concept at the time — saying the name sounded like a gimmick — the product quickly gained popularity.
“It blew up like crazy,” Krause said. “So we started thinking, why not sell it to the CBD stores?”
Currently, MPJXS is sold at several central Texas locations.
After MPJXS took off, Krause said he began to experiment with making cannabidiol-infused gummies. Because he heard many horror stories about gummies melting in cars and warehouses, Krause said he saw the need to create a heat-resistant product. He formulated gummies that are able to withstand temperatures of up to 170-degrees fahrenheit.
“Even though they’re heat-resistant, they do dissolve, and people can digest them,” Krause said.
Perfecting his gummy formula, combined with the release of MPJXS, led to the launch of Krause’s hemp-focused brand — Underground Alchemy. In addition to specializing in the business-to-business wholesale of its own products, Underground Alchemy helps other businesses create and manufacture their own custom product formulations.
“We’re very small, but we end up doing what five- to 10-man companies do with custom formulations, and we can do it cheaper because we have less overhead,” Krause said.
To date, Underground Alchemy has helped hemp entrepreneurs create high-quality tinctures and edibles.
Beyond running his two businesses and working to complete a chemistry degree, Krause has championed hemp farming at the state level. In 2021, he testified in front of the Texas Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, speaking out against a bill that would have placed stricter guidelines on hemp faming in Texas (like limiting THC levels to 1% rather than 3%).
“Thankfully, that never made it through,” Krause said.
Moving forward, Krause plans to continue making a name for himself as a pioneer in the Texas hemp space.
“It’s been fun navigating the waters and finding out exactly what’s coming forward,” he said. “It’s impossible to stay ahead of this market.”
In March 2020, before anyone knew the pandemic would drastically change the world, three Austinites launched CBD Delivery ATX. According to co-owner Liz Pruett, timing was on their side.
“Delivery became a more important part of everyday life,” she said. “A lot of our customers have been with us since the beginning because for whatever reason, they can’t leave the house, don’t want to leave the house or feel intimidated about going into a head shop. So I think it does kind of fill a niche market of people who want to stay closer to home.”
Pruett and the other co-owners — brothers Rob and TJ Leonard — received their first delivery order a week prior to the COVID shutdown and say the phone has not stopped ringing since. Initially, the trio said they went with a delivery business model to save money on leasing a storefront, but they hoped to eventually grow into a brick-and-mortar location. However, they soon realized that “delivery was kind of the way to go,” Pruett said.
“In the early days of our business we kind of thought it was going to die off when the pandemic was over, but it kind of went the other way,” Rob Leonard said. “It just became more, so I guess this is what so many businesses are doing because people love the convenience of it.”
The owners of CBD Delivery Service tout their assortment of locally sourced products as well as their diverse customer mix — from war veterans to soccer moms and massage therapists.
“We have some people that order bath bombs and others that want every type of THC that we carry that’s legal,” Rob Leonard said.
Compliance is a priority at CBD Delivery Service, and every customer must show their ID upon arrival.
“We always ensure that it doesn’t get into the wrong person’s hands,” Rob Leonard said.
While the owners of CBD Delivery Service steer clear of making medical claims about their products, their customers have boasted many healing effects — such as relief from pain and anxiety.
TJ Leonard said his business motivation stems from wanting to help people consume hemp legally. He grew up in Maine and later moved to California — both legal states. Now that he lives in Texas, he said he hopes the business helps keep people out of legal trouble. Additionally, CBD Delivery Service aims to be fast and discreet.
“When you go into a head shop, it kind of feels like you’re doing something illegal, even though everything’s legal,” TJ Leonard said. “With us, it’s as discreet as you can make it. We don’t wear uniforms, our cars aren’t decorated.”
The owners all say they are pleasnatly surprised at how busy they have been since the pandemic cooled off, and their delivery area extends beyond the Austin city limits. A map of the service area can be found at cbddeliveryatx.com, and everyone who orders can expect to receive their products in two hours or less.
Standard delivery is $10 but jumps to $20 for the extended delivery region. However, all customers who spend $100 or more receive free delivery. Additionally, every new customer receives 25% off of their order total.
Moses Levin and Dan Marinelli, both seasoned cannabis cultivators, crossed paths when their kids shared a kindergarten class.
“I was in charge of the school garden,” said Marinelli, who has a degree in horticulture from UCLA. “I have a love for horticulture and growing plants.”
The two soon realized their common love for hemp farming. When it was federally legalized in 2019, they embarked on a venture to discover, breed and refine what they believe to be the best legal CBD seeds for their particular climate. That’s when CBD Seed Labs was born.
Although located in Southern California, the business caters to Texas farmers because of the environmental similarities.
“A lot of what we do in our genetic development is called climate tuning, which means picking out the best varieties to reproduce that tolerate the challenges of a particular climate,” Levin said. “The particular climate that we’re in has a variety of challenges that match very well with what the Texas farmer has.”
From heat and high humidity to sometimes cold temperatures, CBD Seed Labs breeds plants that are resistant to those challenges, giving the seeds an advantage to those that are produced in Colorado, Oregon and other states where there are vast climatic differences.
