michigan cannabis grow tours

Welcome to IndiGrow’s Facility Tours, where you’ll embark on an immersive journey into the world of cannabis. Step into our state-of-the-art facility and discover the art and science behind this extraordinary plant. Led by knowledgeable guides, explore every stage of the cultivation process, from seed to sale. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the cannabis industry, including its history, regulations, and future trends. Whether you’re a connoisseur or a curious beginner, our tours offer an unforgettable experience. Book your tour today and delve into the captivating world of craft cannabis!

Is a tour a one-time experience?

No, you may pay to tour the facility as many times as you please. Each tour will be slightly different due to production timelines [i.e, what strains we have and where in the life cycle the plants are] and participation of others. 

Can I schedule a group tour?

Yes. Please make us aware of persons/people who you would like to schedule your tour with, and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

What does the tour include?

A full facility tour, all necessary PPE, Q&A session, T-Shirt, and a Flight of Pre-Rolls. Tour guests may get a meet and greet with the owners, upon prior request.

What should I expect?

You should expect an immersive, educational experience into craft cultivation on a commercial level.

Will the tour teach me to grow?

No, tours will not improve your home growing skills. Tours give you an immersive experience into the commercial cannabis market, and shows you how IndiGrow takes the time to make it craft. If you’re interested in honing in your growing skills, stay tuned for our Home Grow 101 course.

Can I take pictures?

Yes, your tour guide will take photos for you

Is product included?

Yes, a pre-roll flight is included with every tour. Additional product can be purchased if desired.

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Visit These Weed-Friendly Outdoor Destinations in Michigan

Some things just go better together. After months of staring at dismal gray skies, many of us are more than ready to get outside and enjoy some green — in all its various forms. This is the premise inspiring two companies to cater to nature lovers who want to learn about and experience weed in the great outdoors.

Whether you’re planning a quick escape or looking to go full bore on a 4/20 celebration , here are a few ideas for your next high-minded outing.

The Inside Track

Dunegrass Co. , a medical and recreational cannabis retailer with stores in Beulah, Big Rapids, Cadillac, Gaylord, Manistee, and Marquette, distinguishes itself by offering guidance to people who want to explore some of Michigan’s many spectacular spots or what Dunegrass refers to as “a higher latitude.”

“We see ourselves as northern Michigan’s cannabis outfitter,” says Rebecca Herd, marketing coordinator at Dunegrass. “We offer the products that you find in a dispensary, but we also help you find your Up North adventure.”

Consuming cannabis in public places and smoking where prohibited are still illegal in Michigan. (It’s up to individual property owners whether consumption is allowed in a rented space.) Dunegrass directs travelers to weed-friendly lodging around each of its six provisioning centers.

“We’re in a recreational state, and we help guide those in a responsible manner to visit these places,” Herd says.

Dunegrass also taps its staff for ideas on where to go and what to do. “We realize you’re making your trip north for a reason, so allow us to show you the cool places to hike rather than just the typical, run-of- the-mill areas.”

According to Herd, Marquette and Cadillac have been the two most asked-about areas — Cadillac because it’s a place where people can “take a break from driving,” and Marquette for the “majestic-ness of Lake Superior and the Black Rocks.” Indeed, Dunegrass’ Marquette location is a mere 11-minute drive from Presque Isle Park , where the Black Rocks formation is found.

For more information, call or stop by one of Dunegrass’ dispensaries, send a direct message through social media, or visit dunegrass.co .

Green Acres

There are typically two types of people touring Grasshopper Farms in Paw Paw: enthusiasts excited to see what an outdoor cannabis grow looks like, and the nosy-neighbor types who want a peek over the fence. But the beautiful thing, according to Grasshopper CEO Will Bowden, is that both walk away with the same sentiment.

“They all say, ‘Wow, it’s a farm,’” he says. “And they always comment on how amazing their interactions with the team were. They find a very welcoming and very knowledgeable environment.”

A single-season outdoor grow operation, Grasshopper Farms sits on roughly 160 acres and cultivates more than 4,500 sun-grown plants from 30 different strains. Farm tours take place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (They sometimes host people traveling from out of town after hours and on the weekends.)

“We always recommend visiting during August and September, which is the best time to see the plants outside,” Bowden says. Tours are open to everyone and are currently free of charge. Bowden describes Grasshopper as an educational experience: “We walk [visitors] around; we show them processes. The only things we don’t do right now are sell product on property and taste product on property.”

There are plans for Grasshopper to provide another kind of experience in the future.

“Maybe someday we will have a retail license but not for the purpose of having a provisioning center,” Bowden says. “More for the vineyard tour experience, so when you’re leaving the property, you can buy a hat, buy a shirt, buy some flower.”

For more info, visit grasshopperfarms.com .

This story is part of the April 2023 issue of Hour Detroit. Read more in our Digital Edition .

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Grow Tour: DogHouse Farms (Detroit) - In the DogHouse

By Gas & Middies

Today’s article is a first for Gas & Middies, a grow tour !

About a week ago, I got the honor of taking a tour through DogHouse Farm’s Detroit grow facility .

I was able to see first hand their process, from the starting clones all the way up to the product you see on the shelf at your local dispensary.

I wanted to give you guys a little ‘virtual tour’ of what I saw.

Below you’ll find:

• A brief history of the brand.
• Pictures & stats of the different stages in their grow process.
• Some of their strains.
• An interview with DogHouse.

DogHouse Farms

DogHouse is a brand coming from the West Coast in Washington state and started in 2005. They come to the Midwest with a bunch of award winning strains and tried-and-true genetics.

DogHouse is available currently in three states: Oregon, Washington, & Michigan . They will be coming soon to the Florida market.

You have have heard DogHouse Supreme as well, which appears to be fading to their newer DogHouse Farms branding.

Here is more of their history from their 2023 Strain Guide :

HANDS IN THE SOIL, EYES ON THE STARS

We are growers, pheno hunters and legacy cultivators. We took root in the heart of West Coast cannabis culture and were raised by it’s legendary OG cultivators and breeders. We are perfectionists, obsessed with coasing the richest flavors and most vivid colors native to each strain. Our community extends across the globe to friends who create with their hearts and hands, digging into their own creative soil to grow exceptional experiences.

STARS, DOGS + CANNABIS

Our connection to dogs goes way back, 2000 years before our founder Jon ‘HoundDog’Hudnall got his nickname.

As it turns out, the word cannabis is named after a dog. The legend tells us that in 300 BCE the Greek explorer Herodotus met the Dogon Tribe, in Mali, West Africa. During one of their Cannabis-fueld celebrations the tribe pointed to the brightest star in the winter sky and called it the “Two-Dog Star” which referred to the binary star system in the dog constellation, Sirius. According to this story, the star was home to the “Two-Dog Plant” - or “Cannabis” - and was brought to earth as a gift by a goddess for the tribe’s use.

Naturally a dog became the icon and totem of our brand. Specifically a dog inspired by this legend and, as a nod to medieval heraldry with his tonue extended to represent our passion for discovering the full expression of flavor from our plants. - DogHouse Farms Strain Guide (Winter 2023)

• Entered Michigan 2020 .
• Detroit’s first recreational license .
• 25,000 sq ft facility.
• About 40 staff (either garden techs , trimmers , or packagers ).
• 5000 plants .
• 20(ish) strains .

My tour started at a nondescript warehouse district in the middle of Detroit.

You would never know this building housed thousands of plants, at differing stages…

Until you approach the front door and get hit with the skunk trail, like Pepé Le Pew 🦨.

Germination/Seedling

The first destination on our tour was the clone room.

Grows can choose between using seeds or going the clone route, DogHouse does the latter:

No seeds, only clones. - DogHouse Farms

Another important choice is what substance to grow your plants in. Soil is a common choice. Hydroponic (using water) is another popular method. DogHouse goes with coconut fiber 🥥:

We don’t use soil anymore, only Coco Coir which is ground up coconut husk. It works better for our watering methods and schedule. - DogHouse Farms

The next room in our tour was the vegetation room, where our clones get to grow their little hearts out under the bright, artificial sun!

This step is one of the most time consuming in the grow process:

At any time we have around 1,500 plants in Veg across 15-20 different strains. - DogHouse Farms

The next room, was the flowering room, where the time in the sun is decreased, to turn the big green clones into the flowery buds, we know and love.

DogHouse has many flowering rooms, which allows for a hefty amount of plants (and coinciding electric bill 😂):

We have 9 flower rooms, 40-50 lights in each room and about 300 plants in each room. - DogHouse Farms

Not pictured, DogHouse also has an LED flowering room for more experimental strains.

This is their playground to test strains that may not have the mass appeal or high yields of typical consumer strains.

An “America’s Test Kitchen” of strains. This little room is where all the innovation is happening.

Next up, the harvest room. After the girls are fully flowered and at peak potency, they are cut down and hung out to dry.

