Afleveringen
-
If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t stay in one place too long, or have lived a thousand lives in terms of jobs and careers, today’s guest puts your entire lore to shame. On top of that, he’s probably growing better 🍃than you, too.
Blackleaf is joined back in the FSOTD studio by Heston Allcorn, home-grow pioneer, past-life collector, avid no-till farmer, and co-founder of Floro Farm in Lincoln City, Oregon, to discuss the road that’s led him to where he’s at today, working alongside his family, falling in love with no-till organic farming, the lack of herb festivals in Oregon, old strains from Alaksa like Matanuska Thunderf*ck that still haunt him, what a worm tower is, the power of undercanopy lighting, and so much more.
Floro Farm, located in Lincoln City, Oregon, is a family-run 🍃 cultivation company founded by Heston Allcorn alongside his brother and sister. Heston is renowned for pioneering indoor, no-till, living soil cultivation methods, incorporating innovative techniques such as vermicomposting towers and custom lighting setups.
Heston’s commitment to sustainable, organic practices has positioned Floro Farm at the forefront of the Pacific Northwest's 🍃 industry. Beyond cultivation, Heston actively shares his expertise through podcasts and serves as an official judge at the Autoflower World Cup.
The stories in this pod are absolutely out of control. You can’t miss a moment of Heston recalling his days moving weight out of the old trap house in Rhode Island, or what it was like living on a boat growing a couple plants in the bathroom. There’s also the nightmare hurdles he went through to get OLCC licensing, the classic cultivars he’s engineered and unleashed in the Oregon market, or having to destroy his first major crop of CBD because it tested .2% over.
More than anything, this episode is for the passionate growers who have an undeniable wanderlust. Heston has truly been all over the world doing every odd job possible so he could get closer to carving out his own lane in organic, no-till 🍃farming. If you’re ever looking for inspiration or super insightful insider knowledge on how to elevate your home-grow with the right organic soil or lighting, or even boss up your commercial indoor grow with proper undercanopy lights, tap in with this pod and you’ll always dig up something new.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Josh RAW: RAW Paper Empire, Rolling Secrets, Exclusive Factory Tour, Culture That Rolls
Sometimes when you’re the owner of the biggest 🍃rolling papers and accessories company in the world, you might seem larger than life. For this episode abroad in the heart of Benimarfull, Spain, the FSOTD team heads to the factory for a once-in-a-lifetime conversation with the man behind the curtain to dispel some of the myths and learn some of the real-deal lore.
Blackleaf and Co. diverted during their Spannabis trip to take a private tour of the RAW Factory and sit down for a heart-to-heart with Josh Kesselman, who many have called the “Willy Wonka of W**d,” where they discuss his (almost unbelievable) journey from Florida into Spain, securing mentorships from legends, the history of counterfeit papers, why RAW papers have the intricate imprinted designs, how thinner papers equal slower burn, the amount of fresh water needed to produce massive amounts of papers, the first time Josh heard Wiz Khalifa rap about RAW, the truth behind the common misconception that he’s always happy, and so much more.
A little backstory, Josh Kesselman is the founder and CEO of RAW Rolling Papers, a brand renowned for its natural, unbleached, and vegan-friendly rolling papers. His passion for rolling papers began in childhood, inspired by his father's magic trick involving a disappearing paper, which led him to collect various types of rolling papers. In 1993, he opened a smoke shop called Knuckleheads in Gainesville, Florida, where he imported specialty papers from Europe. After facing legal challenges, he relocated to Arizona and, in 2004, invested $1 million to develop RAW Rolling Papers, which gained popularity among herb enthusiasts and mainstream hip-hop artists like Wiz, Curre$y, and more.
During the pod, you’ll hear Josh talk about the old seshes being the backbone of RAW’s success. If you’ve ever wondered how to take guerrilla marketing to the utmost extreme, you can’t miss this part of the interview. Josh even speaks on giving out multiple boxes of papers to smoke shops, and as a favor, begging them to literally give out at least one full box to their regulars. Beyond the topical questions that you’ll get to hear, like what Josh’s go-to papers are, or how he celebrates big company wins on his farm with his donkeys and his family, there are countless tidbits of free game on building a business brick-by-brick jam-packed in between every iconic story.
Whether you’re here for the wild stories about Josh smoking on the Jet Life Tour with Curren$y and exchanging entrepreneurial dreams and ambitions, or for the intimate understanding of his factory employees (some with 50+ year tenures), how he got the factory and why they name each machine, or how to build a globally-recognized brand that generates millions in revenue, or even the best way to handle people infringing on your copyrights—there’s something for everyone in this interview. It’s truly hard to convey the entire scope of this conversation in one description.
You might even catch some sneak peeks and backstories on exclusive collaborations between RAW, such as the Phatty Elements with FSOTD, The TenCo x RAW at Zalympix, and how Cole Bennett and Josh came together to create Lyrical Lemonade papers. And, if you’re chomping at the bit by the end of this pod to see the rest of the facility, tap in with our exclusive VLOG on the channel showing you the inside of the RAW Factory on some Golden Ticket-type energy.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture during our 2025 Spannabis trip you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
The definition of connoisseur smoke often includes “indoor cultivation,” but what if we told you many of your favorite players have bagged up a particular brand’s mixed light and sold it as indoor? You’re about to find out why this was a blessing in disguise.
