Swami Chaitanya’s Birthday | weed cards

This past weekend, growers, family and friends gathered to celebrate the birthday of one of NorCal’s foremost cannabis visionaries.

“I still remember the first day we met in Area 101,” Swami says to me as I hug him warmly on his birthday. I just arrived at Sonoma Hills Farm outside of Petaluma, California for his 80th birthday celebration and the spirits are high on many levels.

For those not familiar with Swami Chaitanya, he was born William Winans in New Jersey in the early 1940’s. Initially pursuing an academic life on the East Coast, he was called to San Francisco during the 1967 Summer of Love. From early experiences growing weed on Telegraph Hill to later spiritual awakenings that inspired him to live in South America, Europe and India, his intellectual background and diverse life experiences combine to create a perspective on life and approach to cannabis cultivation that is unlike anything else what you will ever experience.

Noah Rubin/WeedmapsSwami celebrates his 80th birthday with friends

Swami’s memory of our meeting years ago in Area 101 immediately puts me in nostalgia. I, too, remember the first time we met… It was a rainy February day in Northern California and I had gotten in my car to meet an elite group of pioneering breeders, hash makers and entrepreneurs in the Emerald Triangle. I drove up 101 from San Francisco and made my way north through Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Cloverdale – I assumed I had to get closer to the rendezvous point (an uninformed assumption on my part, a recently relocated East Coast transplant operator ).

As I continued my drive, I noticed that the trees were getting denser and the twists and turns of the road were becoming more intense. My car leaned around each corner as I tried to hug the mountainside and maintain freeway speed as pickup trucks whizzed past me with uncanny ease. To my left, off the highway, I saw the Russian River, teeming with freshly fallen rainwater. Would the water break over the riverbanks, flood the street and upset my plans for the day? A look at my GPS made me unable to imagine this nightmare scenario anymore. I still had almost two hours to drive…

When I finally got to Area 101, I was greeted by smiling faces, puffs of smoke, and an unexpected family celebration. For some reason, Area 101 is an infamous cultural hub, known not only for hosting the first editions of the Emerald Cup, but also for countless musical happenings and events that bring the local community in for some fun from their remote hilltop cannabis farms beckon.

That day I first met Emerald Cup founder Tim Blake and his daughter Taylor, as well as hash pioneer Frenchy Cannoli and boutique genetics master Leo Stone of Aficionado Estates, among others. But no relationship formed that day was stronger, closer or more heartfelt than the one I have the privilege of sharing with Swami and Nikki. All it takes is an overnight stay at Turtle Creek, the sprawling ranch in the Mendocino Forest where they operate their Swami Select craft cannabis brand, and you know you’re dealing with something very special. So when I received the generous invitation to celebrate Swami’s 80th birthday, I could not refuse the invitation.

Noah Rubin/WeedmapsSwami and his partner Nikki Lastreto

Much like that first encounter at Area 101 years ago, Swami’s birthday was filled with good food, great smoking, and countless cannabis legends. The conversations varied from topic to topic but always included shared stories about how we met Swami. From the pioneering founders of Burning Man, to the OG Grateful Dead sceners, to the newer friends who have welcomed Swami and Nikki into their world in the weed business over the past few decades, each had something unique and compelling about their connection to the couple tell.

I took a break to enjoy the farm’s surroundings: tall grass swaying in the wind, dozens of cows spying the slope, and lush, green land covered by the farm as far as the eye could see. Just as my mind began to wander, Nikki jumped at me with a smile on her face. “Noah, it’s so nice to have you here,” she said, hugging me in a signature Nikki hug. We chatted a bit and she gave me an overview of the plans for the day.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a very special glittery pink Pez candy appeared. I chewed it down with joy and devotion. I watched Nikki walk through the party, shaking hands, giving hugs, laughing and making sure everyone was having a great time.

Nikki’s exuberant energy was reflected in the crowd of assembled guests enjoying themselves in and around the farm’s old barn, which had been converted into a function space with a vintage atmosphere. In the side room of the barn was a bar and a small lounge area with old comfortable chairs. This corner became the de facto rolling station and meeting place where Swami sat and rolled up some of his signature fatties. Of course he wasn’t alone. Rolling enough joints for this group of smokers was a task that required a few hands. The joints on deck for the party were all filled with classic “Mendo Blendo” – a light-hearted term describing a blend of fresh strains pulled from each individual’s personal stash, then blended and ground to create a more nuanced smoke . Swami’s birthday mix consisted of Raspberry Parfait, Sphinx OG, Magic Melon and Orange Turbo.

Noah Rubin/WeedmapsEverybody loves to smoke some Swami

“Have you looked behind the curtain?” Swami asked me while stuffing his weed into the sturdy joint he was holding in his hands. Across the room, I saw dark fabrics covering the back wall, and I slowly pulled aside the soft, velvety curtain to reveal a small window that reached from the floor to just below my knees. A brilliant amber light shone through this glass portal. “This is Samson the Turtle’s room,” Swami said with a grin while busy putting the finishing touches on his joint. I bent down to see it for myself, and sure enough, behind the glass pane was a huge, elderly tortoise enjoying an afternoon nap under a heat lamp in a custom-built, tortoise-friendly living area at the back of the barn.

I contemplated my new turtle friend for a moment, but soon my attention was caught by a brief whiff of what I had come here to enjoy: a Swami joint that the man had rolled himself.

As I walked back to the rustic chairs and couches surrounding the rolling station/coffee table, I sat down and patiently waited for a puff. However, just as the joint was handed to me, Nikki walked in with an announcement that caught the attention of everyone in our cipher. “Time to smoke Frenchy’s hookah,” she said.

Noah Rubin/WeedmapsHoly hits from Frenchy Cannoli’s hookah

With that, the back room emptied as everyone made their way stoned to the other side of the barn, where Frenchy’s high-tech hookah was set up for all to enjoy. Finally, I took a hit of the joint while strolling through the barn alongside Swami, savoring the fresh, smoky taste. From his white robe, he pulled out a small green plastic container, revealing a sticky glob of dark brown hashish that looked edible. “It’s some of Frenchy’s old head stock,” Swami explained with a smile. He approached the hookah and filled it with a huge pile of Frenchy’s finest water.

The hoses of the hookah spread like tentacles on an octopus as the guests called, fighting for a chance at an early hit. Swami is an iconic joint roller, but he is also an expert at summoning the sacred. After calming the crowd, he urged everyone to close their eyes and think for a moment of Frenchy, who passed away in July 2019. Frenchy’s mastery of hash and his enduring influence on today’s top hash makers speak volumes for his precision craftsmanship. Finally, his methods of production have been refined over the years as he has lived around the world in places like Nepal, Pakistan, Morocco, Thailand and India – a way of life that in some ways mirrors Swami’s own.

Head bowed, Swami finished and one by one invited everyone to enjoy a hit. The hookah stood at the center of the table, part centerpiece, part radiant shrine to Frenchy’s spirit and magic. It was “femaleized” by Madame Kimberly Hook’s Cannoli and Frenchy’s protégé Lena Burns, both of whom made sure every move was to Frenchy’s standard. Witnessing Swami leading us in this hash inspired prayer surrounded by cannabis legends smoking from Frenchy’s hookah was a moment for the record books. A piece of history that has never been experienced before and will never be repeated in the same way.

Noah Rubin/WeedmapsGanja Ma created a good party atmosphere

Thank you Swami for your friendship, kindness, intelligence and generosity. Your 80 years on earth have made the place a better place and I am honored to be a part of the vibrant world you and Nikki have built over the years. Kudos to you and as always, thanks for getting through with the super awesome weed.