6 great Massachusetts ganja farmers to shop for
Massachusetts – a state of over 6 million people – has only 88 fully licensed adult cannabis growers.
The situation is damn tough, but it’s getting better every day.
Eighty-eight final licenses for recreational cannabis growing are better than none. In 2016, voters got the state to start issuing, and sales began in 2018.
The pandemic killed the 2020 East Coast Cannabis Cups – trophies provide some of the few data points on the quality of a new market. Who exactly is growing what and whether it is good is only now coming into focus.
Legendary breeders like Chemdog operate in Massachusetts, and players like Berkshire Roots have gained a foothold in both growing and selling ganja. We pinged experts like Danny “Danko” Vinkovetsky of Northeast Leaf Magazine, searched for new cup winners, and sifted through leafly menus and dates for notable ganja and the farmers who grew it.
Here’s an early read on what is worth trying in pharmacies.
Canna supplies
Um, you can get Chemdog from Chemdog in Massachusetts. Isn’t that a reason to visit? Combine it with other stuff, but yeah dude – Chemdog tourism!
Vertically integrated grower-vendor Canna Provisions of Lee, MA, has an agreement to supply the market with crops from grower Greg “Chemdog” Krzanowski through its Smash Hits brand. We’re talking:
- Chem ’91 – the original 30 year old cut believed to be the progenitor of Sour Diesel in the east and OG Kush in the west
- Chem 4 – an “instant slap in the face”
- Chem D x Lemon Thai
- Urkle – from ’06 and packs that calming indica punch
- Urkle x Tres Dawg
- Stay Puft – Marshmellow OG x Jet Fuel Gelato
Smash Hits is expanding it in Sheffield, MA.
Generous farms
The vertically integrated producer-seller Bountiful Farms took first place with Pina Grande at the Massachusetts Cultivator’s Cup on September 4th.
The craft store shows 20 flowers on the menu, but all of them are super elite crosses and zaza like garlic juice. Yes sir.
Seventeen miles outside of Boston in Nattick, MA, and health card holders only – try Meow, Bubblegum Breath, Horchata, and Pina Grande. The cup winner is just sitting there on the menu. Bountiful Farms also came second in the Cultivator’s Cup for Secret Formula. That’s Wifi # 43 and Do-Si-Dos, dayam.
Bountiful Farms Cultivation General Manager Zachary Taylor claims 22 Cannabis Cups and runs a tight ship that dates back to his days in Colorado. The room temperature and humidity when growing cannabis never fluctuate by more than 10 degrees throughout the day.
Plants drink in small, frequent bursts like an Olympian, rather than a bowel or two daily. Hand-trimmed and pesticide-free, Bountiful Farms is the first grow facility from exotic grow advisor Juiced Grow.
Solar therapy
Enjoy your LA Kush Cake with a carbon offsetting side at vertically integrated grower-seller Solar Therapeutics in Somerset, MA, recommended by Northeast Leaf Editor Vinkovetsky.
Growing manager Brendan Delaney runs old school Gelato, Swamp Dog, Dominion Skunk and Purple Trainwreck on several acres of solar and natural gas cogeneration. The goal is to offset at least 60% of the CO2 emissions for tasty flavors like Cherry Punch – Cherry AK-47 and Purple Punch F2.
Solar Therapeutics sponsored the much-needed Massachusetts Cultivator’s Cup in sunny Somerset, MA in early September with Cypress Hill, Method Man and Redman. Man, I can’t wait to go to a concert again. A day.
Natural heritage
First place in the cup last weekend? Natural heritage with crescendo (Chem D x i95 x Mandarin Cookies x headband).
Found in stores across Massachusetts – Nature’s Heritage stocks a ton of gear from Ethos Genetics, the biscuit crossbreed Crescendo and Lilac Diesel. I would also try It’s It (Gelato x Mint Chocolate Chip by Exotic Genetic).
They also play around with racy African sativas like Horace (Banana OG x Nigerian) and Ebony + Ivory (The White x Nigerian).
Berkshire roots
Cheer up Boston – vertically integrated breeder vendor Berkshire Roots is rocking the stunning OG Kush hybrid, OGKB 2.0 BX. It’s listed for night sleep aid and pain relief (yes, no kidding). The name stands for OG Kush Breath and this is the second great version of it. My goodness.
This big boys pharmacy lists 31 strains for sale and stocks their own goodies and the goodies from the rest of the high-end mass legal gang: The Botanist’s Garlic Drip and Nature’s Heritage Forbidden Zkittlez.
Come over there with a game plan because the retail side of the operation is all business. Ask for that fresh, terpy zaza and be ready to go for it.
rhythm
There are many multi-state operators operating in Massachusetts – don’t hate the player, hate the game. One big dog that pumps out jams all over Massachusetts is the breeder Rythm. I’d order the Tahitian Punch: Sour Tangie x Sour Apple — all diesel-y and tart for weekend cleaning.
The rest of the Rythm strains will exceed your diet goals: Scout Breath, French King (e.g. Louis IX), Alien Apple, Brownie Scout, Gelato … Come on, man.
We have more information on the Fire Tree in Bay City this fall. The High Times People’s Choice Cup results are expected on October 21st.
Call out more of Massachusetts’ most outstanding Rec in the comments below.
David Downs
David Downs heads Leafly.com’s news and lifestyle coverage as California Bureau Chief. He has written for WIRED, Rolling Stone and Billboard and is the former cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle and author of several cannabis books, including “Marijuana Harvest” by Ed Rosenthal and David Downs. He is the co-host of The Hash podcast. TW: @davidrdowns | IG @daviddowns
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