Blackleaf sits down in the FSOTD studio with recurring guest and certified legend, Dave of Preferred Gardens, along with his core team, Alex, Mike, Blaine, and Nikki (also Dave’s wife,) to discuss turning a legacy brand into a thriving MSO, winning the $60k Proper Doinks Z Challenge, raising kids and building a brand with your significant other, breeding in-house genetics, and the intricate and mythical nature of Preferred’s methods for Quality Control.
David Polley founded Preferred Gardens in 2015 in Sacramento, California. The company is renowned for its mixed light growing methods, and cultivating over 260 unique strains, including Sherbanger, Lazer Gun, Znackz, and more. Initially prominent in the medical market, Preferred Gardens now operates in California, Florida, Arizona, and New York, with more new states coming online in the future. They’re even dipping into international markets, as you’ll hear Dave discuss on this episode.
With over two decades of experience in the game, Dave will shed light on how crucial being a cultivator and lowkey breeder has been to his success as a brand owner, allowing him to fully understand quality control, as well as set up his same facilities in different states and be able to make minor adjustments and thrive. He’ll also discuss how he and his team are the sole barrier of quality control in terms of what they’ll put out, and how to develop relationships with retailers and partners where their word is bond and that trust is maintained.
Aside from Dave and his constant game-dropping, the rest of his team that’s in-studio shed tremendous light on how they’re each able to make this global operation work without ever giving into the big investors and corporate hellscape structure. Hustling is an understatement when you get to hear from Preferred’s sales and management team, Mike, Blaine, and Chris, as well as their resident mom and powerhouse accounting, programming, and back-of-house champ, Nikki.
Again, bringing up quality control, Blackleaf rattles off tons of bubbling questions surrounding how they define a keeper, what Dave deems as the proper cure time, if white ash really matters and how they breed for it these days, how important unique genetics are in the legal game, how to establish trustworthy relationships with buyers, their internal voting system for picking fire cuts, how they’ve been able to keep crops A-1 with The Flowery in Florida, and if you really need to be a passionate smoker to run a top-tier flower brand.
Find out more by visiting preferredgardens.com and check back on any of our previous episodes with Dave and Preferred Gardens to learn more about his journey and imminent rise to the top.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Brothers Broadleaf: Luxury Blunt Craft, Whiskey Barrel Blunts, Tradition Meets Innovation
This is an extra special episode of FSOTD for all of the blunt smokers out there who think they are rolling up with the finest leaf. Today’s guests are going to redefine your standards for what you believe to be the best tobacco wraps for your flower.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by brothers Dawson and Paxton, founders of Brothers Broadleaf, and fourth-generation cigarmakers, to discuss the art of sourcing and packaging premium tobacco from around the world, what sets Dawson Dudz and Paxton’s Pearls apart from your average cigar, how the brothers are carrying on their family’s legacy, what it means to be running the last operating cigar factory in the US, Old World vs New World tobacco, becoming the gold-standard blunt wrap for Adam iLL and Roll BMC, and so much more.
For those unaware, Brothers Broadleaf is a premium brand that began in 2019 and has quickly become known for crafting high-quality, natural tobacco leaf wraps sold direct-to-consumer. They built their reputation by offering hand-selected, unprocessed whole-leaf wraps that deliver a smooth, slow burn for an elevated smoking experience. Based in Tampa, Florida, the brothers have cultivated a strong following through strong attention to detail, consistent quality, and bold branding. With a focus on authenticity and craftsmanship, Brothers Broadleaf has become a go-to choice for smokers who value purity and flavor in their sessions.
It’s truly a family affair for Dawson and Paxton of Brothers Broadleaf, which will become glaringly apparent throughout this episode. Blackleaf will ask the brothers what it was like growing up in a tobacco family, to which you’ll hear them romanticize growing up going to cigar conventions in Vegas, and traveling to destinations like Ecuador, Colombia, and Nicaragua to stay on large-scale tobacco farms. Dawson and Paxton will talk about their buyers in South America and how some of them have been sourcing premium leaf for their family for over 35 years.
One of the overarching messages Blackleaf permeates in this pod is that, in his experience, if you’re a real blunt smoker these days—you know about Brothers Broadleaf. Few other companies are rolling their cigars with an extra inner leaf, which you’ll hear the back-story on how the brothers’ mom insisted on this addition, and using zero binding agents, making it seamless to break down the cigar and get the perfect leaf with the vein down the middle.
With a ridiculous commitment to quality and blunt-smoker standards, Dawson and Paxton will remark in this episode that they still QC every single leaf that’s wrapped and packaged for Brothers Broadleaf. If you’ve ever smoked one of their cigars, there’s 100% chance it passed through their hands to ensure the utmost quality. If you’ve ever wondered what legal hoops and back-bending efforts it takes to work in the tobacco industry and source leaf from all over the globe, this is a great episode to get lost in.
Follow @BrothersBroadleaf to get the real inside scoop on what it’s like to be a part of a generations-old family tradition of cigarmaking, but modernizing it to fit the needs and desires of connoisseur blunt smokers everywhere.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Grove Bags: Mission to Protect Terpenes, Science Behind Grove, Preserving Purity with TerpLoc
For this special episode of FSOTD, we want you to forget everything you think you know about packaging and storing the plant post-harvest, including your current perception of a “mylar bag.”
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by Jack of Grove Bags, to do the ultimate scientific deep dive into what needs to happen to the plant after it’s been harvested, cured, and trimmed, the exact water activity levels of the ideal nug, what defines quality bud beyond smell and appearance, what “gradual slope” means, and most importantly, how to create the most advanced and effective Passive Modified Atmospheric Packaging.
