Hash It Out

CBD is everywhere. And visibility is only growing. We are hearing about it on the radio, the news, and all over social media. We are seeing it in grocery stores, vitamin shops, health food stores, and dispensaries. But, what is this so called miracle product? In defined, scientific terms, what is CBD and what are the effects we can reasonably expect? With CBD widely available in brick and mortar stores as well as online, hell even Amazon, how do we choose what products are safe and right for us? What should we be aware of? Is it safe? Is it legal? What is the best way to take it? Join me as I sit down with Bridget Gavin, Curriculum Director and Founder of Symbiosis Cannabis Education to have a broad conversation about CBD. We address all of these questions and more. We also address common misconceptions about CBD and ultimately empower listeners to feel confident in their purchasing decisions.

Celebrate the anniversary of the Hash It Out Podcast with a personal update from founder and host, Micayla Harland! I give first hand insight into where I've been, what I've been doing (spoiler: cooking up a tiny human), and what's next for Hash It Out Productions.  After the brief intro, Hannah O’Brien of Confident Cannabis sits down with me to discuss the company mission to bring transparency to cannabis test results in the latest Hash It Out episode.  We chat about how Confident Cannabis’ model of connecting cannabis businesses based on accessible, accountable information helps transform the consumers purchasing decisions; as well as, our personal relationships to the plant. How industry professionals and consumers can positively impact cannabis’ future is a large part of our discussion this episode. We also chat about the progress and pitfalls of cannabis laboratories and how consumers can navigate test results more confidently. Some topics covered in this episode… The services Confident Cannabis provides such as Lab Integrated Management Systems or LIMS and Connect, a visual representation of chemical data paired with strain names and regions. How the Confident Cannabis wholesale marketplace based on lab generated test results makes sales easier for producers, processors, and retailers. ODA Hemp production as a point of entry to the cannabis industry. How does it differ from OLCC licensed production? What freedoms and frustrations might come with it from a data driven perspective. The long way cannabis laboratories have come, the legislative and practical obstacles that still lay ahead, and the way this affects the consumer experience. About Hannah Hannah O’Brien is Operations Manager for Confident Cannabis. Hannah is responsible for supporting labs and their clients with the onboarding process, implementation and integration of METRC and state tracking systems. She has experience leading teams at several high-growth technology companies, including operations for the peer-to-peer marketplace Shift. Prior to beginning a career in technology, Hannah travelled the world in an awesome way, earning her language teaching certification through Cambridge and teaching English abroad in France and Korea. Hannah holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and French from Colorado University at Boulder. She’s an avid hiker who loves experiencing the peaks of high mountains in new places. About Confident Cannabis Founded on instilling trust and transparency in the marketplace, Confident Cannabis empowers all verticals in the supply chain—and ultimately consumers—to know what is made, who makes it, and what it’s made of in real-time. It’s the only place where cannabis producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers showcase and discover products from verified businesses with test results directly from licensed labs. http://www.confidentcannabis.com About the podcast Hash It Out is here as a resource for consumers who take an interest in the future of the cannabis industry. We are currently at a crossroads where it is more important than ever to make informed decisions about which companies to support with our hard earned dollars. In a landscape where quality is no longer a distinguishing factor, how do we as consumers decided who’s products to buy? Hash It Out is a series of conversations that dig into the bigger questions around how a business is effecting the future of cannabis, what values they model, and why they do what they do.

In the latest episode of Hash It Out, I sit down with two very experienced growers – Erika Winters of Everbloom Consulting and Mike McGowan (a.k.a. Karmicheal) of King’s Cannabis. This is not, however, an episode to learn how to grow Cannabis. Rather, we take a deep dive into the different philosophies and cultivation practices that exist in the industry to empower consumers to be able to make informed decisions around who they want to support and ultimately, what they want to put into their body. Additionally, this episode is a peak into the business behind growing weed and the direction that business is heading. Some of the topics we cover: How biodynamic gestures can indicate effect or type of “high” you may experience How and why to get picky about your weed – keep it healthy, keep it green Some canna-science, like why touching poo makes us happy How not to get green washed – what certifications are worth their weight The soul of the growing industry Integrated Pest Management Organic Pesticides – they are still pesticides! Organic doesn’t mean risk free Before you get into it, I want prime the listener with a quote that Karmichael insisted I use to frame the conversation (and for good reason). “There seems to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war, as the Romans did in plundering their conquered neighbors. This is robbery. The second is by commerce, which is generally cheating. The third is by agriculture, the only honest way; wherein man receives a real increase of the seed thrown into the ground in a kind of continual miracle.” – Benjamin Franklin