This is to remove any excess moisture before the flower is ready to be packaged for the consumer.

For DogHouse, harvesting is a multi-day affair:

Harvest once a week, takes about half a day then a whole day of room clean and reset. - DogHouse Farms

Product/Packaging

Exit at the gift shop!

After the flower is harvested and dried, it is sent out for testing.

DogHouse Farms uses Reassure, Inc. for testing currently.

After successfully passing testing, the product is ready to be packaged and put on shelves.

Doghouse Farms offers flower in deli style, mylar, and in jar form.

They mentioned that most of their orders are for deli style. They offer jars, but they tend to have less demand and often sit on shelves in dispensaries.

Mentioning their minimalistic graphics and branding, DogHouse stays away from more “flashy” cartoon & anime branding and sticks to a more simplistic approach, with their bags being used for all products, regardless of strains (outside of the specially branded “CRUD” by Sheefy Mcfly).

The final stop was where DogHouse markets their products.

Above you can see their camera setup for taking professional quality flower shots (goals!).

They had a room dedicated to swag and dispensary product displays.

DogHouse Farms has over 20 strains in rotation!

Here are some of the ones I got to check out:

THC : 27%-30% Genetics : Scooby Snacks x Ice Cream Cake Strain Characteristics : Fat, dense buds spiked with beautiful maroon accents and flavors of red wine, cranberries, and lemon zest. Experience : Social and relaxed

Scooby Cakes

THC : 26%-30% Genetics : Scooby Snacks x Ice Cream Cake Strain Characteristics : Large, dense bright green buds with pops of purple and a frosty layover of trichomes. A fan favorite - heads swoon over her balanced berry and gas notes with potent, euphoric punch. Rut-Roh Shaggy, she’s a winner. Experience : Euphoric and creative

THC : 27%-29% Genetics : Sunset Sherbet x Wedding Cake Strain Characteristics : Mouthwatering shades of purple accented with a heavy dose of white trichomes. Fruity berries and notes of vanilla are offset by pepper, earth and pine for this delicious late day favorite. Experience : Happy and relaxed

THC : 23%-27% Genetics : Scooby Snacks x Ice Cream Cake Strain Characteristics : Dense, trichome crusted flower featuring deep pruple and magenta hues that peek out from under a thick blanket of icy crystals. Nose and flavor are redolent of dark red berries, but careful this beauty packs a potent punch. Experience : Euphoric and creative

I wanted to dig a little deeper into the brand and what makes DogHouse different than other growers.

They graciously answered my questions:

Gas & Middies : What is DogHouse’s most renown strain?

Doghouse Farms : Most renown strain is probably Garlato (GMO x Gelato), beautiful dark nugs with heavy trichs and an intense garlic aroma.

Gas & Middies : What about best selling?

Doghouse Farms : Best selling is Scooby Cakes , also cus it yields very high so we get more of it than other strains with the same amount of plants.

Gas & Middies : What makes DogHouse different?

Doghouse Farms : Doghouse is different cus we’re focused on flower and little else . We do collabs for rosins and vapes, etc. but our bread and butter will always be big, dank, dark buds .

Gas & Middies : What current trends do you see in the Michigan market?

Doghouse Farms : Michigan is definitely into sweet candy flavor strains right now. We have a couple in this flavor profile, but we’re better known more for our gassy or skunky strains. So we like to stick to our strengths for the most part.

Gas & Middies : What up and coming strains should we look out for?

Doghouse Farms : New strains coming out now: Streetwalker, Apes in Space, and Augmented OG . All fire!

That’s a wrap on the tour!

I’d like to make a huge shoutout to DogHouse Farms for inviting me out to their grow.

They showed great hospitality and were very generous with their time.

I’m hoping everyone enjoyed the virtual tour and maybe even learned a little something along the way.

420 Friendly Vacations – Marijuana Tourism Information

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Cannabis Tourism is on the Rise in Michigan

Need an alternative to colorado michigan might be the answer..

Cannabis tourism provides a number of benefits for both tourists and the state of Michigan.

Visiting a Recreational dispensary.

Tours, Classes and Culture

There are a few things you should keep in mind when planning a trip to Michigan.

• First, the state has a lot of rural areas, so visitors should be prepared for long drives.
• Second, the state can be quite cold in the winter, so visitors should pack accordingly.
• Third, Michigan is home to many different cultures, so visitors should be respectful of local customs and traditions.

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Tours of Michigan cannabis companies reveal inner workings of marijuana business

A growing number of recreational marijuana businesses in Michigan, from outdoor cannabis farms to microbusinesses, are providing tours to interested consumers that show them how cannabis plants are grown, harvested and processed.

The openness is a notable shift for a still relatively new legal industry in Michigan in which many marijuana businesses are located in remote areas and farms are hidden behind privacy fences.

The marijuana industry "has been carved out of the public view and we felt that in order to end the stigma, that all needs to be brought to light so people can see that this is a serious business," Karen Kekelik, co-owner of the microbusiness IndiGrow in Muskegon.

Kekelik is referring to the stigma that stems from the War on Drugs — a U.S. government-led initiative in the 1970s that aimed to stop illegal drug use — that led to many people believing cannabis is bad, dirty and unprofessional, she said.

Kekelik and her husband, Steven, who also co-owns the business, started offering tours earlier this year, just a few months after opening. The idea to offer tours came organically, as education was a big part of the couple's goal for the business from the beginning because they wanted to show the cleanliness and professionalism required to be a successful cannabis business.

They do this by outfitting guests with personal protective equipment such as hairnets and shoe covers. Attendees then go through an air shower, which blows air on them to clear them of any contaminants. They then follow the life cycle of the cannabis plant, visiting the vegetative room to see the plants in the early stages of growth and then moving to the flower rooms to see the buds and the flowering plants. From there, they go to the trimming, drying and curing rooms, and end in the processing lab, where attendees see all the different extraction methods, which remove the oil found in the plants that contain the most potent compounds to then be used in products like edibles and tinctures.

Karen and Steven Kekelik have seen firsthand how education can change a person's perspective on cannabis. Karen's father, a doctor, associated cannabis with other illegal drugs and tobacco. After Karen suffered an injury that cannabis helped her recover from, she said, her father started researching the plant.

He went on to be an advocate, talking with both doctors and patients about how cannabis can be used as an alternative to opioids and is involved in IndiGrow, Karen Kekelik said.

“You get to see the lightbulb change when someone sees the possibilities of cannabis as a medicine and an alternative to alcohol," Steven Kekelik said. "We wanted to bring that to anyone who wanted to learn and experience that. That's very hard to do currently.”

Demystifying cannabis facilities

There are a few cannabis companies in Michigan that offer the public a behind-the-scenes look at their operations.

Cannabis companies operate under strict regulations and many precautions are taken so the plant remains free of outside contaminants. Because of this, anyone who is around the plant usually wears protective suits and hairnets when in an indoor grow room. There's also the risk that comes with operators inadvertently sharing proprietary information that competitors could steal.

Will Bowden, founder and CEO of Grasshopper Farms , an outdoor cannabis farm in southwest Michigan, said that's a risk worth taking.

After Bowden bought the 160-acre farm and started growing marijuana plants on 40 of those acres in 2020, he said it was important for him to invite local government officials and neighbors of the farm so they could see the farm for themselves.

"If you really want to demystify something, then open your door and show what's going on," he said. Tours are "the best and most effective way for us to do that."

Inspired by the reaction he got after offering tours to local officials and neighbors, Bowden told his team that he was going to allow anyone to sign up for a free tour on the company's website, and if someone just showed up, he told his team to do everything they could to accommodate that person.

His instructions were: "Introduce yourself, introduce the team, show them what we do and show them how we do it," he said. "Do not change minds and do not debate the topic" of marijuana.

Bowden includes that "do not debate" instruction because he has seen visitors get out of their car and walk over with their hands crossed over their chest, ready for a debate. By the end of the tour, he said, they often leave feeling at least OK about what's happening at Grasshopper Farms.

Replicating the vineyard model

There's also a financial incentive for cannabis business operators to offer tours. While Bowden offers tours free of charge, open house events at the farm and the tours are aimed in part at retailers who will hopefully choose to sell Grasshopper Farms products in their stores .

Bowden said he's not doing anything revolutionary with his tours, and gives as an example wine companies that invite restaurant staff out to their vineyards or wineries to taste its wine.

"What do they do?," Bowden said. "They go back and they talk about it in their restaurant. 'Oh, this is a fantastic vineyard. You should try this.' In this case, it's like, let's have the budtenders come out and take a look at the farm and meet the local team to see whose story they are representing."

He plans on taking the experience a step further by opening an education center on the property in the next few years that will have a deck offering a view of the farm and by potentially turning two houses on the property into Airbnbs offering guests a "cannabis experience."