Founded in Cleveland in 2016, Grove Bags is a company that specializes in 🍃 packaging solutions designed to preserve freshness, potency, and terpenes. They developed TerpLoc, a proprietary packaging technology that creates the ideal microclimate to maintain optimal humidity, oxygen levels, and terpene retention. By utilizing multiple layers of high-barrier films, TerpLoc bags prevent degradation, mold growth, and terpene loss, ensuring long-term storage quality for herb on an individual consumer or large-scale commercial level.
If you think all plastic bags are the same—you couldn’t be more wrong. Jack dispels a number of urban legends surrounding packaging in this pod, such as how the quality of the material the bag is made from plays a monumental difference in how the bud is preserved. He gives Blackleaf the breakdown on different types of “films” used to make bags for storage and talks about the problematic nature of some food-grade bags like metallic mylars that may actually add static charge to your bud and degrade trichomes.
Jack and his team’s passion for showcasing the plant at its optimal expression has led them to work with over 4,000 different companies worldwide, with their bags even meeting rigorous European and Asian standards. Their Grove Bags and TerpLoc technology have become the gold standard for California legends like Alien Labs, Connected, Sherbinski, and Preferred Gardens, as well as for all of the flower entries at this year’s culture-defining Zalympix competition in LA.
At one point, Jack even whips out the microscope and crazy water activity level measuring tools to show Blackleaf some of the Zalympix entries and discuss what makes them fire. We go so deep into the science of what makes flower high quality before you even smell, taste, or smoke it in this episode that it will seriously blow your mind.
You’ll also get to hear first-hand the evolution of Jack’s journey growing up in Ohio with an older brother who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, to finding the healing power of herb and dedicating his life to it. With legalization spreading across the nation and public perception turning more towards recreational use, we often forget these humbling stories of the plant inspiring people through its medicinal power.
The minds behind Grove Bags are not only passionate innovators and literal brainiacs in the packaging space, but also lifelong consumers and true connoisseurs of the most premium grown flower, and it shows in not only their technology but also the people and brands that use it.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
DNA Genetics: Unique Strains for Hash, Amsterdam Beginnings, Legacy Partnership
When we say that today’s guests are responsible for some of the biggest strains in the history of the plant, it’s almost an understatement. We all grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s hearing about the cultural boom in Amsterdam, but these guys were living it.
Blackleaf is blessed in the FSOTD studio by none other than Don and Aaron aka DNA Genetics, basically your OG’s OGs, to discuss their migration to Amsterdam, running with legends like Sam the Skunkman and Dave Crockett, how they began breeding seeds in the early 2000s, coming back to the US, and the natural evolution of DNA Genetics that’s turned them into a global brand with more hall-of-fame hitters than you can count.
For the uninitiated, DNA Genetics is a renowned breeding company founded in Amsterdam in 2004, known for creating some of the industry's most iconic and award-winning strains. Some of these legendary strains include LA Confidential, Kosher Kush, and Tangie. DNA Genetics continues to innovate and expand with a strong global reputation, influencing the market through collaborations, seed distribution, and cutting-edge breeding techniques.
You’ll get to hear Don and Aaron dive deep into their ex-pat lives in Amsterdam and how they got their first building locked down, immediately started blowing massive tree, and had the cops bust down their doors on day 1. They soon partnered with a local coffee shop to grow and slang their creations, eventually having locals come in asking for seeds based on fire herb they blew just down the street. If you’ve ever heard of the “good old days” these were definitely them. You seriously can’t count the number of unbelievable stories that are contained in this pod.
Some of the other crazy tidbits that pop up during this episode include the DNA Genetics x Crockett Family Farms origin story and creating Tangie, how B-Real named the 24k strain, the LA Confidential story, how the Chocolope strain got its name on accident, growing seeds from Shantibaba himself, and how they got Barrington Levy to play an unforgettable High Times party in Amsterdam back in the day.
Don and Aaron are undeniably living legends in the industry that continue to partner, expand, and take over the world with their renowned genetics. Look out for their upcoming releases with Sensi Seeds through their Breeding Grounds project, a global collaborative breeding project, the likes of which include Sherbinskis, Serge, Humboldt Seed Co., and more.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
If you’ve ever wondered who started the excessive trap packaging epidemic on the East Coast, or what it’s like to get a literal second chance at life, you can’t miss a minute of this interview.
Blackleaf is joined once again in the studio by B-Eazy, founder of one of the game’s most prolific flower brands from California to New York, to discuss everything from dropping $10k just to prove you have the best Z, why curators get so much hate versus cultivators, the difference between grabba, fronto, and broadleaf blunts, how the crazy packaging era AND the candy wave are coming to an end, and so much more.
If you haven’t had a chance to peep our first interview with B-Eazy, it’s almost better to start there to gain perspective on B-Eazy’s crazy journey that’s led him here today, claiming that he’s “evolving, and going to be the biggest brand in the world.” In the first pod with him, we talk about what it’s like being on rock bottom and losing everything to pushing through the darkness and finding the light by getting a second chance at life with a new kidney.
B-Eazy has definitely been busy since we last spoke. He will dive into his new health and fitness regime as well as insane quality control process that leads him and his team to the most premium smoke, such as their ZebraZ strain. B-Eazy will thoroughly discuss his $10k Z competition he did with Proper Doinks that brought in five other heavy-hitting contenders, with Dave of Preferred Gardens taking home the W for his mixed-light Z. One thing you can gather from this new interview is that B-Eazy is still just as competitive as ever, but with a new fire in his belly to reach new heights with his brand.
