Grow Sessions

On our latest episode of Grow Sessions we welcome Sam Milton of Enlighten Your Grow in an insightful conversation about energy efficiency programs and how growers can save by growing efficiently. Join us in our new episode entitled, "Earning Free Money - How to Take Advantage of Energy Efficiency Programs for Your Cannabis Facility."

Utilities are exploring new ways to help cannabis growers better manage their energy use as legalization leads to rapid expansion of cannabis facilities across the country. They realize that grid resources may not be able to sustain energy demands if left unmanaged. For this reason, commercial growers are eligible to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in rebates and incentives from energy efficiency providers for installing energy-efficient technology, such as LED lighting.

Topics in this episode include: industry trends, making good decisions and growing sustainably, how to save energy without leaving money on the table, state energy programs – where to start and how they work, how much growers can save and how, and much more.

If you are a cannabis grower, owner of a facility or thinking of opening your own cannabis business, you don’t want to miss this episode. 

About Sam Milton
 Enlighten Your Grow
 a project of Climate Resources Group
 
Sam Milton is Principal of Climate Resources Group (CRG), a New England-based firm with a focus on identifying solutions at the intersection of climate and energy. Through CRG’s grower advisory service, Enlighten Your Grow, his team guides cultivators on approaches to optimize their grow operations and works with stakeholders to advance lower-impact best practices. Sam has been active in cannabis and energy policy across New England and serves as policy advisor to the Resource Innovation Institute, a national not-for-profit organization that champions energy efficiency best practices for data, policy and operations for the cannabis industry.

To learn more about Enlighten Your Grow, visit www.enlightenyourgrow.com

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On our latest episode of Grow Sessions we speak with Zachary Taylor, General Manager of Cultivation at Bountiful Farms in MA in an episode entitled, “Keeping up with Energy and Environmental Standards for Your Cannabis Facility.”

Many states and municipalities are instituting new requirements that are specific to the cannabis industry. What does that mean for cultivators and how will it impact their business? Join us for an informative discussion on topics including: energy efficiency requirements, transitioning to LED lights in MA, the most regulated state in the country, changing the way to grow sustainably, GMP (General Manufacturing Practices) standards and why being a cannabis grower is about so much more than growing plants.

If you are a cannabis grower, owner of a facility or thinking of opening your own cannabis business, you don’t want to miss this episode. 

About Zach Taylor 
General Manager of Cultivation
Bountiful Farms

Zach Taylor leads the cultivation team at Bountiful Farms, a premium cannabis cultivator with a medical dispensary in Natick, Massachusetts and state-of-the-art Cultivation Center in Lakeville, MA.

Zach has a love of agriculture, sparked by his family’s commercial landscaping business and its commitment to growing quality and aesthetically pleasing plants. When he began learning about cannabis and the life-changing benefits it can provide for a variety of medical conditions, he developed a passion for the human-cannabis relationship that has only gotten stronger each day.

That passion has truly flourished at Bountiful Farms. Zach joined the team upon its inception in 2018. He and the cultivation team are committed to growing exceptional cannabis, never settling for anything less than the best and never cutting corners. Starting Bountiful Farms from the ground up and being able to grow cannabis exactly how he sees fit has been a once in a lifetime opportunity and something he is truly grateful for.

Zach is a pioneer and has been part of the medical cannabis industry since 2007, when he began growing cannabis as a caregiver under the initial medical cannabis statute in Colorado, providing cannabis to patients with a range of medical conditions. He was one of the first 18-year-olds to receive a medical license in the state at the time and was one of the first 5,000 licensed employees in the country. Zach is also very passionate about drug policy reform, and in the past testified in favor of people being allowed to grow their own medical cannabis. From 2011 to 2017, he managed cultivation at a large cannabis cultivator in Colorado, giving him a deep understanding of how to grow cannabis at scale.

 In his career, Zach has won 28 cannabis cups, including the first-ever people’s choice award for “Best Cannabis in Massachusetts.” This win was for Bountiful Farms’ Piña Grande.

Zach and team are proud to bring the most exceptional cannabis to Massachusetts medical customers through its dispensary in Natick, and to recreational customers through its retail partners. Zach says the best part of his job is the amazing community of people he gets to meet who all have a mutual love of cannabis. He looks forward to continuing to innovate and experiment with new strains and processes to bring people the best cannabis possible.

To learn more about Bountiful Farms, visit www.bountifulfarms.care.

