MJBizMag August 2021 - 44

Business Under Fire
Saving Water &
Sequestering Carbon
California cannabis farm utilizes permaculture and regenerative
farming techniques to reduce environmental footprint
By Omar Sacirbey
T
here's no better way to cut
carbon emissions in the cannabis
industry than cultivating
outdoors and relying on Mother Nature
for essentials such as sunlight and water.
But even outdoor growers can do more
to cut carbon emissions.
In " regenerative farming, " cultivators
actually take carbon out of the
atmosphere and put it into the soil.
One such regenerative farm
is Flowerdaze in Trinity County,
California. The 3-acre operation has
about a quarter-acre dedicated to
premium craft cannabis, according to
the husband-and-wife proprietors, Jacob
Johnson and Karla Avila.
" When you're talking about climate
change and reducing our carbon footprint
in regenerative agriculture, we're
really trying to harvest the carbon from
the atmosphere back into the soil. Rather
than releasing it, we're trying to put it
back into the ground, " Johnson said.
Regenerative farming techniques
include composting, raised garden beds
known as hügelkultur, water-catchment
systems and gravity-powered irrigation
as well as using companion plants and
farm animal manure to provide nutrients
to the soil and enhance bioavailability.
While these practices help fight soil
depletion and climate change, they are
also beneficial for growers' budgets,
yields and bottom lines, Avila said.
The couple estimated that Flowerdaze
44 MJBizMagazine | August 2021
Karla Avila, owner of Flowerdaze in Northern California, uses regenerative farming practices.
Courtesy Photo
produces 2,000-3,000 pounds of cannabis
annually. The crop is sold through a
distributor, typically for $1,250-$1,500
per pound. And cultivation costs are
very low because they have next to no
operating costs: All soil inputs come
from plants and animal manure already
on the farm, and the owners have enough
plants to produce seeds on demand.
" These are ways to ensure the
longevity of your soil but are also just
better for your budget. So, while you're
taking steps to positively impact climate
change, you're also positively impacting
your farm production. It's a win-win, "
Avila said.
She cautioned: " It can seem
overwhelming if you are at the
beginning of a process to transition to
regenerative practices, but I think that
they are very friendly practices where,
once you start applying them, you see
the benefits right away. "
Soil Building
Avila and Johnson started cultivating
marijuana seven years ago with a
commitment to grow only in native soil.
" The soil testing is most important
at the beginning, so that you have an
idea of whether you have any serious
deficiencies of nutrients or anything that

MJBizMag August 2021

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