You’ll hear B-Eazy commend our provocative interview with Cali Plug and his, at times, outlandish marketing tactics, in the same breath that he talks about the success he’s achieved and ultimate damage he’s done to the East Coast market when they dropped the Captain Runtz in the cereal box packaging, spawning the wave of crazy out-of-pocket packaging.
Much like Cali Plug, B-Eazy has been a longtime purveyor of candy genetics, and in this episode, he boldly claims that he’s moving away from both the gimmicky packaging and tired candy strains as soon as possible. In his own words, “it’s done.” At one point during the conversation, he even claims that the candy wave will be almost completely gone by the end of 2026.
There are countless hot takes in this episode from B-Eazy that you can’t miss, especially if you have opinions about brand owners that curate and white-label instead of cultivating themselves. Love him or hate him, B-Eazy has become a strong voice in the culture for new exotic genetics, healthy competition, and going as far as he needs to with marketing efforts to make a splash.
The future is looking bright for B-Eazy and his team, Green Lobby and Elusive (@elusive.la), as they keep unearthing the boldest and highest connoisseur-grade flavors and getting them to the people of LA as well as bringing them across the coast to legal cultivators like Mechanic Farms in New York. Follow @b_eazyllc on IG to see all of the updates from one of the game’s most notorious hustlers.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
The series of events that have led today’s guest to industry-leading success and innovation in the herb harvesting space almost feels like the plot to an old Nic Cage action flick.
Blackleaf is joined in the FSOTD studio by Jay, founder of DriFlower, to discuss their patented HangHarvesting™ Systems, along with his insane journey that involves smuggling Mexican brick 🍃 across the border, getting busted and fleeing the country, having a baby on the beach in Costa Rica, being on the lamb for ten years, finding Bikram Hot Yoga, starting a yoga studio, and eventually turning himself in and serving time before creating one of the 🍃 industry’s biggest innovations for harvesting herb.
DriFlower has revolutionized herb and hemp harvesting with their patented HangHarvesting™ Systems, setting a new industry benchmark. Their products, such as the Shelving Rack Conversion Kit, enable efficient transformation of spaces into productive 🍃 drying areas.
By integrating DriFlower's solutions, cultivators can significantly reduce labor costs, optimize drying space, and minimize product handling. Crafted in the USA, DriFlower's products are synonymous with reliability and longevity, ensuring seamless integration into various growing operations. Jay will discuss, at length, how his products are quintessential to growers of every scale, whether you’re rocking a garage grow or flipping an enormous commercial space.
In addition to Jay’s truly innovative DriFlower products, his story is what makes this episode that much more captivating. You’ll get to hear him talk about his 30+ year relationship with the plant, moving from passionate enthusiast to straight up smuggler, taking his first hot dab and falling in love with dabbing, moving pounds from across the border, and how he eventually was busted and fled the country with his then wife and multiple children, then returning to the US and living essentially on the run for a decade, interestingly falling in love with yoga along the way.
By the end of this, Jay will talk about his SEVEN CHILDREN and how he was able to find balance in Bikram Hot Yoga, which led to his discovery of the ideal curing method for herb.
How many people can say that they went from being a dr*g smuggler on the run for years to hot yoga enthusiast to then graduate from Bikram Choudhury Hot Yoga and then turn themselves into the Feds, serve time, get out, open a legit studio, then have an epiphany about the best way to ever cure bud while doing yoga in a room that’s over 105 degrees? All while moving from Arizona to Mexico to Ohio to Oregon AND fathering over a handful of children?
You really can’t miss a minute of this episode whether you’re interested in optimizing your grow systems and SOPs or you just want to hear some (almost) unbelievable stories. Jay proves that there’s a spot for everyone in the industry even if you aren’t actually trying to grow anymore. Follow @driflower on IG to see how he’s saving growers of all sizes massive amounts of labor, time, and increasing their overall quality and yields.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
The mystery and majesty of living soil and no-till farming further unfold in this episode with these recurring guests that have been captivating us with their incredible journey and mission to grow the most organic and noseworthy herb possible for years.
Blackleaf is joined once again in the studio by Marco and Jake of No Till Kings to discuss classic genetics, building a brand in 2016-17 during the beginning of Prop 64 in California, securing their dream facility in Long Beach, CA, dodging shady business deals, why Sativas are going crazy in the market these days, the entire lineup of fire they’re pushing at legal shops these days, and so much more.
Few guests in the history of FSOTD have had a podcast AND grow tour done around the same time just two years apart, so we invite you to look back on the original interview and tour to get a better understanding of why these guys have such staying power in the market. One of the big overarching conversations in this pod that emphasizes that is the amount of hands-on effort and hard work that it takes to run a commercial indoor facility on organic, living soil utilizing “no-till” farming methods. Still profitably operating over 7 years later, No Till Kings have proven that the harder way is sometimes the best way to produce the most fire herb that captivates consumers for years to come.
During this episode, you’ll hear Marco and Jake answer nearly every living soil question you could ever ask. These include whether certain strains do better in a no-till system than others, why this method of cultivation brings out the best qualities of the flower, what some good soil and worm brands are for starting your first mix. There’s even a nice little conversation mixed in about the effectiveness of under canopy lights on your commercial grow, and how you can almost guarantee an additional pound per light with the right Faven gear, according to Blackleaf.