More on cannabis tourism: Cannabis tourism in Michigan is a real thing. Here's what to know, where to stay

Tours are also a way to make money

IndiGrow, meanwhile, charges $100 for an hour tour that's limited to five people and that comes with all necessary personal protective equipment, a Q&A session, five pre-rolled joints and a T-shirt.

Steven Kekelik said the tours help them financially in two ways: It allows them to diversify their income streams at a time when the cannabis market in Michigan is especially competitive, with  the average price of marijuana flower dropping 20% compared with prices a year ago, according to the most recent data available from Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency ,  causing margins to narrow .

"The tour revenue really just allows a mom-and-pop business to be successful," Steven Kekelik said.

It also leads to more product sales, he said, because tour attendees are able to see how the product is made and why IndiGrow employees do what they do, comparing the feeling to a visit to a local farmers' market.

Both the Kekeliks and Bowden said they've had visitors come from other states, such as Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, to take a tour, and Bowden said someone even came from out of the country to see Grasshopper Farms. They don't see interest slowing down anytime soon and generally are getting great feedback from attendees.

After one IndiGrow attendee got the chance to see the cannabis plants up close, Steven Kekelik received his favorite feedback so far: "The buds were frickin' huge!"

Where tours are offered

To book a tour at the IndiGrow microbusiness in Muskegon, go to its website at IndiGrowMI.com and click "Tours" at the top of the site. Tours are held at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. most Saturdays and cost $100.

To take a tour of Grasshopper Farms, sign up at GrasshopperFarms.com/people . Tours are free.

To tour Winewood Organics in Ann Arbor, go to WinewoodOrganics.com/Microbusiness-Tours . Tours are held at 5 p.m. every other Saturday and cost $30. The next tour is on Saturday.

Contact Adrienne Roberts: [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Growing number of Michigan cannabis companies are offering tours

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Traveling and Cannabis Tourism in Michigan

Michigan is a four-season travel state, and a fair number of people who travel here take advantage of legal recreational cannabis or Michigan’s reciprocal medical marijuana program. As a result, we’re seeing cannabis tourism growing here.  Michigan welcomes the cannabis curious from nearby prohibition states like Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin and everyone who travels here to enjoy all that Michigan offers—including legal weed.

Cannabis tourism is a growing area for many communities in Michigan. Cities, villages, or townships that have opted in for recreational cannabis have the opportunity to promote them, but few do. Michigan has around 700 marijuana dispensaries in operation scattered throughout the state. And while you can’t buy legal recreational cannabis in Michigan’s largest city, Detroit (it’s medical only), you’ll find an abundance of provisioning stores in other tourist hotspots. Places up and down Michigan’s Lake Michigan coastline from Benton Harbor near the state line with Indiana to Muskegon have a variety of cannabis stores. In addition, you’ll find cannabis available in Bay City over in the Thumb region and in Up North places like Cadillac and Marquette and Houghton in the UP near Wisconsin. 

What proves to be perplexing for cannabis tourists or tourists who want cannabis is finding a place to consume and what to do with the cannabis you don’t consume while in the Mitten State.

Here’s a little list of where you can’t consume cannabis in Michigan. Some of it is Michigan law, and some are the preference of property owners.

• In your car or driving or sitting in a vehicle on any Michigan roadway.
• In a boat on a Michigan waterway
• Out in public where anyone can see you smoking
• On private property where cannabis is expressly prohibited
• In most hotel/motel rooms or on hotel property
• Around the campfire at the Michigan State Park or on a state park beach or trail

It truly crimps your options, doesn’t it? Until more properties (hotels, motels and resorts) allow cannabis consumption, travelers will be challenged to find a place to consume. We wondered why this was the case.

“We have yet to see a community fully embrace cannabis; it’s still often held at arm’s length,” Andrew McFarlane from Michigan Cannabis Trail and Michigo said.

This disconnect is apparent where Michigan’s cannabis stores are most densely located and how they’re not embraced or even recognized by local visitor’s bureaus and Chamber of Commerce entities. 

You’d think Ann Arbor, Michigan’s historical epicenter of marijuana, would embrace the plant and stores in its geographical area—but that’s not the case. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for established organizations to change and adopt a formerly illegal substance.

“There are certainly a large group of people who still think that cannabis is a bad thing—and until they’re no longer in leadership positions, we’ll always have roadblocks,” Andrew said.

There’s no legal or ethical reason that a visitor’s bureau can’t list a cannabis business as a traveler’s destination. It’s a matter of will and desire.

Andrew also pointed out that the Visitor’s Bureau in Modesto, California, has its Motown CannaPass that people can register for, which unlocks information and cannabis-friendly businesses in the community. “It’s normalizing the cannabis experience and promoting community businesses—which they should be doing,” he said. 

He noted that at least seven licenses are in progress for cannabis consumption lounges in the state. However, none have opened as of early 2022. These lounges are bound to be a focal point for

For people traveling in Michigan who are looking for options when it comes to a consumption space, you’ll have to look carefully and plan accordingly. Finding a place to stay that is cool with cannabis is the first step—Michigan Cannabis Trail and Bud and Breakfast websites offer some options. 

Here’s something we found interesting—you can consume in a Michigan State Park, but not in public (see the campfire note above). So you can consume cannabis in your tent or camper. Of course, it’s not as cool as sitting around the fire or walking on the beach, but it’s something. 

If you’re in town for the annual Hash Bash in Ann Arbor on the first Saturday in April—that’s a fun spot to light up. In addition, organized cannabis events are popping up across Michigan. These licensed events allow consumption and have sales in the same place—usually with live music and other cannabis-centric activities. Expect to find them throughout the summer of 2022.

As you travel in Michigan, be discrete where you fire up, and you’ll be fine.

Licensed Michigan cannabis cultivation locations and owners: A list and interactive map

[ Get an updated list and map from December 2020 here. ]

While Michigan has been adding cannabis retail locations quickly, the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) has also been approving many more new cultivation sites in 2020 than it did in 2019. While the MRA approved an average of 21 new cultivation licenses per month in 2019, in 2020 it has been granting an average 39 licenses every month. However, while the state has a large number of smaller grow sites, the vast majority of the growers approved have been for large, “Class C” cultivation licenses, during 2019 and 2020, the period during which public records have been released by the MRA.

Using weekly license data reported by the MRA, Grown In has developed a sharp picture of the current state of cannabis in Michigan. Using MRA’s public data , Grown In pulled location and ownership data of grower licenses and created the first public analysis of who owns what, and how many cultivation sites in Michigan.

You can download Grown In’s datafile here using the information we gathered.

The ownership structures of many cannabis cultivation sites are complicated, often with nested, multiple LLCs, or individual owners that own multiple locations under different company names. Here we dove into the data to learn more about the state of the market. All of our data is as of June 30, 2020, the latest the MRA has published. 

One important detail about the Michigan system is that unlike some other states, the medical and retail cannabis systems operate almost completely separately. Medical cannabis is grown at a medical cannabis licensed facility, processed at a medical processor, and sold at a medical “provisioning center”. Recreational cannabis is grown, processed and sold in a similar, separate system, the products don’t meet – except that medical and recreational retail locations can share the same space.

While recreational cannabis sales are legal in Michigan, the state has more registered medical patients than any other recreational-legal state – 249,455 as of May, according to the MRA. This huge number of medical cannabis patients, who tend to be more loyal, regular customers, has propped up a large medical cannabis industry, while the recreational business is still just starting to grow.

Some of what we learned from the data, all of which begins in October 2019:

• 209 Class C medical grower licenses have been awarded, grouped into 81 companies. Each Class C license allows a grower to cultivate up to 2,000 marijuana plants. Some of the largest facilities have four or five Class C licenses in one place.
• 17 companies have been awarded 4 or more Class C licenses.
• 5 Class B medical grower licenses have been awarded. Each Class B license allows a grower to cultivate up to 500 marijuana plants.
• 39 Class A medical grower licenses have been awarded. Each Class A license allows a grower to cultivate up to 100 marijuana plants.
• 73 Class C recreational grower licenses have been awarded to 37 companies.
• 6 Class B recreational grower licenses have been awarded.
• No Class A recreational grower licenses have been awarded.
• LivWell Enlightened Health owned by Thomas Lauzon, chief of medtech company WellOpp, with 14 licenses awarded.
• Green Peak Industries, LLC led by Jeffrey Radway, with 13 licenses awarded.
• Green Standard Cultivation, LLC owned by Salvador Sacasa, James Deweese, and Prakash Gandhi with 12 licenses awarded.
• VB Chesaning, LLC/High Life Farms owned by Bendetteo Celani, Vincenzo Celani, and Jason Pasko with 10 licenses awarded.
• Attitude Wellness/Lume Cannabis Company led by Douglas Hellyar with 5 licenses awarded.
• Green Peak Industries led by Jeffrey Radway with 5 licenses awarded.
• MPM-C Marshall LLC, owned by Ontario logistics magnate Steve Ondejko, with 5 licenses awarded.
• Windsor Township OG, LLC/RAIR Systems, led by Patrick Frakes, with 5 licenses awarded.
• Big Rock Corp/Six Labs, led by John Taylor, a Chicago-area caterer, with 4 licenses awarded.
• PG Manufacturing, led by Sam Usman, with 4 licenses awarded.

