A tale of two farms

I ain’t goin’ to bother seeking out Maggie’s Farm no more…

…least ways, not until the harvest season wraps up this fall.

To the point: I like sun grown cannabis. I like marijuana that takes root outside, that grow out in the air, that takes in the breeze, that is grown organically, that is given the space it needs to truly thrive and blossom. I like to see the plants tower above me, make the case for high fences and good neighbors. I like to know that my carbon footprint is lower by keeping light, fans, pumps and all things it takes to run an indoor warehouse grown at bay. I like the taste, the rangy looks, the bigger, more abundant heads of flower that come out of the outdoor garden.

Maybe I can blame Mendocino for that taste for outdoor grown but I think it really is that old school landrace thing again coming back to haunt me. My early marijuana days were packed with field grown dope from Mexico, Thailand, Columbia and Jamaica. I say bring it on again. And to that end I know that someday soon I will be able to taste it again thanks to businesses like Maggie's Farm and Pueblo County.

It was a good day for a drive to Colorado Springs, bright, sunny and pre-fall cool. I had it in mind to take in the North end Maggie’s Farm shop on Fillmore but a family friend came to my rescue and let me know that CS does not do recreational sales of cannabis inside city limits. Since I am not a card carrying medical patient here in Colorado I was bummed for a moment but then was told about Manitou Springs and the rec scene there. I brightened up immediately, broke out a pad of paper, got a Google Maps page up and scribbled down the data that I needed to get there. After a tasty lunch with my mujuer’s peeps we took a drive over to see the Garden of the Gods and got our walk in for the afternoon. It was a one-two punch because the drive out of the park emptied onto Manitou Blvd and the shop was right on the other side of the highway.

Things don’t always go the way you expect and I wandered around and over Manitou Springs in search of Maggie’s for a half hour but once I found it I was impressed by the signage, the ample amount of overflow parking and the armed security presence by the door. When you have the state’s second largest city funneling all its recreation users into a small burg I can imagine that things can get hairy. But not during my day on the farm. I got my ticket to ride when I walked in the door and was given a seat. Right away I got this vibe...very DMV, super busy, no moments to reflect or chat to get to know the staff or the product. Once my number was called I was ushered into yet another waiting room to further chill and be anxious about the zoom-zoom-zoom of the experience. Multiple screen let me know all about the products that were available that day. Alas, except for Blue Dream everything else I was shopping for was out of stock.

Two waiting rooms funneled customers in and out of the line up as fast as they came in the waiting room door. Only one gal to get us going in the door and three budtenders per room working the counters. I looked up and saw the screen with the bud of the day once again and told my tale of woe to the BT . He was sympathetic, even more so when I told him I was in there for “sun grown” cannabis, as that was the sole reason I came all that way to play. I had talked to many a bud tender over the course of the week, told everyone I was going to buy sun grown cannabis. They were confused as that type of cannabis was not normally found in Colorado,not unless you were purchasing it on the black market.

After I was told by the Maggie’s BT that there was no sun grown on the premises (“come back after the harvest!”) I left without purchasing anything. I did do a bit of research the morning after and looked into Pueblo County, where the owner of Maggie’s Farm has two more dispensaries. Medical is not allowed in Pueblo City but both recreational and medical are allowed in the surrounding county. Farms like Los Suenos are growing a wide variety of strains, and the county is hopping with new grows, a strong cannabis tax base and a very progressive populace. I feel that in order for me to truly experience Maggie’s sun grown experience I may have to take a drive and see what is happening in Pueblo county. From what I could glean from my research that upcoming drive just might be a very good time.

In the meantime, The Farm in Boulder is there to help keep me happy. My initial impression of the dispensary was the same that I felt for Francis Ford Coppola’s winery outside of Healdsburg in Northern California. Rolling into that place I felt the power and pleasure that big money could bring to a business. And while The Farm did not have movie props and well-heeled Bay area types sipping Chardonnay at the bar it still had that wonderful feel that comes with finally arriving at one’s destination. Walking in the door I could have been in any cool little boutique on Melrose or in Newport Beach or Beverly Hills. It was all upscale glass, wood and lighting, very chi-chi. The display cases were tastefully laid out with high quality glass, the walls had t-shirts and logoed products for sale, the staff was bright, cheerful, beautiful and gave off that feeling that said to me "yes, you belong here, take a seat and enjoy the show".

The back room was just as pleasant as the main floor lobby. The staff behind the counter encompassed a wide variety of ages, which was great as it was as nicely distributed as the folks who were in there to buy weed. I have been gravitating towards these types of dispensaries lately, ones where they have gray haired folks there like me ready to serve. The budtender that helped me that day was witty, pretty, chatty and kind. We had a nice unrushed talk about the state of cannabis in Colorado as well as the differing marijuana needs of the wild young party set versus those of us who are coming in for medicine and contemplative highs. My online menu perusing helped quite a bit as my shopping list in hand helped me get in and out gracefully and within budget. I bought a gram of Purple Hawaiian and one Sweet Island Skunk, both of which look and smell pretty, even if they seem somewhat underwhelming in their wee portions.

There was a world of difference between the Farms and I know that I will seek them both out again in the future. I know that I would like to go back to Manitou Springs, if anything to try out Emerald Fields (another nice looking, upscale shop) but then again I can shop at their Glenwood location and save myself a drive. I look forward to later on in the fall when the harvest comes in and I can take that drive down south. Sun grown was something I thought I left behind in the Emerald Triangle and I look forward to seeing what Colorado’s interpretation of the product is.

For now, though, it’s all greenhouse grown. Bring on the sungrown landrace strains, bring on the new and fabulously appointed interior designs and upscale merchandising. If we are going to move forward with cannabis as a society and have to pay the premium, tax wise, for indulging in this pastime then let’s make the experience the best we can make it. Cool, collect, pleasant and fun. I’m all for it. I bet you are, too.

Salud!

Maggie's Farm!

http://maggiesfarmmarijuana.com/

The Farm, Boulder!

http://www.thefarmco.com/