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On our latest episode of Grow Sessions we speak with TSRgrow cofounders Mikhail Sagal and Gary Arnold about the necessary steps required to build a successful cannabis cultivation business in an episode entitled, “Lighting Strategies and Other Considerations  for a Successful Commercial Cultivation.”

The path to a successful cannabis business is not a smooth and easy one. It’s full of changing regulations and unforeseeable roadblocks. Join us for a candid and insightful discussion on how to avoid some of these roadblocks and what needs to be considered now to help avoid problems later. Topics include creating a custom-tailored business solution, what is needed to build a successful growing facility, the importance of creating GMP (General Manufacturing Practices) systems that can be expanded without disruption, energy conservation, environmental monitoring, lighting strategies and much, much more.

If you are a cannabis grower, owner of a facility or thinking of opening your own cannabis business, you don’t want to miss this episode. 

About TSRgrow

TSRgrow is a leading solution provider to the cannabis industry. For over twelve years, this Rhode Island based company has offered horticultural TOTALgrow™ Solutions, best-in-class advanced LED lighting, and industry support to help cultivators achieve the ideal balance of energy and profitability.

Developed in cooperation with university and industry leaders, TSRgrow's industry leading advanced LED lighting solutions integrate remote power servers and adaptive light monitoring and control software that is engineered to maximize yields and grow the highest quality crops. Lowest cost to operate targets to maximize energy efficiency, using TSRgrow's Lighting as a Platform™ (LaaP) architecture with remote power servers, environmental monitoring and lighting management solutions.

TSRgrow provides end-to-end consulting and essential support services to cultivators. From site planning, design, HVACD, construction, financing and equipment, TSRgrow does more than design and manufacture advanced LED lighting solutions and adaptive software, they also provide integrated capabilities for a TOTALgrow™ Solution.

To learn more, visit www.TSRgrow.com or email [email protected].

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On our latest episode of Grow Sessions  we speak with Jason Calderon, CEO of Bonsai Buds in Exeter, Rhode Island  in an enlightening conversation entitled, "How Cannabis Cultivators Can Benefit from Energy Savings & Rebates." Jason joins Tony in a discussion about the many ways in which cannabis growers can reap huge gains from utility companies by utilizing energy efficient LED lighting in their facility and the rebates that go along with them.

The two discuss numerous topics such as how technology has helped Jason with his business, the ways in which making the switch to  advanced LED lighting has saved him thousands of dollars and the different ways cannabis cultivators can use these rebates and incentives to their advantage.  Jason saw a 40-60% savings in his electrical and HVAC upon switching over to advanced LED lighting solutions as well as receiving thousands of dollars in rebates for his initial purchase and that is just the beginning.
 
If you are a cannabis grower, owner of a facility or thinking of opening your own cannabis business, you don’t want to miss out on this episode where Jason shares how you can put thousands of dollars back into your pockets. 

About Jason Calderon, Vice President & CEO
Bonsai Buds 

Jason Calderon is the CEO and Master Cultivator at Bonsai Buds and handles all day-to-day operations including the hiring and management of all company employees. For the past 15 years, Jason has also held a managerial position at Galaxy Fasteners Inc. where he is responsible for the oversight of daily operations and all purchasing and inventory control. In addition, Jason owned and operated South County Hydroponics, LLC from 2011-2013. In the first year, South County Hydroponics was the fastest growing hydroponic retail store throughout the east coast. As a business owner he successfully managed inventory tracking and purchasing to successfully comply with all State regulations. 

Jason  has also been a medical marijuana patient and a successful caregiver in the State of Rhode Island since 2009. He was recently awarded his marijuana “Certificate of Completion” dated 1/22/2017, from Cannabis Training University, certifying him in all aspects of cultivation; cannabis cooking and extraction, cannabis laws & regulations; bud tending; cannabis dispensary operations; cannabis delivery service operations; cannabis as medicine; cannabis business training; and cannabis careers. 

Jason  is a highly respected and trusted member of the cannabis industry as well as in the Rhode Island business community. His expertise in the medical marijuana industry sets him aside from his competitors. He is viewed as a leader and a mentor to others. His true passion and belief in the industry pushes him to strive to produce the highest quality product.
 
 If you have questions for Jason, you can  reach him at [email protected] or on Instagram @mr.meeyagee.

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 Brent Spangler from JPT Architects, joins Tony P for an informative discussion about why you need to plan ahead when designing or building a cannabis facility in our new episode entitled, "Crucial Design & Planning Considerations When Building a Cannabis Facility."
 