Mike Fourcher

Editor Mike is a co-founder and the editor of Grown In, a U.S. national cannabis industry newsletter and training company. His career has taken him from Capitol Hill to Chicago City Hall, from... More by Mike Fourcher

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Recreational Weed Sales Begin in Michigan

Dec 2, 2019 | Legalization , Michigan

Hundreds of people lined up outside pot shops in Ann Arbor, Michigan yesterday, the first day of recreational marijuana sales in the state. Three marijuana dispensaries in Ann Arbor (Greenstone Provisions, Exclusive Provisioning Ann Arbor, and Arbors Wellness) were...

Detroit Temporarily Bans Recreational Weed Sales

Nov 15, 2019 | Legalization , Michigan

On December 1, 2019, recreational marijuana sales will start in Michigan. But the state's largest city will not be one of the places to purchase legal cannabis in Michigan for at least the first two months. The Detroit city council unanimously approved a temporary ban...

Michigan Legalizes Recreational Marijuana

Dec 7, 2018 | Legalization , Michigan

As of December 6, 2018, marijuana is legal for all adults over 21 in Michigan. In the November 2018 election, Michigan voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent. “The Proposal 1 campaign boiled down into one of...

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A growing number of recreational marijuana businesses in Michigan, from outdoor cannabis farms to microbusinesses, are providing tours to interested consumers that show them how cannabis plants are grown, harvested and processed.

The openness is a notable shift for a  still relatively new legal industry  in Michigan in which many marijuana businesses are located in remote areas and  farms are hidden  behind privacy fences.

The marijuana industry “has been carved out of the public view and we felt that in order to end the stigma, that all needs to be brought to light so people can see that this is a serious business,” Karen Kekelik, co-owner of the microbusiness  IndiGrow  in Muskegon.

Kekelik is referring to the stigma that stems from the War on Drugs — a U.S. government-led initiative in the 1970s that aimed to stop illegal drug use — that led to many people believing cannabis is bad, dirty and unprofessional, she said.

Kekelik and her husband, Steven, who also co-owns the business, started offering tours earlier this year, just a few months after opening. The idea to offer tours came organically, as education was a big part of the couple’s goal for the business from the beginning because they wanted to show the cleanliness and professionalism required to be a successful cannabis business.

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7Engines I Best Cannabis Dispensary in Buchanan MI

Exploring Cannabis Tourism in Buchanan, Michigan

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Cannabis tourism refers to travel activities and experiences centered around the consumption, exploration, and appreciation of cannabis-related products and culture. It typically involves visiting destinations where cannabis is legally available for recreational or medicinal use. Cannabis tourism destinations may include places where marijuana is legal for recreational use.

Nestled amidst the rolling hills and lush vineyards of Southwest Michigan lies the charming town of Buchanan. Founded in 1833, Buchanan is a small but vibrant community located in Berrien County, Michigan. Situated just a short drive from the shores of Lake Michigan, Buchanan is known for its rich history, stunning natural landscapes, and friendly locals. Visitors to Buchanan can explore the town’s historic downtown area. It is lined with charming shops, restaurants, and art galleries. You could also take a stroll along the scenic St. Joseph River.

Embracing Cannabis Tourism in Buchanan: A Haven for Enthusiasts

Michigan’s legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018 marked a significant milestone in the state’s history. Consequently, Buchanan has taken it a step further by wholeheartedly embracing cannabis tourism. Recognizing the potential economic and cultural benefits, Buchanan has positioned itself as a beacon for cannabis enthusiasts, both local and from distant locales. The town’s proactive approach to welcoming cannabis enthusiasts hasn’t gone unnoticed. It is a sought-after destination for those seeking a cannabis-friendly atmosphere coupled with the charm of a small town.

Buchanan's Allure: A Picturesque Haven for Cannabis Enthusiasts

Buchanan’s allure as a cannabis tourism destination is enhanced by its picturesque setting and laid-back ambiance. Surrounded by rolling hills, verdant vineyards, and scenic waterways, Buchanan offers a serene backdrop for indulging in cannabis experiences. It’s great to explore local dispensaries , participate in cannabis-infused activities, or simply unwinding amidst nature. Visitors find themselves immersed in an environment that promotes relaxation , exploration, and connection.

Moreover, Buchanan’s commitment to providing a safe and inclusive space for cannabis enthusiasts contributes to its appeal as a premier cannabis tourism destination. The town’s embrace of cannabis culture is not only evident in its businesses and events but also in its community ethos. Residents and local businesses alike welcome visitors with open arms. They foster a sense of camaraderie and acceptance that is palpable throughout the town. In Buchanan, cannabis enthusiasts can feel at ease knowing that they are part of a community that celebrates diversity and embraces alternative lifestyles.

In essence, Buchanan’s embrace of cannabis tourism goes beyond mere acceptance. It represents a conscious effort to cultivate an environment where cannabis enthusiasts can thrive. By combining its natural beauty, small-town charm, and progressive attitudes, Buchanan has succeeded in creating a welcoming haven for cannabis enthusiasts seeking a unique and enriching experience. Buchanan invites you to discover the joys of cannabis tourism in a setting that is as warm and inviting as it is beautiful.

Cannabis Tourism: Explore Buchanan's Weed Scene

Buchanan’s cannabis scene is a dynamic tapestry woven with diversity and vibrancy, offering a multitude of options for both locals and visitors to indulge in cannabis experiences. From dispensaries to lounges and events, the town’s cannabis landscape is teeming with opportunities for exploration and enjoyment. Among the standout establishments in Buchanan’s cannabis community is 7 Engines Dispensary . It is a beloved local gem renowned for its top-notch products and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

7 Engines Dispensary: A Gem in Buchanan's Cannabis Landscape

Nestled within Buchanan’s bustling streets, 7 Engines Dispensary stands out as a beacon of excellence in the town’s cannabis scene. With its inviting ambiance and knowledgeable staff, 7 Engines has earned a stellar reputation among locals and visitors alike. What sets this dispensary apart is its unwavering dedication to providing high-quality products. Moreover, we provide exceptional customer service, making it a go-to destination for cannabis enthusiasts seeking top-tier experiences.

At 7 Engines , patrons are greeted with a warm welcome and expert guidance from the moment they step through the door. The dispensary boasts a diverse selection of products, ranging from premium flower and concentrates to edibles , tinctures , and more. Each product is carefully curated to ensure quality and potency, giving customers confidence in their purchases. Whether you’re a seasoned cannabis connoisseur or a curious newcomer, the knowledgeable staff at 7 Engines is on hand to offer personalized recommendations and answer any questions you may have.

Cannabis Products at 7 Engines Dispensary

As travelers immerse themselves in Buchanan’s vibrant cannabis scene, one of the highlights of their journey is undoubtedly a visit to 7 Engines Dispensary . This local gem stands out not only for its exceptional customer service and welcoming ambiance but also for its diverse selection of high-quality cannabis products. Whether you’re seeking flower , concentrates , edibles , or topicals , 7 Engines offers a curated range of products to cater to every preference and need.

Flower: A Symphony of Aromas and Effects

At 7 Engines, cannabis flower takes center stage, showcasing a dazzling array of strains that tantalize the senses and captivate the imagination. From uplifting sativas to relaxing indicas and balanced hybrids, the dispensary ‘s selection of flower is a testament to the rich diversity of cannabis genetics. Each strain boasts its unique combination of aromas, flavors, and effects. Customers are able to tailor their experience to their desired outcome. Whether you’re drawn to the citrusy notes of a Lemon Haze or the earthy undertones of a Granddaddy Purple , 7 Engines has something to satisfy every palate.

Concentrates: Potency and Purity

For those seeking a more potent and concentrated cannabis experience, 7 Engines offers an impressive array of concentrates . They include wax, shatter, and live resin. Crafted using advanced extraction techniques, these concentrates boast unparalleled potency and purity. They deliver a powerful and flavorful experience with each dose. Maybe you prefer the smooth texture of a budder or the glass-like consistency of shatter?   7 Engines ensures that every concentrate meets the highest standards of quality and consistency.

Edibles: Delicious and Discreet

For travelers seeking a convenient and discreet way to enjoy cannabis , 7 Engines offers an enticing selection of edibles . We sell gummies , chocolates , and baked goods among others. These delicious treats not only provide a flavorful alternative to traditional consumption methods but also offer precise dosing and long-lasting effects. Indulging in a decadent chocolate truffle or savoring a fruity gummy?  7 Engines’ edibles offer a deliciously satisfying experience that’s perfect for any occasion.