The story of Marco and Jake, two lifelong friends who bet on themselves to literally do it themselves at an enormous facility down in Long Beach, CA, and have endeavored to hunt all their cuts from seed, AND put in the extra elbow grease to do everything organic and regenerative is truly inspiring and high-key educational if you’re interested in getting away from coco and hydro gear and getting back to the soil.
Check out our more recent grow tour by visiting the FSOTD channel and compare it to the original and get a closer look at some of their strains like Lazer Fuel, Mimosa, SFV x Animal Mints, Jack the Ripper, Black Patronus, and more that are showcased throughout this episode. Visit notillkings.com to learn more about their library of pure heat.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
For all the real fans of A-1 smoke, we invite you to try and keep your eyes on our three guests, who line the headstashes of connoisseurs across the nation, as the haze thickens to a dense fog by the end of the pod.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by the real underground kings of tippity-top-shelf genetics from California all the way to New York and beyond, Dustin, Urban Buddha, and The Commission of Watson Supply to discuss all things “actually smoking,” along with stories like trapping out an apartment in the Mission with a double-decker, the current state of the industry, brand building in this day and age, the mythical selection process and soil medium preferences that have brought them winners, and so much more.
You’ll hear Dustin delve into his journey with cultivation in NorCal that’s led him to cranking some of the best small-batch herb anyone’s seen these days, building the dream team with Buddha and Commission, and even consulting to referral-based clientele about how to not only maximize and optimize, but also ensure quality. Dustin proudly claims during this pod that he doesn’t mind giving away the sauce or teaching people how to grow because he believes he can “give you the Jedi handbook, but that doesn’t make you Luke Skywalker.”
Another prominent topic throughout the episode is hunting the best genetics, the process of selecting them, and then creating the most unique and diverse artwork and designs to house the most fire herb imaginable. Dustin and the team will tell the story of their popular Cold Heat strain and how they finally mastered Z and believe that cuts of that caliber are like a Merlot, and deserve to be showcased by a number of different breeders to highlight subtle, yet incredible nuances.
Countless other invaluable topics come up in this episode for anyone who’s currently building, or considering building, a brand in the industry. Dustin, Buddha, and Commission cover a range of questions from Blackleaf such as what defines a “keeper,” the importance of white ash, how to decide mylars vs glass for your artisanal small-batch bud, the best ways to move from the trap into the legal market, and if purpleness even matters these days if you have the right genetics.
This conversation contains not only a treasure trove of insight into demanding quality over everything, but also just how much a room gets foggy when four heavy smokers are in the room. Blackleaf specifically goes crazy over their Tropical Depression strain in this pod, which combines Z with Triangle Kush.
Discover all of the fire strains contained within this episode and hit @watson.supply with a follow on IG to see all of the heat they’re cooking up and keep your eyes peeled for their goods appearing on the shelves of your local legal shop soon.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
3rd Gen Family: Zkittlez Story, Iconic Terps, Ego Clash Tradition, Breeding Winners
If you’ve ever wondered what it would’ve been like to be a teenager during the height of Prop 215, living in the Emerald Triangle running and gunning with legends like Jack Herer and Eddy Lepp, you can’t miss a minute of the conversation with this guest.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by none other than Brandon of 3rd Gen Family Farms, Terp Hogz, Moonshine Melts, Dying Breed Seeds, and more to discuss growing up in the right place at the right time in terms of the evolution of the culture, the legend and legacies of Gas Station Bob, Overall Dave, and OGCookieMonster415, as well as his take on the creation of Original Z, the events that led to creating Ego Clash, arguably the world’s premier hash competition, and where the market is currently at with predictions of the future.
Brandon is not only one of the most outspoken guests we’ve ever had, but he is also one of the fortunate few who grew up around and learned firsthand from a lot of the legends we worship today. Originally born in LA, Brandon will unravel the story of his journey back to NorCal to his family’s roots, to become a 3rd generation legacy farmer, with his mom first connecting him to Eddy Lepp and Jack Herer who lived down the street.
You’ll hear Brandon recall helping Eddy and Jack run their medical programs, selling whole plants to patients after they tied red ribbons around them back in veg, even advertising in the back of High Times magazine. You know, the good times.
The real lore that comes to life in this pod is that of Gas Station Bob. Many have heard of this mythical figure responsible for world-famous varieties like Original Z and Rozé. Brandon dives deep into who this man is, his contributions to cultivation and breeding, and how strongly he wants nothing to do with the public eye.
Among the rambunctious recollections of his past, Brandon also highlights his stake in hash making. Back when the game was rife with nothing but BHO hounds, Brandon was pushing solventless like a madman, even sweeping cups (much to the dismay of others.) He will also explain his stance on the origins of Original Z, how he believes it’s a descendant of Key Lime Pie, and how he’s able to visually identify real Z off the rip, and that many stopped competing in competitions once he stepped in. These events led him to create Ego Clash, the world’s biggest hash competition that takes place in California and Barcelona.
Crazy stories aside, Brandon lets loose a slurry of bold claims in this podcast, such as the assertion that he created Runtz, the medical vibes are dead, and if he had taken over one of Connected’s early facilities there’d be no Alien Labs, and that a price surge in packs is coming, and he needs to be the one to form a high council of industry leaders to standardize quality and pricing.
Love him or hate him, Brandon from 3rd Gen Family Farms is a “lifer” in this industry who’s earned his legendary status over and over again, even selling untrimmed pounds of Z to Berner for $4k once upon a time. If you’re a true fan of the industry and stories surrounding the plant, you will either be in stitches or on the edge of your seat for this entire episode. Tune in and try not to get your feelings hurt!