Additionally, “If you grab a map and draw a line from Southern California to Texas, you’re going to find that we’re at the same latitude, so we have the same light cycle, too,” Marinelli said.
Soil is also a factor. While there are many soil variants in Texas and California, Levin said one thing many of them have in common is their ability to drain quickly, which is exactly what hemp plants want.
As we head into the new year, Adam Reposa, owner of ATX Budtenders, gives expert insights on the hottest bud selections for 2023.
#1: Super Boof
Super Boof is a calming, hybrid strain that emerged by crossing Black Cherry Punch and Tropicana Cookies. Reposa said his weed delivery business will make Super Boof its signature strain in 2023, with plans to offer it at $150 an ounce (a $50 discount from 2022).
“People can buy a combo, spend $300 and receive an ounce of Super Boof and an ounce of something else, plus get a collector’s item t-shirt,” he said. “It’s kind of like the Cheese of The Month Club with weed and t-shirts.”
So, what’s so great about Super Boof?
According to Leafly, this strain boasts earthy and cherry notes that come from its dominant terpene — myrcene.
“It’s the livest fruity weed around,” Reposa said. “Plus, there’s nothing wrong with an every day standard, and Super Boof is so good, I think it can be everyone’s every day weed. With most people, you can smoke a certain strain every day and then buy another zip of something else.”
#2: Runtz
What do Dessert Runtz, Midnight Runtz, Pink Runtz and White Runtz have in common? They are all strains that graced the ATX Budtenders menu in 2022. In 2023, Reposa said his business will continue to carry Runtz, as well as keep an eye out for new mixtures that may emerge.
“You can’t go wrong with Runtz,” he said, comparing it to other legendary strains like White Widow and Northern Lights. “I’m just waiting for the Polka Dot and Chocolate Runtz strains to come out because I’m sure they’re coming.”
Runtz, also known as Runtz OG, is named for its fruity aroma that is comparable to the distinguished candy brand. It was named Leafly’s Strain of the Year in 2020, and it is known to produce euphoric and uplifting effects.
#3: Sweet Island Skunk
It’s an oldie but a goodie, according to Reposa. In fact, Reposa said he has been tossing around the idea of bringing more throwback strains into his collection, hoping to win over customers through nostalgia.
“They say that every time you do a reunion tour, no one comes, but I think there could be a lot of opportunity here,” he said.
For those who enjoy sativas and are looking for an energizing high, Sweet Island Skunk is worth trying. It was created by mixing Sweet Pink Grapefruit with Skunk #1, and its green bunds are adorned with vibrant yellow and orange hairs.
#4. Zlushies
This strain is from a highly regarded cannabis company, Raw Genetics — the creators of Gastro Pop and Apples & Bananas.
“They’ve got a bunch of badass weed,” Reposa said.
Zlushiez is an indica-dominant hybrid, and Raw Genetics boasts a robust collection of popular strains that have been crossbred with it — such as Stuffed Cherry Zlushiez and Zuni.
Remember the days when smoking marijuana was a secret hobby that people went to great lengths to conceal? Thankfully, those days are far behind us. With marijuana-shaming being a thing of the distant past, celebrities are being more candid about their love for cannabis than ever before. Besides just using it, they are advocating for its legality and concocting their own plant strains and canna-businesses.
Here’s our list of the top 15 celebrity stoners in America today, according to their own words.
1. Willie Nelson (@willienelsonofficial)
“I don’t know anybody that’s ever died from smoking pot. Had a friend of mine that said a bale fell on him and hurt him pretty bad, though.” — Willie Nelson to The Rolling Stone in 2019
Let’s go ahead and get Willie Nelson out of the way, as the man is a leafy-green legend. He has been extremely vocal about his cannabis use for decades, and he is even rumored to have smoked marijuana in the Texas Governor’s mansion. To celebrate his love for hemp, Willie launched his own CBD brand called Willie’s Remedy that sells infused coffee, tinctures, teas and more.
2. Snoop Dogg (@snoopdogg)
“This weed is mine, get your own bag.” — Snoop Dogg’s Weed Iz Mine lyrics
Snoop is a famous rapper (not to be confused with blunt wrapper). But if the shoe fits, he will definitely wear it, because Snoop has never been shy about his cannabis consumption. He never misses an opportunity to blow huge clouds of pot smoke in his music videos or during public appearances.
3. Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong (@cheechmarin & @heytommychong)
“I take a toke, and all my fears go up in smoke.” — Cheech & Chong, 1978
We’ll go ahead and lump Cheech and Chong together, as it’s difficult to imagine one without the other. Everyone’s favorite Mexican-American pot-smoking duo has been entertaining people for decades. With nearly half a century of public weed consumption under their belts, they’re basically America’s stoned great uncles. Tommy Chong takes his stonership very seriously, which is why he launched his own cannabis brand, Chong’s Choice, in 2015.
4. Shelby Chong(@funnyshelby)
“Such a great charity event and so much fun when u take a gummy bear.” — Shelby on Instagram in May 2019
Everyone knows that couples who toke together stay together, and Shelby and Tommy Chong have been married since 1975. Their relationship is filled with warm hugs and fluffy nugs, and Shelby’s Instagram is laced with many weed innuendos.