Topicals: Soothing Relief

For those seeking relief from pain , inflammation , or skin conditions, 7 Engines’ selection of topicals provides a soothing and effective solution. From creams and lotions to balms and salves, these cannabis-infused products offer targeted relief exactly where it’s needed most. Are you dealing with sore muscles after a long day of hiking or seeking relief from arthritis pain? 7 Engines’ topicals harness the power of cannabis to promote healing and wellness.

More than an Impressive Range of Products

In addition to its impressive product offerings, 7 Engines is known for its commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. The staff prides itself on creating a judgment-free space where customers can feel comfortable exploring their cannabis options and discovering new favorites. Whether you’re seeking relief from pain or stress , looking to enhance your creativity, or simply hoping to relax and unwind, 7 Engines has something for everyone.

Moreover, 7 Engines is more than just a dispensary; it’s a community hub where cannabis enthusiasts come together to connect. Our customers share stories, and celebrate their shared passion for cannabis. One of the most appreciated aspects at 7 Engines is our budtenders. They are true cannabis connoisseurs, and are happy to answer all your queries. Go ahead and ask them about cannabis products , which suit your needs, how to use them…

Buchanan's Cannabis Culture

Beyond its dispensaries and lounges, Buchanan offers travelers a chance to explore the rich history and culture of cannabis in Michigan. Visitors can take a guided tour of nearby cannabis cultivation facilities. Here, they learn about the cultivation process, from seed to harvest, and the science behind cannabis production. These tours provide a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the cannabis industry. Moreover, they offer valuable insights into the art and science of growing cannabis.

In addition to cultivation tours, Buchanan hosts a variety of cannabis-themed events and festivals throughout the year. These provide travelers with opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals and celebrate their shared passion for cannabis . From cannabis-infused cooking classes and yoga retreats to music festivals and art exhibitions, there’s always something happening in Buchanan for cannabis enthusiasts and adventurers alike.

Cannabis Laws in Buchanan

While Buchanan warmly embraces cannabis enthusiasts, travelers must acquaint themselves with Michigan’s cannabis laws and regulations to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Yes, recreational cannabis use is legal for individuals aged 21 and above in Michigan. However, certain restrictions govern its consumption. Travelers must be mindful of local ordinances and regulations regarding cannabis consumption in public spaces. Also, be aware of laws about driving under the influence of cannabis .

Navigating Legal Frameworks

Michigan’s legalization of recreational cannabis marked a significant shift in the state’s approach to cannabis regulation. However, travelers should exercise caution and respect local laws to avoid any legal complications. Cannabis consumption is permitted in private residences. But it is generally prohibited in public spaces such as parks, sidewalks, and beaches. Moreover, travelers should be aware of any specific regulations imposed by municipalities within Michigan. They may vary from one location to another!

Ensuring Responsible Consumption

In addition to abiding by legal frameworks, travelers should prioritize responsible cannabis consumption to safeguard their well-being and that of others. It’s essential to exercise moderation and refrain from driving or operating machinery under the influence of cannabis. Impaired driving poses significant safety risks. Furthermore, travelers should respect the preferences and boundaries of those around them. This is all the more important in shared accommodations or public settings where cannabis consumption may not be welcomed.

Respecting Local Communities

As visitors to Buchanan, travelers play a vital role in upholding the town’s values and respecting its residents and local businesses. While cannabis consumption may be legal, it’s essential to be mindful of cultural norms and sensitivities. This is important particularly in areas where cannabis may still carry stigma or controversy. By demonstrating respect and discretion, travelers can contribute to a positive and harmonious relationship between cannabis enthusiasts and the broader community in Buchanan.

Seeking Guidance and Information

For travelers seeking clarification or guidance on Michigan’s cannabis laws and regulations, resources are available to assist. Local dispensaries , cannabis advocacy organizations, and government websites offer valuable information and guidance on navigating the legal landscape. Additionally, you could consult with knowledgeable staff at dispensaries, such as 7 Engines . We can provide travelers with personalized advice and recommendations tailored to their needs and circumstances.

With its charming downtown, welcoming community, and vibrant cannabis scene, Buchanan, Michigan, offers travelers a one-of-a-kind cannabis tourism experience. Whether you’re exploring the town’s dispensaries , attending a cannabis-themed event, or simply enjoying the natural beauty of Southwest Michigan, Buchanan has something for everyone. So, pack your bags, hit the road, and discover all that Buchanan has to offer for cannabis enthusiasts and adventurers alike. 7 Engines at Buchanon welcomes you with open arms. Come and explore the world of cannabis in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.

The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice based on your medical condition.

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The Village of Lawrence had a population of 1,029 in 2019. The small town became home to Michigan’s largest marijuana growing facility when it opened in March. // Bridge photo by Zahra Ahmad

Michigan’s largest marijuana farm opens in tiny village, ready or not

By Zahra Ahmad, Business Watch, Bridge Michigan

LAWRENCE — This tiny village in southwest Michigan is home to 300 families, a proud farming history and an annual ox roast festival — and most recently, the state’s largest marijuana farm.

The operation known as 305 Farms is licensed to grow up to 80,000 plants a year in a 350,000 square foot facility that will be more than double the average size of a Walmart. This comes at a time when the state’s saturated marijuana market is stabilizing, and many investors view small towns as the best way to grow the billion-dollar industry.

The farm is stirring mixed feelings in the tight-knit Van Buren County community with six stores and one restaurant. But the $100 million facility from a Florida-based company promises good-paying jobs, annual revenue for the village and a viable plan for vacant land.

At the town’s only gas station, Rachel Christie has talked to neighbors for 15 years as they buy snacks and fill up their tanks. 

A marijuana farm isn’t vital to Lawrence, Christie said, adding she’d rather see a grocery store than another marijuana facility. Two dispensaries opened in Lawrence over the past five years. 

“These marijuana shops are popping up like lemonade stands,” Christie said. “It would be nice if the revenue from it helped open up something beneficial to Lawrence, like a grocery store. You have to go out of town to buy a head of lettuce.”

Lawrence is one of 120 municipalities statewide to allow and create regulations for recreational marijuana after  voters approved it in 2018.   But nearly 80 percent of communities, 1,400 of 1,773, have opted out of law and prohibit the establishments, according to the  Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency.

The Village of Lawrence had a population of 1,029 in 2019. The small town will be home to Michigan's largest marijuana growing facility when it opens in March 2022. // Bridge photo by Zahra Ahmad

The state’s marijuana market has grown to $3 billion and the industry grossed $1.8 billion in sales in 2021, but “we’re reaching a period of more stability where we won’t see such an increase in growth,” said Andrew Brisbo, executive director of the state agency.

Michigan is one of  18 states where marijuana is legal , and it’s attractive to out-of-state investors because it’s regulated to allow a free market, Brisbo said. Prices are set by unrestricted competition between private business owners.

“Michigan’s the land of opportunity for cannabis,” Brisbo said.

Donald Hanson , a Van Buren County commissioner who represents Lawrence, said the 40-acre site for 305 Farms was intended for a large housing development that residents welcomed. Like many ventures proposed in Lawrence, that fell through, Hanson said.

“There wasn’t much of a choice,” Hanson said. “The big homes and the stores that they wanted didn’t come through. The marijuana people had the money and they needed that money. But at least this is some progress.”

According to Hanson, the farm is giving Lawrence the money it needs to pay debts, like a bond it took out to build a new water tower. In a February statement, Lawrence Village President David Quick said revenue from the farm is funding much-needed programs and projects.

Quick did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Bridge Michigan.

So far, 305 Farms has paid Lawrence $141,000 in reservation and licensing fees, an amount that will increase to $200,000 annually when the facility is finished.

That’s nearly double the amount of revenue the village currently earns from taxes and licenses. 

Matthew Peon is CEO of 305 Farms // Bridge photo by Zahra Ahmad

Matt Peon, 305 Farms CEO, said he will hire 200 people locally over the next 36 months to work at the farm for $20 an hour with paid vacation and benefits.

The state will earn $2 million in annual licensing fees for the campus and any of the company’s recreational products are subject to a 10 percent state excise tax.

Peon said his company designed an ordinance that allows an operator of their size to access a pool of licenses that lets them produce thousands of pounds of marijuana.

“It speaks to the magnitude of what we are trying to create out here,” Peon said. “It was a real blessing that we found Lawrence.”

The operation plans to cultivate and process marijuana on a campus that Peon said will “revolutionize the industry in both size and technology.” The first phase includes a 44,000 square feet of cultivation rooms and a 16,000 square-foot operations center, with room for trimming, processing, commercial kitchens and a warehouse. Other plans call for more buildings.

“In the end, the campus will comprise over 300,000 square feet of plant-canopy, completely lit by LEDs (lights),” said Mikkael Jettere the company’s vice president of horticulture.

Peon, a Florida native from Miami, said executing a farm like his in Florida is nearly impossible because the state only issues seven licenses a year. Those licenses are typically sold to long-time Florida farmers.

