High Fidelity Bridget Conry

In this episode we share our conversation with Sam Bellavance, the Founder and Executive Director of Sunset Lake CBD and Sunset Lake Cannabis. Sam is a lifelong farmer and resident of Vermont. He began growing industrial hemp back in 2018 as a way to diversify crops on his family’s dairy farm. The following year, he pivoted to growing hemp as a CBD crop and Sunset Lake CBD was born. Last year he and his team expanded operations into the cannabis market as a Tier 4 outdoor cultivation license. Bridget and Sam discussed how Sunset Lake’s commitment to the triple bottom line has been a critical factor in their success so far. They touch upon the lessons Sunset Lake has learned in the hemp industry and how mission-driven work and climate resiliency are top of mind as they plan and invest in the future.

In this episode we take a quick look back at the key cannabis stories in 2022, both here at home in Vermont and in the industry at large. Bridget checks in with Callie Chapman, Lab Director and Founding Partner of Steep Hill Vermont, for a report on what they learned in 2022 and how they are investing in 2023 to spur growth and support the emerging market. Listen in to gain insights on how recent history will shape the landscape moving forward, for consumers, businesses and policymakers alike.

Bridget speaks with Cary Giguere, the Compliance Director of the Vermont Cannabis Control Board. This interview is the first in a series with Director Giguere, that covers how the CCB ensures compliance with the laws, rules and regulations governing both the adult-use marketplace and the medical cannabis program here in Vermont. In this episode Bridget and Cary focus specifically on the lab testing requirements that have been put in place to ensure product safety. They also discuss how the compliance team audits the flow of products in the supply chain to confirm that licensed producers, retailers and analytical labs are meeting these requirements. 

Resources discussed in this episode:
https://ccb.vermont.gov/AUcomplaints

Bridget speaks with her first herbal teacher and continual mentor about how to approach plant-based medicine in order to create and maintain a beneficial relationship with cannabis. Jennifer Costa has nearly 30 years of experience as a trained herbalist. She is also a registered nurse with 15 years of service in hospital settings and a certified Cannabis Nurse through The Medical Cannabis Institute, a program approved by the NYS Department of Health. Bridget and Jen share some of their personal and professional stories with earth medicines in general and cannabis specifically. They hone in on the importance of gradually building a home apothecary to support one's health and wellness goals.

Resources discussed in this episode:

Jennifer Costa: The Eldermoon School of Herbs and Earth Medicine
Pam Montgomery: Wake Up to Nature
Railyard Apothecary in Burlington, VT
Spoonful Herbals in Burlington, VT

This week Dan Pomerantz of Rebel Grown shares with Bridget his history in both the legacy and licensed cannabis markets; a circuitous path from his home state of Massachusetts to Vermont, California and back to Vermont, the state he now calls home. This is a personal story as much as it is a professional one. It highlights some of the tough choices that individuals face in the legacy market when they make the decision to break the law. Rebel Grown is now up and running in Vermont as a Tier 5 licensed Mixed Cultivator. Dan discusses the products he has to offer the market now and his ambitious plans for the future. He also provides a quick update on The Emerald Cup Harvest Ball in Santa Rosa, CA which took place on December 10-11, 2022.

Now that adult use cannabis has taken center stage in Vermont, it is important to be aware that there is also a medical cannabis program that serves registered patients here in the Green Mountain State. Lindsey Wells, the Medical Cannabis Program Administrator provides information on how Vermonters can register with the program and reviews key updates that were made this year to improve access. Bridget enumerates our top seven reasons why Vermonters should consider joining the program if they have a qualifying condition. In the market updates, we review some of the wins in cannabis reform from the midterm elections and Bridget gives a High Five to Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor and now Senator-Elect, John Fetterman, a long-time cannabis advocate.