5. Matthew McConaughey(@officiallymcconaughey)
“Say man, you got a joint? … It’d be a lot cooler if you did.” — Matthew McConaughey as David Wooderson in Dazed & Confused, 1993
As the man who was featured in one of the most well-known stoner flicks of all time, who didn’t see this coming? McConaughey’s pot use isn’t confined to the movies, though. In 1999, he was arrested for possession of marijuana, and his 2020 autobiography “Greenlights” contains several ganja references.
6. Joe Rogan(@joerogan)
“Marijuana has made me a more sensitive person. It’s enhanced my feelings on the positive aspects of community, and made me more affectionate and compassionate.” — Joe Rogan, 2019, via Instagram
Joe Rogan shares about his marijuana usage on all of his social media accounts as well as his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Through the years, he has been a very vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana.
7. Seth Rogen(@sethrogen)
“I’ve never gone to a movie and thought, ‘man, I wish I was less stoned right now.” — Seth Rogen, 2008 on The Daily Show
As the mastermind behind Pineapple Express, it’s no secret that Seth Rogan loves to toke up. In 2019, he co-founded Houseplants, a cannabusiness that sells three of Rogen’s favorite strains: Diablo Wind, Pink Moon and Pancake Ice. The brand also sells home goods, like ashtrays and ceramics.
8. Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa)
“I’m rolling up another joint as soon as the weed’s gone.” — Wiz Khalifa’s Weed Farm Lyrics
Wiz Khalifa is one of the most unabashed stoners around. His cannabis line, Khalifa Kush, sells flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles and concentrates. He also launched his own line of stoner munchies called HotBox by Wiz.
9. Martha Stewart (@marthastewart)
“Of course I know how to roll a joint.” — Martha Stewart to Andy Cohen in 2013
Let’s face it — hanging out with Snoop Dogg makes anyone a stoner by association. Through a partnership with Canopy Growth, Martha launched her own CBD line in 2020 that offers gummies, supplements and, most recently, beauty products. Even if Martha isn’t sparking up from sunup to sundown like her partner in crime Snoop, one thing’s for certain … if you ever get the chance to try her brownies, you better take it.
10. B-Real(@breal)
“We always considered ourselves the champions of cannabis culture in terms of hip-hop and mainstream music. We reference it in the music whenever we get a chance. — B-Real, 2021, cypresshill.com
The Cypress Hill frontman (whose real name is Louis Mario Freese) is very enthusiastic about his cannabis use. He chain smokes joints on the Dr. Greenthumb podcast, which is hosted on his YouTube channel, BRealTV. He is also a leading cannabis entrepreneur, owning six Dr. Greenthumb dispensaries.
11. Soleil Moon-Frye (@moonfrye)
“What is better than to get completely blazed and stare at the Starburst Galaxy?” — Soleil Moon-Frye, 2021 on the Dr. Greenthumb Podcast
You may know her as Punky Brewster. In 2021, she released a Hulu documentary about her life called Kid 90, where she spoke openly about blazing bowls with other 90s teen stars back in the day. While she didn’t partake in marijuana during her appearance on the Dr. Greenthumb podcast last year, she did admit to having a strong contact high and reminisced back to the days when she was known by the nickname “Punky Blunts.”
12. Kirsten Dunst (@kierstendunst)
“I drink moderately, I’ve tried drugs. I do like weed.” — Kirsten Dunst, 2009 to Britain’s Live Magazine
Kiersten Dunst is ready to Bring it On. (The bong rips, that is). Although she admits she isn’t one to spend all day stoned, she has publicly advocated for the legalization of marijuana calling America’s laws against it “ridiculous.”
13. Elon Musk
“Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.” — Elon Musk, 2018, via Twitter
In 2018, Elon Musk caught a lot of flack after he smoked pot on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He later called that decision “not wise,” but really — who cares what people think when you’re worth hundreds of billions of dollars?
14. Rihanna (@badgalriri)
“Kush rolled, glass full…I prefer the better things!” — Rihanna, 2012, via Twitter
Rihanna isn’t shy when it comes to publicly indulging in cannabis. The Barbadian singer and lingerie designer once rolled a blunt on the bald head of her bodyguard at the Coachella music festival.
15. Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)
So I was weed for Halloween. BEST COSTUME EVER, IT’S SO FUN. Princess High the Cannabis Queen.” — Lady Gaga, 2012 via Twitter
Long before starring in the 2021 flick “House of Gucci,” Lady Gaga was using marijuana to get her creative juices flowing. During a 2011 60 Minutes interview, she revealed to Anderson Cooper that she smokes a lot of pot while writing music.
There are far more fine flower children that could be included on this list. In fact, Woody Harrelson, Brad Pitt and Chelsea Handler each get an honorable mention. Be sure to follow them all on Instagram to make your feed a little greener.
We’ve all heard the term, “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” but what about 4:20? We turned to Wikipedia to get to the root of where the “420” stoner reference originated.
Legend has it that the number 420 first became associated with cannabis in the 1970s when five California high school students who called themselves “The Waldos” would meet at 4:20 p.m. to search for an abandoned cannabis crop. They used a treasure map provided by the supposed grower, and while their hunts were never fruitful, the term “420” stuck.