The operation plans to cultivate and process marijuana on a campus that Peon said will “revolutionize the industry in both size and technology.”

In Lawrence, his operation was able to stack 40 Class-C cultivation licenses and two cannabis processing licenses onto a single site.

The project comes as people’s opinions on cannabis in Michigan are shifting faster than in other states.

According to one study,   one in nine Michiganders report using marijuana at least once a month , a percentage that grew 60 percent over a 14-year period.

Peon said Lawrence residents had some reservations initially because the area is conservative. Residents shared concerns about whether the farm would increase crime or traffic, and whether the village’s aging water system could support it. 

The company responded by hiring around-the-clock security and offering to seclude the facility with a 40-foot tree fortress. 

Peon said the farm runs on a water treatment system that recycles 95 percent of all its wastewater and its power plant of natural gas generators that supply almost half of its electricity needs. 

Nicole Hunt, who has lived in Lawrence for 15 years, is among the residents who were initially concerned about the marijuana farm. But she said she’s come to accept it after researching the proposal, she said.

“That is one thing I am really for because Lawrence, being such a small village, needs all the help it can get with revenue,” Hunt said.

Bridge Michigan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that provides passionate and rooted Michigan readers with honest, fact-driven journalism on the state’s diverse people, politics, and economy. We serve as your watchdog on the biggest issues impacting your daily life, giving you insightful coverage you can’t get anywhere else. Receive Bridge in your inbox for free by  subscribing here .

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Fly over a field towering with lush cannabis plants, as Michigan harvest begins

• Published: Oct. 09, 2023, 7:31 a.m.

• Joel Bissell | [email protected]

VAN BUREN COUNTY, MI -- Cannabis plants thrive in the rich farm soil of Southwest Michigan. At Grasshopper Farms north of Paw Paw over 6,000 plants grow outdoors in ascetically pleasing rows.

In mid-September MLive toured the outdoor cannabis farm, which spans 32 acres, surrounded by a tall blackout fence. The leafy green plants, which were nearly ready for the October harvest, were 8 to 14 feet tall. Many of them 3 to 5 feet wide.

In the video above, drone footage takes you from ground level up to 400 feet above the farm.

An aerial image of outdoor cannabis plants at Grasshopper Farms in Van Buren County, Michigan on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. The farm currently has around 6,100 plants spread across 32 acres of farmland. (Drone image by Joel Bissell | MLive.com) MLive.com

Michigan’s fruit belt, with its sandy soil and lakeshore breeze, is proving to be fertile ground for cannabis crop.

RELATED: Marijuana plants thrive in Michigan soil. But is it agriculture?

“A lot of people compare it to being a Christmas tree farm,” said Will Bowden, CEO of Grasshopper Farms as he took MLive on the tour.

The farm grows its cannabis with near-military precision: rows are spaced evenly apart to allow for light breezes, an irrigation system pumps well water directly to each plant, farm trucks have a green film covering headlights and a map details the strains in all 20 beds.

Growing outdoors means workers have to constantly inspect the plants and be prepared for whatever curveball the environment may send their way.

“It’s three things: weather, pests and pathogens,” Bowden said. “All three of those can be managed with a high degree of control on any indoor cultivation.”

Outdoor cannabis plants at Grasshopper Farms in Van Buren County, Michigan on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) MLive.com

In Michigan, most cannabis is grown indoors – where lighting and temperature can be tightly controlled – some growers are planting outside to cut down on costs and shrink their environmental footprint.

Bowden, who is a California native, said after extensive research he saw many reasons to focus on growing outside. One 2011 university study he read said that indoor grow was occupying 1 percent of the U.S. power grid. Bowden doesn’t think that is sustainable.

RELATED: It looks like a Christmas tree farm, but it’s 10-foot tall marijuana

Grasshopper Farms broke ground three years ago on 160 acres of former corn and soybean fields in southwest Michigan. At the farm, cannabis starts as cuts from a mother plant. After growing into 8-inch sprouts in a greenhouse, thousands of plants are moved outside, placed under a hoop house, a plastic covering, and then replanted into 100-gallon fabric pots, where they grow thick and tall under the bright summer sun.

As daylight hours shorten, the plants begin to flower.

An outdoor cannabis plant at Grasshopper Farms in Van Buren County, Michigan on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) MLive.com

As October rolled around, farmworkers have begun harvesting; chopping arm-length branches off the plants until only a trunk remains.

“It’s like giving the plant a haircut,” said Adam Rollinger, Grasshopper Farms’ director of business development.

A worker walks through a drying room at Grasshopper Farms in Van Buren County, Michigan on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) MLive.com

The leafy branches are then hung in long curtains to be dried, processed and sold to retailers across the state. In the end, farm workers will harvest an estimated 20,000 pounds of what Bowden calls “premium sun-grown flower” this year.

ALSO ON MLIVE:

Michigan marijuana sales likely to surpass $3 billion, helped by record-breaking July

Could debt ‘domino effect’ topple Michigan’s marijuana businesses?

You can’t sue, marijuana is illegal, federal judge tells Michigan cannabis business

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Drug Mixture Called ‘Kush’ in Sierra Leone Sometimes Contains Ground-Up Human Bones, Reports Say

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Announcing the High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan 2024

We’re announcing the return of the highly-anticipated High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan 2024 ! 

It’s the fifth year we’ve set up a competition in Michigan—one of our most enthusiastic event markets—and the most recent rundown of winners showcases Michigan’s finest products. With a massive 20-category breakdown this year, we’re proud to display the winners of a variety of categories, as determined by our Michigan judges.

Anybody can be a Judge and you don’t need to be an esteemed member of the cannabis community—just have the passion and grit needed to determine the next year’s winners. Act fast, as product submissions will be taken May 27 through June 7 in the Detroit area. Judge Kits go on sale June 22.

Judges will analyze products in their Judge Kits and a backpack full of potent submissions, using a variety of criteria. For the categories involving flower, pre-rolls, vape pens, and concentrates, judges will take note of a product’s aesthetics, aroma/scent, taste/flavor profile, burnability, effects/effectiveness, and terpene profile. Edibles have a slightly different list of considerations, including packaging and labeling. For categories like Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals, judges will rank them based on ease of use as well. They’ll have about three months to narrow down their choices. Saturday, August 24 is the judging deadline for Cannabis Cup Judges.

On Sunday, September 15, the winners will be announced ! The entry categories include the following:

• Rec Indica Flower (4 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Sativa Flower (4 entries max per company)  (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Hybrid Flower (4 entries max per company)  (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Pre-Rolls (3 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Infused Pre-Rolls (2 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Solvent Concentrates (2 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Non-Solvent Concentrates (2 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Distillate Vape Pens & Cartridges (2 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Non-Distillate Vape Pens & Cartridges (2 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Edibles: Solvent Gummies (3 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Edibles: Non-Solvent Gummies (3 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Edibles: Non-Gummies (3 entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• Rec Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals (3 Entries max per company) (state-licensed adult-use)
• MEDICAL Indica Flower (4 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
• MEDICAL Sativa Flower (4 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
• MEDICAL Hybrid Flower (4 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
• MEDICAL Pre-Rolls (4 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
• MEDICAL Concentrates (4 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
• MEDICAL Infused Pre-Rolls (4 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)
• MEDICAL Edibles (3 Entries max per company) (State-Licensed Medical-Facility)

Entry Requirements

One entry requires a $250, non-refundable fee, while two entries require a non-refundable fee of $100 per entry. Three or more entries requires a $100 refundable deposit per entry held, refunded when all entries are successfully submitted. Entry fees are waived for sponsorships. As medical patients are allowed to have higher amounts of certain forms of cannabis in Michigan, entry requirements vary for adult-use and medical products as follows:

Recreational:

• Flower: (228) 1-gram units. We will not accept any 3.5-gram entries.
• Pre-Rolls & Infused Pre-Rolls: (228) units: Pre-Rolls will be capped at 2-gram flower-only each;
• Infused Pre-Rolls will be capped at 3-gram flower-equivalency or 1-gram concentrate-equivalency each by METRC equations.
• Concentrates & Vape Pens: (228) .5-gram units. We will not accept any 1-gram entries. Batteries are required for Carts.
• Edibles: (100) units with 100mg THC max.
• Sublinguals, Capsules, Tinctures + Topicals:  (60) units with 500mg THC max
• Pre-Rolls & Infused Pre-Rolls: (100) units: Pre-Rolls will be capped at 2-gram flower-only each;
• Infused Pre-Rolls will be capped at 5-gram flower-equivalency or 5-gram concentrate-equivalency each by METRC equations.
• Concentrates & Vape Pens: (100) .5-gram units. We will not accept any 1-gram entries. Batteries are required for Carts.
• Edibles: (100) units with 200mg THC max.