This episode is all about CBD. We are going to dive deep into the science behind this seemingly miracle molecule – what it can help alleviate and dosing recommendations. I catch up with Anna Symonds of East Fork Cultivars to ask way too many questions as she patiently answers each one, meticulously.

In this episode of Hash It Out join me as I talk to Alex Berger, co-founder and brewer for Magic Number. Magic Number is a craft cannabis infused beverage company based in Bend, OR. In this episode we discuss their origin story, product offering, sourcing and processing practices, and the cannabis industry’s effect on adjacent industries. Additionally, we delve into the following topics: • Edibles as a consumption method, their benefits, and the difference in effect vs. smoking or vaping cannabis • Micro vs. Macro dosing with cannabis edibles • The future potential of cannabis in a society where people seem to always be looking for a way to alter their state of mind – whether that be caffeine and exercise or other more illicit substances – cannabis can be a healthy alternative that helps address stress, anxiety and depression • Taking healthcare into our own hands with increasing accessibility of cannabis and how this is poised to revolutionize health care in America • What business owners and consumers can be doing to influence the growth of the cannabis industry in a positive direction (spoiler: it starts with normalization and de-vilinization) • The mindset shift normalization of cannabis is effecting – as we start to question this cultural zeitgeist, we become more likely to question what other misinformation our government has perpetuated – what else do we need to question? • Normalization is being shouldered at the retail level as the consumer facing arm of the industry, but how can producers and processors begin to lighten the load? Have questions? Come see us at Terpene Station in Eugene on Friday, June 8th for a Magic Number happy hour!

An amazing episode that covers a dynamic range of topics. Tune in to hear what similarities there are between the cannabis industry and the wine industry and how looking at these similarities can garner best practices as well as a unique look into the future of cannabis. We talk about the extraction process, what goes into making a high quality oil, from start to finish. The conversation is rounded out with a focus on what values are important to hold front of mind while moving forward in the development of the legal weed industry, from growing practices all the way to honoring the ancestors who have gotten us here. Kalapooya Fire has created a scholarship to support Native American youth interested in the sciences. Additionally, Critical Source will be partnering with Native American owned businesses to offer all of their standard operating procedures free of charge.  We also get into the benefits of cannabis on a spiritual, medical, and even subconscious level. Why intentionality is so damn important when dealing with this plant.  Tune in as we go deep into conversation around all of these themes and more!

This is an episode filled with hope for the future. What is the untapped potential of a Budtender? What can customers expect, or even demand, from the service they receive? How are Budtenders influencing the culture of the cannabis industry? What responsibilities do they have when it comes to making meaningful change? How do Budtenders effect the stigma around cannabis? How can they contribute to the fight for racial equality? What questions should they be asking themselves to effectively check their white privilege in an excessively white industry? Why is a Budtender not "just a Budtender"? What advice can be shared with first time consumers? What advice can be shared with newer Budtenders? Tune in as we explore answers to all the above questions and much more.

Join us for this episode showcasing a conversation with Anna Kaplan where we delve into the origin story behind Sugartop Buddery. We get into what fuels her passion, Sugartop's dedication to supporting our community, the challenges they face as a small family run business, and what we're excited to help cultivate in the future of the cannabis industry.

In this episode, catch up with Trey Willison, founder and owner of Eugenius, an eco-friendly recreational cannabis production with a passion for unique cannabinoids and terpenes, located in Springfield, OR. Topics covered in this podcast include: -The state of Oregon's medical cannabis program -Overproduction as an obstacle and what we can do about it -Hemp as a strong pillar of the future -Oregon's upcoming agricultural revolution -The impact legalization is having on Oregon's local economy