Four-twenty became a world-renowned pot-smoking phrase after one of The Waldos, Dave Reddix, became a roadie for the Grateful Dead. They declared 4:20 p.m. as the acceptable time to smoke weed, and Grateful Dead followers helped to popularize the term.
A rolled marijuana joint half burnt, isolated on white.
In 1991, High Times Magazine referenced the term “420” for the first time, and Journalist Steven Hager wrote a feature piece about The Waldos in 1998.
April 20, a.k.a. 4/20, is now a popular counterculture holiday. It’s an occasion when stoners gather together to pass the peace pipe as well as advocate for the legalization of marijuana.
Today, the spirit of 4/20 is alive and well. Here are five ways to celebrate.
1. Visit a legal state
As 4/20/22 approached, Max Juhasz, founder of Frisco-based Cannabiz Marketing Solutions, planned to celebrate by traveling to a state where cannabis is legal, like Colorado or New Mexico.
“We can have a good old time without worrying about the nonsense,” he said. “It’s going to be a blast.”
2. Find a cannabis sale
Juhasz also shared that one of his clients in Oregon, Plain Jane, planned to have a special 4/20 sale on its hemp and CBD products.
“We usually have a huge party and celebrate,” he said. “If we can, we like to get all the farmers, growers and other people in the industry and celebrate all that we have done to help bring cannabis awareness and legalization to almost two-thirds of the country.”
3. Set out on a long road trip
This year, travel writer and marijuana enthusiast Hail Groo chose 4/20 as the day to embark on a weeks-long road trip across the western and southern United States, as well as western Canada, to explore the cannabis laws in each area.
“As someone who relies on CBD and medical marijuana and is a social media cannabis influencer, it’s essential to know the laws every place I go,” Groo said. “I’ll be walking my followers through the differences in each location, how I’m able to legally manage my disabilities and still have a great time as a solo traveler.”
Groo invites everyone to follow her journey via Instagram, where she goes by @the.cannabis.nerd.
A rolled marijuana joint half burnt, isolated on white.
4. Lounge around with friends
While 4/20 is just another day for many stoners, some people see it as a special occasion to parkake. Hannah Pierce, a media executive at Luciding, said the holiday has become an annual tradition.
“My partner and I aren’t really weed people, that is except for the 20th of April: the one day a year we let our hair down, go to a friend’s house and get high,” Pierce said.
Pierce admitted she was nervous the first time she tried weed, but since the plant is now legal in her state, she decided to give it a go when she was invited to a 4/20 party by friends.
“It felt like the perfect place to experiment and try it out whilst being surrounded by safe people in a safe environment. Since then, we’ve gone to that house every year, and every year it’s a great time. Everyone brings a ton of food, we vote on a ridiculous or crappy movie, and we lounge around in pajamas smoking and laughing all night. It’s amazing!”
5. Try Delta-8
Spencer Beaudreault, founder of Hero Brands, said he was going to “chill out with our 20mg Delta-8 gummies” on 4/20.
Delta 8 is a cannabinoid like CBD. However, unlike CBD, Delta 8 causes euphoric effects like traditional cannabis. While Beaudreault launched his business to promote plants over pills, his website cautions users to “start low and go slow,” as the gummies can take one to two hours to take effect.
6. Use caution
Chicago attorney Clyde Guilamo has a warning for those that live in states like Texas where recreational marijuana use is not legal.
“Be careful on the drive home, as some states allow police to search your car based on the odor of cannabis,” he said. Guilamo shares more on his YouTube channel, Law Talk for Non-Lawyers.
How did Rocket Seeds start as a business and what was the vision? Rocket Seeds started up roughly 5 years back in Los Angeles Ca. It was created with the vision of having all the seed banks under one roof like amazon but for only cannabis seeds.
Tell me a little bit about the backstory of the company and what your position is with them. It begin when Crop King Seeds was introduced to the States by the founder, then brought along other Canadian-based seed banks. It was here in LA when our CEO Landra came up with Rocket Seeds and I have been with the company for over a year now. I started in an entry-level job and then became Marketing Director/ Social Media Manager. I knew nothing about growing or even about cannabis. I have learned a lot about this growing business. (No pun intended ) It’s crazy to think people really overlook seeds and honestly, they are important.
How does the concept of a seed bank work? Seed banks usually develop cannabis strains OR outsource them thru a trusted breeder to get high-quality seeds. Seed banks usually sell to commercial and individual growers. But we have seen a rise in the wholesale side as Retail stores want to have seed packs available at their location/s. The individual grower now has options as to what strain they would like to grow next, and the options are endless: shipped directly to their doorstep discreetly or walk straight into a hydro store, smoke shop, etc. and pick up a pack!
How does it work with both interstate and worldwide commerce with the varying laws? The statement the DEA put out stated that cannabis seeds containing less an 0.3% are legally hemp and they are legal. None of our seeds have THC in them TILL cultivated. So we recommend the buyer to know their state laws regarding cultivation.
