There’s something sacred about soil. It’s where life begins and where it returns; the quiet alchemist that transforms death into sustenance, seed into medicine, hope into harvest.
On this earth, cannabis takes root like any other healing plant, drawing minerals and mystery from depths we barely understand. But it’s also the hands that tend it, the eyes that read its moods, the hearts that understand the ancient contract between human and humus. These are our cultivators: the farmers, growers, and caretakers who’ve chosen to work with one of nature’s most misunderstood medicines.
“We have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist,” wrote Wendell Berry. These words ring true for those who grow cannabis. Cultivators who understand that their work is both craft and art, transforming soil and seed into medicine with knowledge passed down through generations.
Across the country, in greenhouses and gardens, indoor grows and outdoor farms, there are people who wake before dawn to check on their plants. They read soil like scripture, understand pH like poetry, and know that every trichome tells a story. They’re not just growing a crop; they’re cultivating compassion, nurturing relief, tending to something that could help ease someone’s pain or quiet their anxiety.
These cultivators carry on humanity’s oldest profession with hands-on wisdom. They know that soil isn’t just something to get dirty in; it’s the foundation of every meal, every medicine, every moment of well-being we’ve ever known.
What follows is a celebration of these earth-bound artists: cultivators from islands in the Caribbean to the U.S. mainland, each bringing their own wisdom to the ancient dance between seed and soil. Whether we realize it or not, we’re all connected to that soil, and to the dedicated souls who refuse to let us forget it.
Guardians of the Garden: Meet the Cultivators
- Sahir Al-Salam, High Prophecy — cultivating for 10+ years, from Michigan
- Matt Gunter, Busted Bucket Farm — cultivating for 6+ years, from North Carolina
- Sunshine Cereceda, Sunboldt Grown — cultivating for 40+ years, from California
- Antoine Mordican Sr., Native Black Cultivation — cultivating for 10+ years, from Alabama
- Rachele Sanchez, HeavenlyHerbs — cultivating for 8+ years, from Florida
- John Brown, Advanced Cultivators — cultivating for 25+ years, from California
- Sequoyah Hudson, 8 Mile Family Farms — cultivating for 20+ years, from California
- Elvin Navarro, Cepalegre-Hannabis LLC — cultivating for 20+ years, from Puerto Rico
- Michael Dukes, Greenpoint Research — cultivating for 20+ years, from Florida
- Amy Ward, 2nd 40 to 420 – The Farm — cultivating for 5+ years, from Virginia
- Lion Gates, Virgin Islands Rastafarian Sacramental Cannabis Council — cultivating for 18+ years, from St. Croix
- George David Perez, Hot Box Chicago-Go High With It — cultivating for 20+ years, from Illinois
- Brittini Ingram, Brits Budz CBD and Alternatives LLC — cultivating for 5+ years, from Missouri
- Walter Wood, Sol Spirit Farm — cultivating for 30+ years, from California
- William Fenger, Zenbarn Farms — cultivating for 35+ years, from Colorado
A Moment of Gratitude
The next time you hold quality cannabis in your hands, you might think about the soil it came from and the hands that tended it. These cultivators carry forward something precious, not just genetics or growing techniques, but a way of being with the earth that’s as old as agriculture itself. They work at the pace of seasons, honoring the relationship between human and earth.
Behind every perfectly cured flower is someone who understands that growing isn’t just about the end product: it’s about growing possibilities for healing.
Photo by Vee Castillo.
Veronica Castillo is a writer known as the Traveling Cannabis Writer and author of Cannabis Legacy Chronicles: The Traveling Cannabis Writer’s Guide to America’s Hidden Gems – Six Years of Documenting Resilience, Challenges, and Inspiration. Over the past six years, she has journeyed across the United States and Caribbean, documenting cannabis communities, cultures, and the economic impact of cannabis tourism. With a background that bridges professional business insights and creative storytelling, she offers a unique perspective on how cannabis tourism drives local economic development. Her extensive travels have given her unparalleled access to the diverse voices and hidden gems that define cannabis culture from coast to coast. Through her work, she illuminates the deeper connections between place, people, and plant that continue to shape America’s relationship with cannabis.
This article is from an external, unpaid contributor. It does not represent High Times’ reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.
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