Looking Back at Events in Michigan

Let’s take a look back at a few past highlights in the Midwest. Michigan has hosted many Cannabis Cups with notable faces over the years, and we have some signature years underneath our belts. 2018’s High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan festivities , for instance, were headlined by Lil Wayne, Waka Flocka Flame, Vic Mensa, Machine Gun Kelly, Yo Gotti, and more. 

The 2019 Michigan Cannabis Cup showcased amazing submissions of strains like Critical Mass by Mrs. Berry Kush or Tropicana Cookies by COCO Extracts.

Last year, at the High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan 2023 , winners received the coveted High Times Cannabis Cup trophy, a longtime symbol of quality in the cannabis community. It was designed by Alex and Allyson Grey , made from zinc and 24k gold plating.

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• Recreational

Hopefully they actually judge these products and not just take them and sell them on the black market like they did in Oklahoma

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Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Cannabus Tours in July!

Your tour guide will greet you at the Apothecare parking lot, holding a Swag Bag packed with Mary Jane essentials, coupons, and discounts for this journey! On this tour, you will learn a little about the history of “Cannabis Prohibition” and the future of the cannabis industry in the US. Mary Jane Tours is the first party bus cannabis tour in the Ann Arbor/Ypsi area, designed to give you a guide to cannabis, wellness, laughter, and the reasons why Ann Arbor is on the forefront of cannabis advocacy!

We’ll hop on the Mary Jane Party Bus and embark on a journey towards downtown Ann Arbor, the most popular area in the city. Then on to Ypsilanti. The tour is open to EVERYONE 21 years and above. It’s the most fun you’ll have in Arborland on a party bus. An experience you won’t forget!

Click for tickets & information !

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Lume Cannabis plans to take over Skymint's Harvest Park facility in Dimondale

WINDSOR TWP. — A Michigan cannabis company plans to take over a 56,000-square-foot marijuana growing and processing facility near Lansing after a competitor went into receivership last year.

Troy-based Lume Cannabis Co. plans to occupy the facility at 10070 Harvest Park previously occupied by Green Peak Industries, which operates under the brand name Skymint.

Lume Cannabis Co. announced its plans to take over the facility on Wednesday. Skymint began construction of the facility over five years ago.

"Lume plans to produce its premium Gold Label fresh frozen live rosin cannabis products at the facility and the company will invest millions of dollars in renovations to ensure Lume’s quality standards are met, Doug Hellyar, president and COO of Lume Cannabis Co., said in a release.

The company will enter into a "long-term lease" that begins next month with property owner Innovative Industrial Properties, said the release.

The news comes just under a year after Skymint was placed in receivership. The company also nine months ago surrendered the nearby former Summit Sports and Ice Complex off Davis Highway to San Diego-based Innovative from which it was leasing the property. The company had redeveloped the former sports arena to create a warehouse and distribution center, packaging and pre-roll production space, a commercial kitchen where edibles were produced and a cannabis grow operation and genetic testing area.

A lawsuit filed by a lender last year claimed Skymint owed them more than $127 million.

A message left Wednesday morning with Skymint wasn't immediately returned.

Gene Kohut of Detroit-based Trust Street Advisors, the firm appointed as Skymint's receiver last spring, confirmed in an email on Wednesday that the company is closing Harvest Park "and approximately 135 employees are being impacted by the closure."

Lume will be offering jobs to current Skymint workers, the company said.

"We’re going to be employing people who would otherwise lose their jobs and creating new job opportunities for those in mid-Michigan through investment and innovation,” Hellyar said in the release. “With this facility, Lume will be able to increase our production capacity and help meet the growing demand for our premium line products.”

It is unclear how many people Lume will employ at the facility or when they will begin work there. Amy Bailey, a spokesperson for Lume, declined to provide that information Wednesday.

"The details in the press release are all Lume can share at this point," she said in an email.

“This facility is unique in the cannabis industry in that it will operate exclusively for the production of fresh frozen live rosin, helping to ensure Lume stays on the forefront of innovation in this industry,” Hellyar said, in the release. “It will allow us to keep up with increasing demand that comes with serving a growing customer base with our 38 stores across Michigan.”

Lume has 38 stores in Michigan, according to its website. The closest facilities to the Lansing area are in Owosso and Jackson.

Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at [email protected]. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ .

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John Sinclair, a marijuana activist who was immortalized in a John Lennon song, dies at 82

FILE - John Sinclair talks at the John Sinclair Foundation Café and Coffeeshop, Dec. 26, 2018, in Detroit. Sinclair, a poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him, has died at age 82. Sinclair died Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at Detroit Receiving Hospital of congestive heart failure following an illness, his publicist Matt Lee said. (Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press via AP, File)

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — John Sinclair, a poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him, has died. He was 82.

Sinclair died Tuesday morning at Detroit Receiving Hospital of congestive heart failure following an illness, his publicist Matt Lee said.

Sinclair drew a 9 1/2-to-10-year prison sentence in 1969 from Detroit Recorder’s Court Judge Robert Colombo for giving two joints to undercover officers. He served 29 months but was released a few days after Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger and others performed in front of 15,000 attendees at the University of Michigan’s Crisler Arena.

“They gave him 10 for two/What else can Judge Colombo do/We gotta set him free,” Lennon sang in “John Sinclair,” a song the ex-Beatle wrote that immortalized its subject.

AP AUDIO: John Sinclair, a marijuana activist who was immortalized in a John Lennon song, dies at 82.

AP correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports on the death of counterculture figure John Sinclair.

Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, performed at the Dec. 10-11, 1971, “John Sinclair Freedom Rally,” held at the basketball arena in Ann Arbor. They took the stage after 3 a.m., about eight hours after the event got underway.

Earlier in the night, Sinclair’s wife, Leni, had called her imprisoned husband, and the conversation between the couple and their 4-year-old daughter, Sunny, was amplified for the crowd, who chanted “Free John!”

“I’m trying to get home. I want to be with you,” a sobbing Sinclair told the crowd that night, a Friday.

And he was by Monday.

At the time of Sinclair’s arrest, possession of marijuana was a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He was arrested in Detroit while living as a poet and activist who co-founded the White Panther Party. He received the maximum sentence.

The day before the concert, the Michigan Legislature voted to reduce to a misdemeanor the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana, punishable by up to a year in prison.

Because he already had served 2 1/2 years, Sinclair was released from prison three days after the concert.

“For me, it’s like coming into a whole different world from the one I left in 1969,” Sinclair wrote in “Guitar Army,” a collection of his writings that was published in the early 1970s.

Sinclair continued his advocacy for marijuana , helping to usher in Ann Arbor’s token $5 fine for pot possession and celebrating when his home state legalized recreational cannabis in 2018 .

“I’m the pioneer. I was the first one in Michigan who said marijuana should be legal, and they said I was totally nuts,” he told the Detroit Free Press in 2019. “I’m proud to have played a part in this. I spent nearly three years in prison because of marijuana.”

Sinclair was born in Flint in 1941. His father worked for Buick for over four decades and his mother was a high school teacher who gave up her job to raise John and his two siblings. Sinclair grew up in Davison, a town not far from Flint, and graduated from the University of Michigan-Flint in 1964 with a degree in English Literature.

Over the next six-plus decades, Sinclair did a bit of everything — dabbling in performance art, journalism, cultural and political activism. And, of course, poetry .

“You got to/live it not just/say it or/play it that’s what this is/all/about,” Sinclair wrote in a 1965 poem.

Upon the dissolution of the White Panther Party in 1971, Sinclair formed and chaired the Rainbow People’s Party, which embraced Marxism-Leninism and promoted the revolutionary struggle for a “communal, classless, anti-imperialist, anti-racist, and anti-sexist ... culture of liberation.”

Sinclair proudly and aggressively fought for progressive policies as part of the burgeoning “New Left” movement.

“In those times, we considered ourselves revolutionaries,” he said in 2013. “We wanted equal distribution of wealth. We didn’t want 1 percent of the rich running everything. Of course, we lost.”

Sinclair often kept a toehold in the world of music, managing for a time Mitch Ryder and perhaps most notably MC5, a Detroit-based quintet known for “Kick Out the Jams” and as a hard-rocking forerunner to the punk movement.

In “Guitar World,” Sinclair described “the crazed guerilla warfare we were waging with the MC5.”

Sinclair’s death came only two months after MC5 co-founder Wayne Kramer’s passing .

Sinclair also promoted concerts and festivals and helped to establish the Detroit Artists Workshop and Detroit Jazz Center. He taught blues history at Wayne State University; hosted radio programs in Detroit, New Orleans and Amsterdam; and wrote liner notes for albums by artists including The Isley Brothers and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes.

Sinclair never stopped promoting — and partaking in — the use of marijuana.

He helped create Hash Bash, a yearly pot celebration at the University of Michigan, and served as state coordinator of the Michigan chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

“The only issue I’ve really kept active on is marijuana, because it’s so important,” he told the Free Press. “It’s been a continuous war for 80 years on people like you and me. They’ve got no business messing with us for getting high.”