What varieties does Rocket Seeds offer? We have a large variety of different strains; Regulars, Fast Version, CBD, Hemp, Feminized & Auto flowers. Regulars – these seeds have a 50/50% chance of being either. Sometimes, however, they can also produce intersex plants. We recommend these to experienced growers as these seeds can be used to create new genetic profiles. Feminized- Just as it sounds these only produce female plants. They are more desirable as they produce more working substances such as THC and CBD than male plants. We recommend this type of seed to growers with some experience. Auto-flower- Are easy to grow and easy to maintain as they are cannabis strains cross-bred with ruderalis. Perfect for small places indoor or outdoor with a short flowering time. Fast Version- similar to Autos but these offer a slightly larger yield and can be cloned for mother plants. CBD/HEMP – what makes this different from Hemp seeds is that CBD contains cannabinoid content as hemp doesn’t not. And CBD Is usually used as a treatment for a variety of reasons. You can still consume both but you won’t get high.
You all provide a great deal of education through your blogs – what are some effects you’ve seen in that side of your company with what that brings to both consumers and your business? The effect that we noticed from our educational blogs is that we do get a lot of novice growers feeling ready to try their hand at cultivating. We are glad to give that confidence thru this and also have a list of recommended growing sites we promote so you can get all the information you need. We really want our customers to thrive.
Frank Rodriguez and his family have paid the ultimate price for farming marijuana. Collectively, Rodriguez said his father, his brothers and himself have spent decades in federal prison for their crimes. But today, Rodriguez is redeeming his family legacy through his legal business, Gulf Coast Hemp Farms in Harlingen, Texas.
“I spent 10 years in federal prison for doing what I’m doing now,” he said. “This is very, very important to me. … It means the world to me. I’m very passionate about what I do. I love my job. I love the scientific part of the plant. I love to research the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavanoids.”
When it comes to his farm, Rodriguez said there’s no place on Earth he’d rather be.
“I live here on my farm. I don’t really leave too much from my farm. I’m here 20 hours a day, every day. I really don’t sleep. I’m just kind of vibing with my plants.”
Flourishing fields
When he launched his current business, Rodriguez said he tested seven different seed strains from Halcyon Seed Company in Colorado to see which would work best in the South Texas drought-prone climate.
“Out of my seven strains, four did well,” he said.
According to Rodriguez, planting 2,500 plants per acre is a widespread best practice in hemp farming. However, he said he came up with a way to plant 9,000-10,000 plants on a one-acre plot of land.
“Everyone was telling me I was crazy and wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said. “I have a beautiful field right now. I don’t have patches or dead plants. My field is complete.”
While there are concerns about the lack of essential air flow in overcrowded fields — which can lead to root rot — Rodriguez engineered a way to make it work. In late September, he began harvesting 85,000 plants from his 10-acre farm.
He also nurtures his plants with plenty of TLC, even playing music for them.
“Whatever I’m vibing to, whatever I’m feeling, I just play something that makes me feel good,” Rodriguez said. “I figured plants are alive, so they work off the vibration. So, you just put some good vibration for them, and they’ll be fine.”
Rodriguez said the yields from his hemp farming operation in Harlingen are used to create CBD-infused oils, and he works with a business partner in Oklahoma to grow cannabis.
“I have 10 greenhouses and a 6,000 square-foot warehouse, and I grow all my high-quality flower up there,” he said.
Plants over pills
Rodriguez said his nephew’s journey with post-traumatic stress disorder ignited a passion for exploring hemp’s medicinal benefits. He said his nephew served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is haunted by horrific wartime experiences.
“He spazes out a lot, and the medicine I make really calms him down and makes him a totally different person. The VA prescribed him so many different pills, and he was a zombie.”
Lately, Rodriguez said he has been working with a few doctors and cancer specialists to develop products for patients.
“The sky is the limit as we’re discovering what all the different cannabinoids do. I just want to keep pushing and keep discovering and see how I can make existing medicine better or create a new medicine from my plants.”
When he was shopping around for land to start his business, Rodriguez said he experienced a special synchronicity when he learned that a prospective piece of property was owned by Dr. Nadeel Sarhill, a medical oncologist. The pair worked out a lease-to-own agreement in a seemingly meant-to-be transaction.
“This is God’s plan. I can not see it any other way,” he said. “I’m growing a CBG strain, and it’s doing very well. It’s known to help with brain cell reproduction and chronic pain.”
Rodriguez noted that there are many cannabinoids inside the hemp plant, but only a few have been researched.
“I just want to push forward and continue to grow and to help move our industry to a better spot,” Rodriguez said.
An evolving legacy
For Rodriguez, his passion for farming hemp and cannabis stretch much further than providing a quality product to customers.
“My mom’s really sick. She had a heart attack last year. She’s felt her whole life was a failure because my dad, brothers and I did so much time in prison, but she didn’t fail. She didn’t do anything wrong. It was us; it was the laws.”
Looking back, Rodriguez said he tries to put himself in his mother’s shoes.
“I could just imagine what my mom went through as a mother,” he said. “Imagine always having to defend your kids, your husband, your whole family. Eveyrone’s talking down. Just imagine what it was like for a single parent. I just couldn’t even imagine being in her shoes and what she went through, and I just want to bust ass and make things better for her.
All photos courtesy Gulf Coast Hemp Farms
“I want to make her proud. I want to make her feel like what she went through wasn’t for nothing. To make the remainder of her years as joyful as possible — that’s all I care about.”