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Hemper: Unboxing of Hemper, Classic to Custom, Building a Smokers Business
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to bring a product like a glass piece or accessory from an idea to the manufacturing line and scale it to 20k+ orders, this episode is for you.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by the young legends behind the Hemper brand, Bryan (founder,) and Thai (lead designer,) to discuss their steady growth alongside the industry for the past decade, their wins vs losses in terms of dropping a new piece and accessories every single month for years, how market demand drove them into taking over the cone industry on a side hustle turned overseas pre-roll empire, and of course, all of the crazy stories in between.
For the uninitiated, Hemper is an herb accessory brand known for its high-quality smoking products, including glass b0ngs, rolling trays, and subscription boxes. The company was founded in 2015 with the goal of delivering curated smoking essentials directly to consumers. Hemper collaborates with artists and influencers to create innovative, limited-edition designs that appeal to both casual and experienced smokers. The brand has grown significantly, becoming a go-to source for affordable and stylish smoking accessories.
The story of how Bryan essentially graduated from college on the East Coast while simultaneously building the dream team to scale Hemper is one that you truly can’t miss. You’ll also hear about Thai’s background working with Hypebeast and Karmaloop on countless creative endeavors from creative design to music videos and more before Karmaloop’s imminent demise and bankruptcy around the time Diddy got involved.
A name of interest that comes up in this pod is Rama Mayo, an entrepreneur and visionary known for his significant contributions to the herb and music industries. He co-founded Hall of Flowers, a premier herb trade show, and Green Street, an herb brand agency. Before his ventures with the plant, Mayo spent 15 years in the music industry, working with renowned artists such as Jimmy Eat World, The Hives, and At the Drive-In, and co-founded the record label Big Wheel Recreation.
You’ll hear about Rama reaching out to Bryan only 15 months into the business running, insisting they come to Los Angeles to live in the same building as him and run their operation at the Green Street building. Bryan divulges crazy stories surrounding their time at Green Street and running with Rama, meeting essentially every key player in the LA scene pre-2020.
One of the biggest topics of conversation in this episode is easily product manufacturing and merchandising. Thai and Bryan weigh in on a number of topics surrounding deciding which glass pieces and accessories to mass produce in the thousands to tens of thousands, doing all their CAD design in-house, which ideas are even worth pursuing, and what goes into developing a full product line for an MSO.
The true gem of this pod is when Bryan and Thai talk about their cone side business that’s driven them to set up shop in India. Getting in during a cone shortage around 2017-18, they were able to rapidly scale their factories overseas to now own and operate over a dozen. Bryan will divulge exactly how they were able to meet crazy demand in the millions and presently produce around 30-40% of the world’s pre-roll cones.
Any aspiring entrepreneur who loves the plant should sit down for this inspirational episode about how you can build massive empires in this industry without ever having to grow, trim, or cure anything.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Dan’s Rollin Up: Luxury Cannabis Rolls, Hash Hole Artistry & Japanese Craftsmanship
The term “professional roller” is thrown around a lot these days by people in the industry, but today’s guest is almost the textbook definition.
Blackleaf is blessed in the studio by the presence of the man with the magic fingers, Dan aka @dansrollinup, to discuss the evolution of his connoisseur curation brand that brings together the utmost premium A-1 flower with the dabber’s dream headstash of rosin, along with how important maintaining quality control is, some of the incredible cultivators and hashmakers Dan is fortunate to work with, what it’s like visiting Japan on a regular basis, and some of the best places to grub down around LA.
Dan goes in deep on his storied career with the plant and all the different hats he’s worn that have brought him here today, as he will say, to his third iteration of branding himself. Now 37, Dan talks about his decades of experience cultivating, extracting, moving packs, and eventually discovering his gift for rolling the most beautiful donuts you’ve ever seen in your life.
Branding is a big conversation on this pod, as Blackleaf probes Dan about how he was able to land on his designs and elevate every detail of his packaging and unboxing experience, and what even goes into that. You’ll hear Dan talk about his love for his dog and iconic animes like Dragonball Z and emphasizing that you should create something based off the things you truly love (without biting too much on anyone’s IP.) You'll hear Dan claim authenticity in your brand as a reflection of yourself in so many words, always keeping your passion and head in the right place to build something meaningful and lasting.
If you’re curious at all about how to take your rolling game to the next level, this is definitely a pod you can’t miss. @Dansrollinup weighs in on how he believes you achieve the next step in taking your roll game professional, as well as maintaining quality control as business expands, and the organic method in which he sources all of the flower and rosin for his artisanal rolls.
As a bonus, if you’re ever visiting Toyko or Los Angeles, Dan riffs off tons of incredible places to grab a bite to eat ranging from Nobu in Japan to the bomb noodle spot at the airport, as well as the ACTUAL best sushi spots around Los Angeles. Dig into this episode and you’ll unearth countless delicious gems.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
For any aspiring member of the industry that feels like they don’t have the capital or equipment to start growing or breeding, this episode is 1000% for you.
Blackleaf is blessed in the studio once more by Compton’s own Masonic Smoker aka Masonic Seeds to discuss his heady operations out of his backyard where he’s been breeding and selecting some of the most fire cuts on the West Coast for washing into hash, popping seeds straight into soil, as well as rolling the dice with landrace genetics and growing 25-30’ tall Moroccan plants. We can’t emphasize this enough, he’s done all of this in his BACKYARD IN COMPTON—WHAT HAVE YOU DONE LATELY?
