When shopping for your favorite cannabis products, there are a lot of options out there. How do you narrow it down? How do you know you’re getting the best bang for your buck? With so little time under the industry’s proverbial belt, it can be hard to choose what to buy and where to buy it. There are several things to consider in finding the right shop for you, as well as the right product for you.
When you think about it, paying attention to what you’re smoking, or consuming, makes sense. I mean, we pay attention to the fruits and vegetables we eat and buy organic products when we can. We favor biodegradable, or earth-friendly products. We recycle. We do our part. Right? But how does that apply in the world of cannabis?
One of the things we hold in high priority is the quality of the bud, which translates directly to the quality of any derivative product made with the bud, like concentrates or edibles. Our bud buyers check out every farm we purchase from to make sure it meets our exacting standards of quality. There are several things they look for, that benefit the end-user, that may never occur to people outside the industry.
Cleanliness
When our buyers walk into a grow they look for several things, but first and foremost, and sometimes easiest to recognize is cleanliness. We want to buy from growers who take pride in what they do and keep their facilities spotless. Debris, dirt and standing water all create habitats for tiny critters to flourish and thrive. If we notice any of these things at a potential source, we don’t buy their products. We’re looking for places that are clean.
Pesticides
You may have heard some recent buzz around pesticide use. Have no fear! Mary Jane’s House of Grass cares about our customers and their health. So we also care about pesticide use. Nobody wants to taste harsh chemicals in their dabs or cartridges, right? But more so, nobody wants to consume pesticides. Yuck.
Cannabis is a very delicate plant and attracts a number of voracious pests, so we understand that pest control is important. However, there are great natural pest control options and we tend to favor the farms that favor the natural remedies, like ladybugs. Who doesn’t like ladybugs?
Evidence of Mold or Fungus
Obviously, this is a very bad sign of infection in the plants, and unhealthy plants. Unhealthy plants are unhealthy for a reason. Something, be it soil conditions, lack of pest control, contamination of employees, or any number of reasons, has caused those plants to become sick and it can affect the entire crop. If we spot mold or fungus on plants, we’re out of there!
Flush Process
Do you know that harsh burn in your throat or nose you get sometimes after you smoke? We know that burn is due to the flush process. After cannabis has grown to a certain point, it needs to have its soil flushed out at very regular intervals. That flush process, when done poorly, results in a harsh burning feeling in the nostrils and throat. But, when done well, the bud smokes smooth and doesn’t leave you hacking from chemical burns.
Growing Material
It’s also important to us what the plants are being grown in. Every plant picks up characteristics from its environment, especially its soil or growing material. Be it soil, coconut husk, primordial goo, or any other material, we want to know what that plant was grown in so we know what added flavors or characteristics the bud might have.
Number of Strains
This one might not be as obvious until you start to think about it. We like to work with growers who have a small number of strains to offer. Why? When a grower is focused on just a few really great strains, they have more time and energy to nurture those plants. That extra love makes those strains grow to their best potential.
Trimming Process
Isn’t it nice when you buy a beautiful nug and it’s all flowers? No giant chunks of stem or leaves? We think so, too. That’s why our buyers prefer farms that hand trim. Hand trimming allows for a closer, more accurate trim, and less stress on the bud itself. A few of our farm’s machines trim their bud, but we also have a stringent check-in process that allows us to catch, and reject, any poorly trimmed packages we find.
It may seem like a lot of work, but we do it because we love weed, and we know our customers appreciate the fine quality flower and other products in our dispensary. You can feel confident purchasing cannabis products from the House of Grass knowing that our buyers have done the research footwork for you. If it matters to you, it matters to us.