Sinclair had two daughters from his marriage to Leni Sinclair. They divorced in 1988. In 1989, Sinclair married Patricia Brown.

Enthusiasm building in mid-Michigan ahead of NFL draft

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) – The NFL draft, which is being held in Detroit this year, is just around the corner, and mid-Michigan is also buzzing with excitement.

Detroit is unveiling its first Hollywood-style sign along the highway, which is part of a makeover before the city hosts the NFL draft at the end of the month. The draft is expected to bring more than 300,000 people to the city between April 25 through April 27.

Meanwhile, a Detroit tourism group is teaming up with local organizations to host a community event in Flint. It’s called On the Clock Tour, and it’s meant to get the state excited about the draft.

“It’ll be cool just knowing it’s in the city. Raise awareness for the city, the state of Michigan. It’s cool just to be here,” said Terry Rhadigan, chairman of the Detroit Sports Commission.

Visit Detroit has joined with Explore Flint and Genesee to bring fun and excitement to the community with their On the Clock Tour, getting people geared up for the NFL draft later this month in Detroit.

“We want to just encourage people from the great city of Flint, Michigan, to come on down, one hour down to Detroit and have a memorable time over the course of three days,” Rhadigan said.

Rhadigan said he’s excited about what he believes will be a pleasant surprise for people who decide to make the trip for draft weekend.

“This is a very inclusive event. It’s very exciting. It only comes once in a generation. So, we want everyone to participate and everyone to come away with these great memories,” he said.

Cameron Reaves, organizer of 475 Elite Training, brought his group of athletes to the event. Excited about what his kids can experience in a couple of weekends, he sees it as an opportunity to help them envision where they could see themselves in the future.

“Creating meaningful experiences that when the kids here look back five, six, 10 years from now, ‘Hey, I remember I had the chance to promote the NFL draft being in my city,’” Reaves said.

It’s something Tray Tenhaido, a participant of 475 Elite, is looking forward to when that opportunity comes up.

“Being in the area to show you, you can really make it and they’ll have your back throughout everything, all the coaches, they all support you,” Tenhaido said.

The On the Clock Tour on Tuesday, April 9, allowed kids and families to immerse themselves in football activities, arcade games, and even take in a marching band, which is just a taste of what the festivities will look like a couple of weeks from now when the NFL draft officially gets to Detroit.

“It’s once in a generation and we got to make the best of it,” Rhadigan said.

The NFL draft will take place at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. The first round of the draft begins on April 25, rounds two and three will be on April 26, and rounds four through seven will be on April 27.

There are 275 total picks in this year’s draft. The Lions will have the 29th overall pick with seven total picks.

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Akshay bhatia’s surprise masters bid is proof someone is ‘growing the game’.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — The powers that be at Augusta National — those wearing the green jackets — are fond of thumping their collective chests about “growing the game.’’

That phrase, particularly overused by LIV Golf as it’s poached some of the biggest names in golf and best players on the PGA Tour, can often induce a good bit of eye rolling.

And justifiably so.

Because in the case of LIV Golf, the only things that seem to be growing are the bank accounts of the players who made the move to the Saudi-backed tour. And more power to them for taking the money, because it’s not like the powers that run the PGA Tour haven’t been padding their respective wallets and purses with countless millions for years.

That cynicism about “growing the game’’ aside, you can make a pretty good argument for Augusta National, indeed, doing its part in helping grow the game of golf.

If you’re looking for a poster child that illustrates what Augusta’s Drive, Chip and Putt has done to grow the game, let us introduce you to one of the 89 players in the field at this week’s Masters: Akshay Bhatia.

Ten years ago, at age 12, Bhatia placed sixth in the age 12-13 group in what was the first-ever staging of the Drive, Chip and Putt.

On Sunday, his win at the Valero Texas Open, which qualified him into the field this week at Augusta National, made him the first player who’d participated in the Drive, Chip and Putt to qualify for the Masters.

Pretty heady stuff, indeed, for the 22-year-old from LA who’s so slender he probably weighs the same as he did in 2014, when he first came to Augusta for that skills competition.

What a ride it’s been.

“It’s everything you dream of as a kid, and being the first to play in the inaugural [Drive, Chip and Putt] was unbelievable,” Bhatia said last month at the Players Championship. “I remember being in Augusta, getting in an elevator at the hotel and John Daly was standing there. I could not believe it.”

Now, he has even more special and meaningful memories to live out.

“That first time at the Drive, Chip and Putt is pretty surreal as a kid,’’ Bhatia recalled Monday. “You just don’t realize how lucky we are to have that opportunity.’’

That opportunity has turned into a PGA Tour career that includes two victories, with his first coming at the Barracuda Championship last year. Because that’s an opposite-field event (to the British Open) the win did not come with a Masters invite. The win at Valero, a stand-alone PGA Tour event, did.

Bhatia owned the week in San Antonio, going wire-to-wire in victory. But the win didn’t come without significant stress at the end thanks to Denny McCarthy running him down on the back nine with a 28 that included eight birdies.

Bhatia led by six shots with nine holes to play and had to make a 12-foot birdie to match the 15-footer that McCarthy had just buried on 18 to take a temporary one-shot lead to force the playoff.

Bhatia won on the first playoff hole thanks to McCarthy chunking his approach shot into a creek on 18. And he did it after throwing his left shoulder out of its socket with the violent fist pump he threw when he made the tournament-tying birdie putt on 18. Bhatia needed his physiotherapist to come onto the course and tape his shoulder on the playoff hole in a bizarre scene.

Now as one of the few players of Indian heritage on the PGA Tour, Bhatia has a chance to pay it forward in growing the game in his native country. He and Sahith Theegala are the two prominent players of Indian decent on the PGA Tour.

“I don’t know if I quite realize what Sahith and I can do for the golf in India, [but] I know it’s really special when I have a bunch of fans looking up to me, a bunch of kids coming up to me,’’ Bhatia said. “It’s awesome just being able to grow the game just not in the States, but in India. It’s special to us. The development we can accomplish for people over there is really cool.’’

Bhatia said one of his fondest memories of the Drive, Chip and Putt came when he watched a Masters practice round from the grandstands on No. 4.

“It was just so surreal,’’ he said. “I remember how bad I wanted to be out there and not just watching. Now, being here and being the first Drive, Chip and Putt participant in the Masters is really cool. I’m hoping this can inspire a lot of kids that are having the opportunity to play.’’

Now that’s growing the game.

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High Times Cannabis Cup Michigan Returns with a Bang

Get revved up for the high times cannabis cup michigan—back this year, better than ever..

Washington, DC arrived early on the legal weed scene and carved out a meaningful niche for itself as one of the country's top places to buy cannabis products . The city has become a hub for cannabis enthusiasts, with dispensaries and events catering to a growing community of users. As more states legal marijuana, Washington, DC continues to lead the way in cannabis culture.

This year's 420 festival at San Francisco's Hippie Hill was canceled by organizers. Some cannabis advocates say it needs to get back to its roots and focus on celebrating the plant and its benefits , rather than commercial interests. The cancellation has sparked debate within the cannabis community about the direction of such events and how they should be organized in the future.

Organizers have canceled San Francisco's annual 420 festival on 'Hippie Hill,' citing economic problems in the cannabis industry. The decision has disappointed many attendees who look forward to the event each year, but some see it as an opportunity to reevaluate the festival's purpose and ensure it aligns with the values of the cannabis community.

SPRINGFIELD — Residents at the March 14 Springfield Township Trustees meeting took issue with an upcoming cannabis festival and farmers market. Some voiced concerns about the impact on the local community and the potential for increased drug use. Organizers have promised to address these concerns and work with authorities to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all attendees.

A southern Illinois cannabis festival is set to showcase the region's thriving marijuana industry. The event will feature live music, food vendors, and educational sessions on cannabis cultivation and consumption . Attendees can learn about the latest innovations in the industry and connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for cannabis.

Once a year, though, this fair county famed for Shakespeare, 2-tone and the UK's oldest ring road plays host to Product Earth – the UK's largest cannabis festival. Here, the old guard and the new wave of cannabis enthusiasts come together to celebrate all things green. From CBD -infused drinks to live music, Product Earth offers something for everyone interested in the world of cannabis.

The first ever Ohio Cannabis Festival features Afroman and Kottonmouth Kings. The festival aims to educate the public about the benefits of cannabis and promote a positive image of the plant. Attendees can enjoy live music, food trucks, and vendor booths selling a variety of cannabis products . The event promises to be a fun and informative experience for all who attend.

There will be no 4/20 cannabis festival happening in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park next month, the city's Recreation and Park Department has announced. The decision comes amid concerns about public safety and overcrowding at the event. While some are disappointed by the cancellation, others see it as an opportunity to explore alternative ways of celebrating cannabis culture in the city.

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