If you’re looking for an eclectic mix of local glass, CBD products, delta strains and more, check out Mr. Nice Guys in north Austin.
Located at 13201 Pond Springs Road, Suite 105-A, Mr. Nice Guys is far from your run-of-the-mill smoke shop, according to owner Kelly Gartzke.
”We have an amazing selection of local glass as well as work from artists around the country,” he said. “We try to be the shop that carries something for everybody, and we always have a friendly, knowledgeable person working.”
The shop takes its name from the 1998 movie Half Baked — the popular marijuana culture comedy. Through the years, it has grown a loyal customer base.
“When new customers come in, we hear them say, ‘I found my new smoke shop’ all the time,” Gartzke said.
Gartzke first opened the shop in south Austin with his business partner, Jeff Turner, in 2006, but it wasn’t their first business venture. They also own Chief’s BBQ on South 1st Street. Four years ago, Mr. Nice Guys moved into its north Austin location — close to The Local Outpost Saloon and Shenanigans Nightclub. In addition to its broad selection of products, the shop strives to provide top-notch customer service.
“We want every customer to leave with a smile,” Gartzke said. “We take really good care of our customers. One of the things we do that most shops don’t is that if you come in and ask for an item we’re out of or we don’t carry, we put you on a list and call you as soon as the item comes in.”
Gartske calls the store a “one-stop-shop” for CBD, vapes, glass and more. In addition to hand-blown smoking accessories, Mr. Nice Guys carries glass jewelry, marbles and millefiori (decorative glass pieces with distinct, intricate patterns). It also carries CBD treats for dogs and humans, as well as a unique collection of apparel and backpacks. They are also planning for an 1,800-square-foot expansion. Be sure to follow them on Instagram (@mr_nice_guys_austin) for emerging details
Gartzke said business is good and that the shop’s sales have doubled since the pandemic struck in 2020. “We’re headed for another record year this year,” he added.
For nearly a year, Hunter Robinson had felony drug charges looming over him after he says he grew hemp legally in Navarro County.
“It’s been quite rough on my family, myself, everything. You name it — it’s impacted me. It’s been terrible,” he said.
Robinson, a 27-year-old disabled U.S. Navy veteran who said he greatly benefitted from using CBD products, received a hemp producer license from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in 2021. He and his business partner, 28-year-old Skyler Purcell, said compliance was at the top of their priority list when they launched Sky & Hobbs Organics, LLC with the intention of producing CBD flower and oil.
“We spent hours upon hours going through every single genetic variety that was on the TDA’s approved variety list,” Robinson said.
Rather than selecting the coolest-looking varieties or strands with the catchiest names, the pair said they picked the lowest testing varieties they could get their hands on. Each time the TDA tested samples of Sky & Hobbs’ products, they passed all criteria.
“All of our product had already been tested previously and deemed by the state of Texas and Texas Department of Agriculture as approved, compliant hemp.” Purcell said. Purcell, who was a 50% co-owner of the business, was never charged with a crime.
“They were trying to produce the best legal quality product they could find, and they took extraordinary steps to do that,” defense attorney David Sergi said.
Robinson and Purcell said they were stunned when their indoor growing facility was raided on June 10, 2021, by the Navarro County Sherriff’s Department, which had a search warrant signed by Navarro County District Judge James E. Lagomarsino. When nobody answered the door, officers used forced entry and seized three product varieties.
Robinson and Purcell said they provided the officers on scene with documentation that proved they were operating a legal business, but that didn’t stop them. For more than two months, the property remained an active crime scene that Robinson and Purcell were not allowed to access.
Law enforcement officers returned to Sky & Hobbs Organics on Aug. 25 with an arrest warrant for Robinson — also signed by Judge Lagomarsino — that alleged he knowingly and intentionally possessed “a usable quantity of marijuana against the peace and dignity of the state.” According to the sheriff’s office, two of the company’s samples contained 0.378% and 0.468% of delta-9 THC by dry weight, which is over the legal limit of .3%.
Robinson was arrested and charged with felony posession of marijuana. He spent 30 hours in jail before bonding out.
The Texas Hemp Program was launched after the U.S. Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of cannabis in 2018. According to the law, if the THC level falls above 0.3% but below 1%, the crop must be destroyed. If a product tests for higher than 1% THC levels, the grower can be cited with negligence by the TDA. If the TDA determines that a grower deliberately produced a crop with 1% of THC or higher, they can face criminal charges. This provision allows for natural variations in THC levels, Sergi said.
“From our point of view, the product was within legal limits and all the testing showed that it was under .03% Delta-9 THC, and at worst there is a reason why there is a negligence factor built into the code, and this is exactly where this falls in,” Sergi said.
The legal battle ahead
In May, the state dismissed the case against Robinson, stating there was not enough evidence to prove he was in possession of marijuana.
“I’m on cloud 9. I’m celebrating every day,” Robinson said. “I’m at work, and I’m celebrating. I’m outside last night, it’s getting reaedy to pour down, the wind is coming through … a storm is coming through, and I’m outside with a cigar and a glass of whiskey just celebrating. I mean, it’s been a year. We’ve been dealing with this for so long.”
Currently, Purcell and Robinson are asking for the public’s help to raise funds for their ongoing legal costs. Those who want to contribute can visit texashempfederation.com and click on the “Donate” button on the home page.