Any real deal fans of the plant and/or grow nerds will have a hay day with the episode. You’ll hear Masonic shed light on how he developed his lauded Wilson strain, as well as some of the breeding projects he’s done with it since, like his absolutely insane Banana God cut.
Masonic also drops serious gems like how he (haphazardly) pops seeds, where he got his hands on Indian landrace genetics, how his “natural selections” work for new varieties, a few of his favorite breeders in the Los Angeles scene over the years, the Lemon Tree breeder controversy, and what happened to the real Sour D.
This episode is all about breeding for hash, cultivation, and fire genetics so don’t skip a second if you want to hear how Masonic Seeds handled his first backyard run of Z, why Oreoz looks fire, but isn’t actually fire, and how, for the most part, breeding fire with fire typically equals more fire.
Masonic Seeds lets loose an incalculable amount of opinions on this podcast about what he thinks is fire for smoking versus washing, how to grow light deps vs outdoor behemoths, and even what the best competitions are to showcase your work. You’ll hear him bring up Ego Clash among other competitions, as well as what it means when judges “shake n’ bake” to tip the scales in favor of their homies.
Hands-down, this is an episode you can’t miss if you’ve ever felt like you don’t have the tools to start participating in the industry. Masonic Smoker is the poster child of making it work with what you got and putting in the hard work to produce a consistently quality product. You don’t need a big fancy facility to build a business in this industry, just a backyard in Compton and some serious gumption. Masonic Seeds is living proof that all it takes is passion and consistency in this game to make a name for yourself. Find his work on www.masonicseeds.co and on IG @masonicseedsco. Follow Masonic Smoker on Youtube to see behind-the-scenes footage of his daily operations in the grow and what fire he’s currently working with.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Lately it seems like all anyone can talk about are the classics like OGs, Sours, and Hazes. The guests blessing the studio on this particular episode just so happen to be a couple of the fortunate few that keep the lore of numerous iconic OG cuts.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by two serious legends from behind the curtain: Payaso and C*nn*bis Grower aka The C*nn*bis Brothers to discuss the relaunch of their brand in California, how they’ve been steadily booming in Canada, an upcoming launch in Australia, and of course, the brothers’ tenure in the game, working alongside the urban legend OG Raskal himself, and the genetics that made them all famous like Cookies and Chem, Fire OG, White Fire OG, and WiFi OG.
If you claim to know all of the biggest names in the industry that have been cranking work out of California since the beginning of Prop 215 and you don’t mention Terence and Philip Cabral, you’re mistaken. These guys have seriously been in the trenches, acquiring their first license in 2000, and catching plenty of charges along the way. Today, they proudly operate an almost completely family-run business in California, with complete autonomy over their project in Canada as well, often going up North and getting their hands dirty in the grow.
The stories from Terence and Phil in the episode are certifiably insane. You’ll hear the brothers talk about their entrance into the High Times Cups and how they definitively stepped up their games, citing this as the first place they ever met Dope as Yola and formed a lifelong friendship. Blackleaf at one point asks about some of the old crews they used to run with, and the brothers may mention some of the hustlers that used to absolutely crank work out of the Hollywood Hills, a West Coast Cure deal that went sour, and running and gunning with people like Ivan from Jungle Boys around LA.
In terms of game you can soak up from this pod—it’s immeasurable. You’ll gain insight into international events like Spannabis, how the C*nn*bis Brothers work with their significant others, children, and cousins on the day-to-day without going insane, how to build solid partnerships and take your work to new states/countries, how to produce A-1 flower, and what the legal market is currently like in Canada, Australia, Germany, and more.
Keep a lookout at your local shops for the relaunch of The C*nn*bis Brothers products if you want to taste a piece of history. If you’re in Australia, keep it locked for their official launch in February-March of this year!
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
This is hands-down the most important episode to tune into if you consume, cultivate, handle, or have anything to do with the plant and don’t want to have a hard time with law enforcement.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by the famed Pot Brothers At Law (@pot_brothers_at_law), aka Craig and Mark Wasserman of Wasserman Law, to discuss countless scenarios where their copyrighted #STFU© script comes incredibly handy when dealing with the police. They also discuss their deep familial connection to the industry through Craig’s son and founder of West Coast Cure, J Cures, and how they became a global sensation for being the first to offer free legal tips on social media for the past 8 years.
The Pot Brothers at Law, Craig and Marc Wasserman, are Southern California-based herb and criminal defense attorneys who have become viral sensations by simply educating the public on their legal rights. Through their weekly "Shut The Fuck Up Friday" (#STFUfriday) campaign, they teach individuals how to handle police encounters by sticking to a simple, effective script.
Leveraging Marc's Hollywood background and Craig's legal expertise of over 30+ years, they’ve built a massive social media presence, attracting millions of followers with engaging and impactful content. Now expanding into media ventures like weekly Zoom sessions and potential movie-related projects, they continue to advocate for consumer’s rights while entertaining and educating a global audience.
Craig and Marc cover nearly every situation where you might encounter the police as someone who is caught in the act of smoking, is in possession of, or transporting, large quantities of herb. This includes wild stories from Craig about why it’s so important to invoke the 5th amendment during an arrest, the most common and random reasons you get pulled over, and the (il)legality of smoking in public or flying with herb on you. These two have literally seen it all since they’ve been defending consumers and industry members since the early days of Prop 215.
If you listen real closely to this pod you might also gain invaluable insight on the best ways to start up your own legal brand in CA in today’s competitive market and potentially save a pretty penny on licensing.