 Some of the topics in this episode will include: building a user-friendly and problem-free facility while taking a non-silo approach to the design, the importance of power and ways to be sustainable, integrating advanced lighting and controls, microclimate management within a grow and designing for long term success and why you need to consider maintenance, operating costs and sustainable cultivation plans. If you are a cultivator, facility owner or anyone considering designing or building a cannabis facility, you won’t want to miss this informative episode. Brent will discuss some of the things you need to consider before making this step.
 
 About Brent Spangler, Senior Electrical Project Manager, JPT Architects

As the lead Electrical Design Professional on JPT’s Alternative Care team, Brent is responsible for Design, Research, and Development of Lighting Systems for Greenhouse and Indoor Cannabis Cultivation/Processing facilities. These facilities include both table and multi-tier racking systems, both off-grid local and electrical utility power feed, and both HID and LED lighting systems. For 37 years, Brent has immersed himself in Electrical Systems Design and Construction of Commercial and Industrial facilities mostly focusing in the Healthcare sector. This in-depth experience gave him the perfect set of skills needed to transition, grow, and thrive within the Electrical Design world of the Cannabis Industry.

For the last five years, Brent has gone above and beyond to establish himself as a national leader in the Electrical Design of Cannabis Cultivation/Processing facilities. Not only does Brent focus on the technical design of current projects, but he is a true Seller-Doer who is always striving to bring the most relevant, informative, and innovative electrical design knowledge to JPT and current/future clients. Attending/Speaking at cannabis-related seminars and conferences, partnering with other power and lighting professionals to investigate best practice, traveling the globe to explore different grow facilities and techniques, along with understanding the intricacies of integrated electrical designs for the distribution and control of electrical systems is how Brent pushes himself to bring remarkable, strategy-driven solutions to our Cannabis clients.

Since JPT has established itself as a leader within the Cannabis Design space, Brent has been directly involved in 25+ Cannabis Cultivation/Processing facility projects across the country. The JPT Alternative Care team, which is Electrically led by Brent Spangler, understands the timeline, challenges, and complexity that comes with the Cannabis Design space. JPT is also a woman-owned business that takes pride is designing Cannabis Cultivation/Processing facilities in addition to Dispensaries.

To learn more about JPT Architects, please visit www.jptarchs.com or connect with  Brent Spangler on Linkedin

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On this episode of Grow Sessions, entitled, “GMP Cultivation Standards in Cannabis,” we discuss the importance of GMP (good manufacturing practices) in cannabis cultivation with Lee Smith, a cultivation consultant and business owner within the industry. In any business, safe and clean manufacturing practices are crucial, and cannabis cultivation is no exception. 

Because cannabis is not just a plant, but a medicine that many people consume, cultivator’s must ensure they are meeting GMP standards and providing the best possible end result for users. This means adequate testing of the product and meeting health and safety standards during all phases of production. As the cannabis industry is still in its infancy, there are not many federal regulations of how the product is grown and handled. In fact, there are no official GMP or GAP (good agricultural practices) standards within the cannabis industry at this time. Some states, such as Massachusetts, have done a good job at leading the way in terms of cannabis regulation standards. 

Lee believes the core sector cannabis companies need to look at in terms of GMP are: organization, building facilities, production and processes, packaging and labeling and warehousing and distribution. If cultivator’s make sure they check off all of the safety boxes from the beginning, they can ensure a safe, clean product for consumers. 

Listen now to learn more about why the cannabis industry needs GMP standards in cultivation and how you can ensure your business is operating as safely as possible.

About Lee Smith

Lee Smith is currently the director of the largest indoor cannabis nursery on the East Coast, Vanagarden. According to Lee, Vandergarden is the most technically advanced and forward thinking company he has ever worked with. Although he grew up in Massachusetts, Lee’s cannabis career started in Northern California in the mid 90’s. After moving to the Bay Area, he had the chance of meeting with Dennis Peron, who opened his mind to the critical role that cannabis would play in the field of emerging natural plant based therapies. Lee’s research delves into how the inflorescence expresses and how bar and other key environmental parameters can influence phloem and xylem. His cultivation experience has led him to  meet many out-of-the-box pioneers and farmers in the cannabis industry in his long journey  to becoming a grower, consultant and pioneer in this emerging field.

If you have questions for Lee, you can reach him at [email protected] or through Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cannasmith/ 

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On our latest episode, “Sustainable Power for Your Cannabis Facility” Tony P is joined by Bill Shevlin of Mavericks Microgrid Energy Company. The two share an educational discussion on how to take a sustainable approach to cultivation. As we've learned, the cannabis industry is extremely energy intensive, so the question always is: how do we operate the most efficiently for our business and for our planet? Luckily Bill has some answers for us!