According to Jay Maguire, executive director of the Texas Hemp Federation, everything the organization raises will support this cause until their goal is met.
“We just want everyone involved in this industry to understand what’s taking place is possible, and if they see this as a problem, hopefully they would feel how we’re feeling and contribute,” Robinson said.
People can also help by sharing the story to raise awareness about the fact that — while hemp farming is legal in Texas with the proper licensure — there is an apparent disconnect when it comes to educating jurisdictions about hemp farming laws.
“The Sky and Hobbs case also points to a deficiency in Texas regulations about how to even out, or remediate a crop, which can vary in THC levels from plant to plant,” Maguire said. “It’s a bit like blending different varietals of wine.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, remediation can be achieved by separating and destroying non-compliant flowers while retaining stalks, leaves, and seeds, or by shredding the entire hemp plant to create a homogenous biomass that can be retested for THC compliance. So, even if one batch is a bit over the limit, by mixing it in with lower-THC, compliant biomass, the resulting batch would fall at or below the legal limit.
“My understanding is police here simply took samples from plants that weren’t even in the stream of commerce yet, and which could have been remediated or destroyed according to the current regulations,” Maguire said.
Also questionable, Purcell said, is the fact that the Navarro County Sherriff’s Office never filed an administrative report about the incident with the TDA as protocol states.
“Before there’s any accountability you have to go through the steps,” Sergi said.
Shattered dreams
As childhood friends, Robinson and Purcell dreamed of one day starting a business venture together.
“We wanted to do the right business at the right time and take advantage of a situation,” Robinson said. “We realized that cannabis was coming sooner rather than later and that hemp was the starting point.”
Robinson and Purcell invested $75,000-$100,000 into Sky & Hobbs Organics and continued working full-time jobs while pouring a majority of their spare time into the business.
“We wanted to be able to say we were producing the cleanest, the best legal product that Texas had to offer. Every dollar we got went back into our business. In our five-year plan, me and Sky weren’t going to be taking any money for a long time,” Robinson said.
Now, rather than building a lucrative revenue stream, Robinson and Purcell are scrambling to get back on track financially.
“We had to close our business, our business account, our website,” Robinson said. “We’ve relaunched our website and we’re actually going to start doing stickers and see if people are willing to do a $5 donation for a sticker.”
Throughout the process, Robinson said he feared what a felony conviction would interfere with his job as a mechanical engineer. He also relocated to be closer to his wife’s family so she and their children will have support in case anything happened to him. In addition, both men say they are devastated about what’s been lost.
“We put everything into this — life savings. I’ll never get that time back. We were doing it with something in mind. We wanted to build something for our families, and it’s a shame that there are no protections for us. I have contacted the TDA. There’s no one to help us.”
Robinson and Purcell both say they were robbed of a chance a pursuing the American dream.
“And not only that, I got taken to jail for following the American dream,” Robinson said. “I loved doing what we were doing, but the only way I would ever participate in this industry again is if I knew that the state or the feds would protect the people participating in this legally.”
California-based record label Ripple Music is known for promoting retro 70’s heavy rock, stoner, heavy psych, sludge and doom bands. Texas got a full dose of it’s glory hosting one of their famous worldwide marquee events – Ripplefest – in 2021 and is returning to Austin this July for a four-day string of heavy riffs at Far Out Lounge. THR met with Ryan Garney of Lick of My Spoon Productions – the show’s promoter and organizer, as well as frontman of Texas Desert Rock band High Desert Queen to get the scoop on this year’s festival.
Thanks for taking the time out to speak with us, especially on the heels of your own European tour which sums up right before Ripplefest. Tell us about the origin of this festival on Texas soil and your involvement with it.
First of all thank you so much for having me. RippleFest Texas was spawned when my band High Desert Queen was signed to Ripple Music in early 2020. I talked to Todd Severin (CEO of Ripple) about the possibility of doing a show with all Ripple bands to showcase the bands he had signed from Texas. He gave me the full endorsement to do so, and also mentioned that every “RippleFest” that had every happened across the globe was always put together by the bands themselves. So I got to work and it quickly grew from a show with a few bands, to a show with 15 great Ripple bands in just the first year (July 2021). This year we decided to go all in, and are bringing bands across all kinds of labels from all over the world. One of the things I love about Todd and all the people at Ripple, is that they are all about the scene and don’t care about only having bands from their label. This festival is 100% all about the love of music and people getting together. We know it’s not about making money which is why our 4 day passes are the cheapest you’ll find for a music festival of this size. It’s all about getting the people together to enjoy these incredible bands, and growing our “musical family.”
This year brings 4 days of music to the stages of Far Out Lounge. What all can concert goers expect and how did you go about choosing the lineup?