One thing that becomes abundantly clear in this episode is that if you’re in the mindset of taking your traditional brand into the legal market or even starting one from scratch, Craig and Marc should be the first people you talk to. Even if you aren’t based in California, these two have built a global network of resources that may be able to point you in the right direction. The other glaringly clear message from this episode is that if you’re even in doubt when encountering the police, SHUT THE FUCK UP, and STICK TO THE SCRIPT.
The SCRIPT©
“Why did you pull me over?”
“I’m not discussing my day”
“Am I being detained or am I free to go?©
(if detained) “I INVOKE THE 5TH!” then SHUT THE FUCK UP™
I do not consent to a search!
To any police officer or law enforcement personnel:
“I am invoking my 5th Amendment Miranda Rights and will only speak to you with my attorney present. Please allow me to contact my attorney.”
Visit PotBrothersAtLaw.com or call 855-WASS-LAW for more resources. Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
When you’ve been in the game consuming and cultivating herb as long as FSOTD’s host Blackleaf, you can immediately recognize when you’ve found a truly innovative new product for handling and breaking down your flower.
Blackleaf is joined in the Las Vegas Haze Radio studio by Brent Stevens from Flower Mill and his team, Q, Aaron, Jason, and John, to discuss the most groundbreaking technology for milling and/or grinding your herb in arguably the past 100+ years. Founded only in 2020, Flower Mill has found almost overnight success from their high-grade steel handheld mills designed by smokers for smokers to create the perfect grind with the optimal sift screen for collecting kief.
You’ll hear Brent tell the story of his first come-to-Jesus moment with this technology in 2018 at CannaCon in Detroit when he met his future counterparts, John, Jason, and Aaron, who came from the high-end automotive engineering industry. They developed the Crown grinder under the Royal Health moniker originally before fully conceptualizing the Flower Mill, and by 2020, Brent claims he has never forgotten the Crown or let the people who developed it leave his side.
The train to success has been moving almost at a bullet’s pace for this group of passionate individuals who go on to claim zero outside funding and how they’ve essentially stumbled upon extremely powerful organic promotion and support from not only their local areas like Arizona, California, Michigan, and Illinois but also by noteworthy celebrities such as That Mexican OT, Wiz Khalifa, Vic Mensa, Red Man, and more.
Two crazy stories you absolutely cannot miss during this episode are Brent explaining how they got their first big brand collaboration with Zig-Zag. This collaboration marked Zig-Zag's first venture into cannabis-related products in its 140+-year history. The second one is how their Flower Mill fell into the hands of Wiz Khalifa during his KK launch in Las Vegas, leading to their grinders showing up in his music video despite Wiz’s partnership with Santa Cruz Shredder.
One of the most powerful lessons you can learn from this podcast is that if you are a fan of herb with a brain for engineering, science, or math, there are incredible ways that you can disrupt and bring innovation to the industry. How many of us have had the same $30-45 grinder for the past 6+ years that is totally stripped and locks up when you have something especially sticky in there? The Flower Mill team put their heads together and solved this problem in less than five years flat.
Follow @brentfolowermill on IG to see all of the newest updates straight from the horse’s mouth. And, if you tune in for the entire pod you might even learn how to get into the Beta Testing program for all of the new cutting-edge products Flower Mill is constantly cooking up such as their new affordable “Next Gen Standard” grinders.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
-
If you’ve ever wondered what FSOTD’s host, Blackleaf, considers the absolute standard for curing and storing herb, you’d be a fool not to tap in.
Blackleaf is joined in the studio by CVault co-founder, Ryan Parker, and Scott Swail, the North American Key Accounts Manager for Boveda, who’s been with the company for 10+ years to discuss all things herbal storage whether that’s keeping your head stash at the perfect humidity or controlling the cure and trichome deterioration when moving or selling large quantities of herb or even concentrate.
For the uninitiated, CVault is a company specializing in the production of airtight, stainless steel storage containers designed to preserve the freshness and potency of herb and other organic materials. They integrate humidity control technology, often pairing their containers with Boveda packs, to maintain ideal storage conditions.
Boveda is a 27+-year-old company that produces precision humidity control packs to maintain the ideal moisture levels for various products, including herb, cigars, and musical instruments. They utilize a patented two-way humidity control technology that adds or absorbs moisture as needed to protect and preserve items. If you’ve ever wondered about the CVault/Boveda connection, this pod unveils the entire backstory of how these two companies came together. You’ll hear Ryan and Scott explain why Boveda’s acquisition of CVault was truly a match made in heaven.
If there’s one thing you’ll hear during this episode, it’s Blackleaf’s undying love and rigorous implementation of CVault’s storage technology for all of his cultivation and daily consumption needs. Whether he’s storing big packs or carrying around a fresh batch of head stash, he swears by CVault’s stainless steel containers in tandem with varying sizes of Boveda packs. Everyone also weighs in heavily on how turkey bags are the absolute worst move for storage, especially when you’re stacking, and how undependable glass is for shipping bulk concentrate.
This episode truly identifies countless pain points of home growers and commercial growers everywhere, and how proper storage and humidity control play an utterly essential role in the final product. You can’t miss the part where Scott address the hearsay that Boveda packs “steal the terps,” and what this actually means.
For any true fans of cultivating or even preserving ultra top-shelf herb, you can’t miss a second of this episode with two serious pioneers in one of the biggest missteps in the industry—proper curing and storage.
Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key players and enjoy conversations with tastemakers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Laat meer zien
