Organically Canadian: The new faces of Craft Cannabis
From beavertails in the snowy mountains of the pacific northwest to east coast icebergs and seafood – Canada is known for many things, but our personal favorite is a little thing we like to call BC Bud.
As Canada day approaches and we reflect on some of the feats from the last 153 years, you’ll never guess the Canadian accomplishment that comes to mind for us at City. That’s right, it’s craft cannabis. And who better to highlight as craft than two of the best organic brands on the Canadian market: Whistler Cannabis Company and Simply Bare Organics.
But what is ‘craft cannabis’? What does ‘organic’ mean in the legal market? And is ‘organic’ a guaranteed stamp of quality?
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Honing the Craft Cannabis
Before we dive into the details, let’s briefly unpack what it means to refer to cannabis as ‘craft’. Much like beer and wine, craft cannabis is produced on a small scale, with grow rooms measured in square feet and not acres. Unlike large-scale grows, which often rely on machines and advanced AIs to achieve top-tier results, craft growers tend to utilize old-school methods and will often grow in soil, without the use of chemicals, under the sun and will harvest and trim their plants by hand.
Organic Panic
However, despite their adherence to these strict protocols since before the legal market existed, one of the hurdles that producers of legal cannabis in Canada are facing is the inability to be ‘certified’ as organic based on existing qualifications. Because cannabis is a controlled substance, it is governed by the Cannabis Act and not the Safe Food for Canadians Act, which awards the recognizable “Canada organic” logo to brands and products that meet its organic requirements. But this bureaucracy isn’t holding back companies like Whistler Cannabis Company and Simply Bare, who are creating their own standard for organic and craft flower in the legal marketplace.
Whistler Cannabis Co – King in the North
An image of a rushing river surrounded by jutting grey rock-faces. Towering evergreens as far as the eye can see. “Canada’s first organic certified Cannabis growers” in bold white lettering. – This is what you will be greeted with upon entering Whistler Cannabis Co.’s website.
True to the culture of their hometown, Whistler cannabis is not afraid to share their innovative and sustainable growing practices with the world. They propagate their plants in living soil, which produces an environment where plants can regulate their own water consumption and protect themselves from disease, naturally. Traditional growing methods can be demanding of resources and wasteful, but “a living soil eco system improves with age and gets stronger with every harvest it produces”*, making it the optimal choice for a company whose intent is to provide top-tier cannabis with a minimal carbon footprint.
Whistler Cannabis has 5 cultivars on the British Columbia market:
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Acapulco Gold
With a terpene profile high in caryophyllene and limonene, if you have ever wanted to explore the lush forests of Mexico on a sultry afternoon, while eating a fresh meyer lemon – Acapulco Gold is the strain for you.
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BC Rockstar
Described on their website as “a strain as dense as British Columbia’s wilderness, with an undeniably captivating aroma,” BC Rockstar is a true indica. With a profile heavy in myrcene and trans-nerolidol, you can expect an experience that is, both, intense and sedative. -
Bubba Kush
Rich, but subtle – Bubba Kush is anything but forgettable. This indica-dominant hybrid offers a sweet, pine scent and a thick blanket of trichomes.
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Chocolope
Notes of rich coffee and creamy chocolate make indulging in this flower a true delight. A fan favourite, Chocolope is Whistler’s “true” sativa. Paired with a hot mocha, this is the perfect Monday morning pick-me-up.
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Sour Jack
Picture yourself wandering the streets of downtown Havana. The sun is setting and live salsa music flows from the windows of clubs lining the block. That’s Sour Jack. With powerful diesel and tropical fruit flavours, this Sativa-dominant hybrid will leave you dancing the night away.
Ranging from Pure Indica (BC Rockstar) to Pure Sativa (Chocolope) Whistler has all the bases covered. So, next time you’re shopping the organic aisle, try asking what’s in stock from Whistler – you won’t be disappointed
Simply Bare – Back to the basics
Founded by Jesse McConnell and Peter Doig in 2015, Rubicon Organics launched their first brand “Simply Bare” into the legal Canadian cannabis market in late 2019. Doig is an organic vegetable cultivation expert, while McConnell is one of the original founders of The Whistler Cannabis Company.
The brand was developed with two things in mind; natural, sustainable and environmentally friendly cultivation, and to fill the demand for high quality premium cannabis in the legal Canadian Cannabis Marketplace. The ethos of the brand is reflective of the name: Keep it simple by concentrating on the basics; a pure process will produce the purest product.
To achieve their goal, Simply Bare took part in a comprehensive government run program to create an Environmental Farming Plan (EFP), and further obtained a certification from the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA), making them one of the first Cannabis producer to do so successfully.
At the time this article is being written, Simply Bare has only two cultivars on the market – but that’s all you need when you’re doing it right.
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BC Organic Blue Dream
If you’ve ever toured the BC Cannabis market, you’ll certainly be familiar with Blue Dream. A popular choice among sativa consumers on the west coast, the product page for this cold-cured cultivar promises that “like any good dream, she’s both sweet and spicy.”**
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Organic Creek Congo
Rare African Congolese is well-known only among the connoisseur’s circles. The combination of nerolidol, terpinolene and caryophyllene make smoking this strain like sipping an herbal chai tea while being struck by lightning. Energetic and intense while still calming and grounded, Creek Congo is a true work of art.
Both sativa-dominant in effect, these two strains are unmatched in their flavour, smell and visual profile. And, according to our friends at Simply Bare – you can expect at least 3 new cultivars dropping on the BC market any day: San Fernando Valley OG Kush, Sour Cookies and a top-secret CBD strain that we know you will want to get your hands on.
We spoke with Davin Robitaille, the business and education consultant from Rubicon organics, and he let us in on some trade secrets, “We hunt for [four categories]: Rarity, success, strength and demand.” He said they are always looking out for cultivars that will grow well in their environment, but they also strive to offer strains people want, that no one else is growing.
So – when you finally step out on July first to grab a bite with (a few) friends and head to your local socially-distanced fireworks show – stop in for some authentically Canadian green on the way. And if you’re strictly organic, look no further than Simply Bare and Whistler Cannabis Company for everything you need – As Proud Canadians and cannabis consumers ourselves, I know it’s what we will be smoking, vaping and dabbing this Canada Day.
*Please note: All of the strains listed in this article may not be available in store
References:
* https://whistlercannabisco.com/
**https://www.simplybare.com/
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