I”m EXTREMELY proud of the lineup we’ve put together. I brought my brother Shay on board this year to help me organize it and we’ve hand selected each band that’s playing. Many of these bands are some of our favorites and that we’ve never seen in the same lineup before. We go to music festivals all the time and we sat down and made lists of all the things we love about festivals and what don’t we love. One of our biggest complaints about large festivals is having to make a decision which bands you’re going to see and which ones you’re going to miss because their sets overlap or they are at a different venue. We made sure to find a venue that could be large enough to host all the bands and allow us to have absolutely zero band overlapping so that people who buy a ticket, will actually have an opportunity to see every minute of every band. Then we came up with a list of all the bands we would love to see at a music festival, and be sure to include bands that people need to see and don’t get an opportunity to. We didn’t get every band we wanted, but every band we got we are thrilled to have. Then we wanted it to look a certain way so we’ve hired the best stage lighting company in the business in The Mad Alchemist Liquid Light Show. Lance is an absolute artist and he will be lighting up the entire grounds to make it a unique visual experience as well.
We also wanted a festival that would have art, food, vendors, games and all the things we love about some of the music festivals we’ve gone to. There will be plenty of all of that, and we actually still have room for more sponsors and vendors that we’d love to add to help enhance the experience of RippleFest.
How would you best describe the music that Ripple supports and the culture surrounding the genre? Are all of the bands on the bill signed to the label?
Ripple supports ALL music! Now as far as the bands they sign, they typically sign Heavy Rock, Psych Rock and Metal. We have all of all of that and more. We’ve got everything from the Desert Rock sounds of Fatso Jetson, to the punishing metal of Crowbar and Spirit Adrift, to Stoner rock legends Eagles of Death Metal and The Sword, and even some banjo fingerpicking by JD Pinkus of Butthole Surfers and Melvins fame. We also have some acoustic sets from Wino and Nick Oliveri. There are jam sessions planned and even an improvised music and puppet show from desert legend Sean Wheeler and his super group of musicians called Dryheat. So we plan on having all kinds of variety as well as one of kind performances that may never happen again. RippleFest Texas has 55 artists performing and about half of them are on the Ripple Music label. The rest are all family and there to share their love with us.
What is the background of Lick of My Spoon productions and what all does it do for the local music scene?
LOMS came about during the lockdown in 2020 when artists and musicians were really feeling the pain of not being able to share their creativity at a live show. I became very proactive at organizing events even when the world was closed because I knew that the world would open again and people would need to see live music right away. I’ve never had any interest in making money with it and it’s all about the bands and the venues that I can help. Being in a band myself I understand the struggles of getting your music heard and being compensated for your art, so we try and take care of the artist first and foremost. The rest will hopefully take care of itself.
There will be no shortage of pre-parties for Ripplefest – where should we look out for those?
We have just started announcing some shows in surrounding cities like Houston, Dallas and San Antonio that are official RippleFest Texas sponsored events with artists that will be at the fest. As it gets closer to the festival you can anticipate others to be announced, as well as some parties around the weekend of the festival.
Where can everyone follow updates and information on the festival?
The best way to stay updated is to follow RippleFest Texas on Instagram and Facebook. Alsowww.lickofmyspoon.com will have information about the festival and showcases going on around the event. Plus the venue The Far Out Lounge does an amazing job themselves of sending out information or answering any questions anyone has. We really hope to see everyone there! If we can make this a success we will hope to keep making it bigger and bigger every year! Thanks again for having me and much love goes out to everyone who supports live music and the art these incredible musicians make. Cheers!
Michael Weinstein is tapping into hemp’s healing power by crafting savory CBD-infused concoctions
After spending more than a quarter-century as a chef in the Dallas area, Michael Weinstein is making a name for himself as an award-winning hemp chef.
“When my dog got diagnosed with arthritis in both of his back legs, I infused (CBD) into some oil for my dog,” he said. “I started noticing a difference in him getting up and down and thought, ‘Maybe I could use my food knowledge in other ways.’”
His belief in the healing power of CBD was strengthened after his mother used a topical on her back.
“The first time she put it on, the pain subsided on her back,” he said. “Stuff like that makes you go, ‘Hmmm … maybe there is something going on with this.’”
Weinstein said he attended several Cannabis Cup events, and when Texas legalized hemp in 2019, he decided to monetize his knowledge of hemp-infused cuisine. Currently, his product line includes a variety of dessert salsas and caramels, as well as an edible intimacy serum that he said helps to ease menstrual cramps.
“I didn’t want to make gummies because they’re too trendy. I personally don’t even like gummies,” he said.
Weinstein uses a commercial kitchen to create all of his products and gets them third-party tested. He said takes pride in the quality and cleanliness of his concoctions, as they do not contain preservatives, food coloring or high fructose corn syrup.
“You can read the ingredients without using a dictionary,” he said. “High fructose corn syrup has led to the obesity of America because it’s a cheap sweetener. Why not use real sweeteners like sugar and honey?”
Currently, Weinstein is educating people at cooking classes, where he teaches attendees how to make specialty items — like CBD-infused deviled eggs.
“What I’m trying to teach people is if they want to go to the shows and buy flower, and they don’t want to smoke it, how can they infuse it and turn it into a food product? I try to keep it pretty simple and not over-complicated, as we chefs can get complicated with some of the recipes we make. I’m trying to gear (the classes) for the home cook.”
As far as upcoming products, Weinstein didn’t want to give too much away about what’s in the pipeline, but he offered a few hints.
“It’s kind of like a cracker or vanilla wafer, and it’s savory as far as texture. But there’s also cheese involved,” he said.
