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An agricultural hamlet in the Thomson-Okanagan is officially home to an outdoor experimental cannabis farm owned and operated by Aurora.
The Edmonton-based licensed producer has received two new licenses from Health Canada for outdoor cultivation. One of the sites is in Westwold, B.C., located between Vernon and Kamloops.
The 207-acre operation is called Aurora Valley and is visible off Highway 97.
"For this season and next, our focus will be on researching cultivation methods and evaluating genetics in order to produce high THC and CBD cannabis in outdoor-grown plants, with the ultimate goal of extracting these components,” says Dr. Jonathan Page, Chief Science Officer at Aurora.
Outdoor growing is an inexpensive way to produce large amounts of cannabis that’s perfectly suited to extraction. It just so happens the Okanagan is home to some of the country’s biggest extraction players, Vitalis and Valens.
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La belle cannabis
The Quebec facility in Lachute, northwest of Montreal, is the first approved outdoor grow operation for cannabis in La Belle Province.
“The unique climates of each site also presents a great opportunity to determine which cultivars will perform best in different outdoor environments."
Aurora Valley is expected to be planted shortly.
CBC radio program Daybreak Kamloops talked to residents when the project was initially announced in April. Residents were skeptical, citing concerns that include smell, security and water use.
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Canopy has a heavyweight contender for the world’s biggest cannabis company title.
U.S. cannabis company Curaleaf has acquired Grassroots, which makes it a behemoth.
"With the acquisition of Grassroots and the pending acquisition of Select, Curaleaf is the world's largest cannabis company by both revenue and operating presence," said Joseph Lusardi, CEO of Curaleaf.
Curaleaf expands its presence from 12 to 19 states.
Grassroots is the market leader throughout the Midwest. Their presence in large markets like Illinois, which in June became the 11th state to legalize adult-use cannabis, and Pennsylvania, the fifth most populous state in the U.S., will drastically increase Curaleaf’s footprint.
The combined company will have 131 dispensary licences, 68 operational locations, 20 cultivation sites and 26 processing facilities. With the acquisition, Curaleaf will also add new markets in Arkansas, Michigan, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Vermont, and build on its existing businesses in Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada and Ohio. Upon completion of the proposed transaction, Curaleaf will be the largest medical and adult-use cannabis company with access to a total population of about 177 million people.
Canopy, meanwhile, has the largest marketshare in the Canadian market. As we’ve talked about previously, it’s also positioned to acquire Acreage once federal legalization hits the US.
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BC Sungrown Harlequin by Tantalus Labs
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Perhaps the biggest distinction of this offering are the notably low levels of THC and CBD in Harlequin.
At 3% THC and 5.5% CBD, they are the lowest we’ve yet seen.
The big buds we got in our 3.5-gram order bristle like wire brushes. They’re light and puffy. There’s a bright fruity smell that’s on the citrusy side.
The effect is mild and calming, leaving a clear mind. It lasts about an hour.
The worst part of the product was the awful bag, which needed scissors to open.
Dominant terpenes are Caryophyllene, Humulene and Pinene. The bud is grown in a hybrid greenhouse. Tantalus says its slow curing process heightens flavour, preserves it’s unique terpenes, and packs some proper BC cannabis potency.
Harlequin goes to show percentages aren’t the only factor in effect.
Still, at $37.99 for an eighth, it doesn’t provide enough value to justify the price.
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How do you feed 1000 people with one loaf of bread?
You cut the ends and now you have endless bread.
Wife: I'm pregnant.
Dad: Hi pregnant, I'm Dad.
Wife: No you're not.
This girl on Tinder asked me why I have an unlit cigarette in my picture... I told her I’m just looking for matches.
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We're dropping down to one edition a week, every Friday, until October.
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