There are an array of methods cannabis cultivators can use when looking to save energy and money. Taking advantage of renewable energy sources, experimenting with different growing mediums, utilizing water capturing techniques, and sourcing more eco-friendly packaging are just a few ways cultivation facilities can reduce their carbon footprint. As new regulations continue to alter the industry, sustainable practices are the way of the future. 

Listen now to learn how to ensure your cultivation is carbon neutral or even carbon negative. The future of growing is reliant on renewable resources, energy efficiency and collective consciousness within the industry. 

About Bill Shevlin and Mavericks Microgrid Energy Company 

Bill Shevlin has worked across several industries including, Real Estate, Construction, Energy, Technology and Cannabis. From 2009 to 2017 he worked on distributive energy projects that helped install solar more cost effectively. He has successfully transformed existing companies from small operations to large scale regional/multi-state and national companies. Bill is part of a core team that launched a national solar company that installed 10W of solar within 12 months of launch. He has also developed and been involved in the installation of over 100 MW of distributed rooftop solar energy. His current companies are Mavericks Capital and Mavericks Renewable Microgrids.

In 2018, Bill identified the energy needs in Cannabis, Hemp and EV infrastructure markets. Since then, he has worked as a consultant and advisor for numerous cannabis businesses, aiding in sustainable energy efficiency. Mavericks Microgrid company provides robust MicroGrid offerings and their current partners include: Energy Storage, Controls, TriGen, Solar, IoT, BioDigesters, and EV. Bill and his team help cannabis businesses facilitate a carbon neutral or even a carbon negative footprint- resulting in higher efficiency and higher yields with lower costs and less environmental impact.

To learn more about Mavericks Microgrid Energy Company, please visit:  https://mavericks.energy/

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Derek Smith, Executive Director of Resource Innovation Institute joins Tony P for an informative discussion about sustainable and efficient growing  in our new episode entitled, "Sustainability in Cannabis Cultivation."

Some of the topics in this episode will include: energy requirements in cannabis cultivation, energy savings and rebates for cultivators, benefits of using LED lighting as well as monitoring and control data to help save energy and much more. Derek will also talk about benchmarking your cannabis facility to help you grow efficiently using Resource Innovation Institute's free Power Score  benchmarking platform, which helps provide cultivators performance rankings based on industry-standard key performance indicators (KPIs) on energy, emissions, water and waste and helps you learn how to be more efficient while growing better plants. If you are a cultivator, facility owner or anyone interested in growing, you won’t want to miss this exciting episode.

About Derek Smith
Executive Director, Resource Innovation Institute

As Executive Director, Derek provides overall leadership and strategic direction. Derek engages RII’s advisory bodies, including the Strategic Advisory Council and Technical Advisory Council Leadership Committees, develops global partnerships and oversees the organization’s policy work.

Before RII, Derek led Clean Energy Works, recognized as one of the most successful American Recovery & Reinvestment Act ("stimulus") programs. He has directed energy programs for the City of Portland, managed operations for a VC-backed start-up and created an award-winning corporate sustainability program for a national retailer. Derek has testified to the US Senate Energy Committee and briefed the US Secretary of Energy.

Derek enjoys playing and listening to a range of music, soccer (especially his hometown Portland Timbers), hiking and travel.

To learn more about Resource Innovation Institute and their free resources available to cultivators, please visit www.resourceinnovation.org.

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Mark Peysakhovich, leadership development, training and cannabis lobbyist joins Tony Pavalakis for an informative discussion about the cannabis industry in this week’s episode entitled, “Shedding Light on the Cannabis Industry.” Some of the topics in this episode will include: what license holders should expect when applying for a cannabis license, social equity in the cannabis industry, problems in passing cannabis legislation and much, much more. If you are a cultivator, facility owner or anyone thinking about applying for a cultivation license, you won’t want to miss this informative and entertaining episode.

About Mark Peysakhovich

 Mark Peysakhovich is the Managing Partner of MBM Advantage LLC, a firm that provides legislative and public affairs consulting as well as community outreach, alliance building and business development services to a diverse set of clients in sectors ranging from cannabis to construction to healthcare and human services. Mark has over 25 years of public affairs, community engagement and management experience, having previously served in leadership positions in the public health and human services sector.

Over the last seven+ years, Mark’s lobbying has helped shape Illinois’ cannabis laws and regulations and allowed him to develop an intimate understanding of the business and the politics of cannabis. He has serves as a lobbyist and consultant to existing industry players as well as companies looking to enter the cannabis space. He currently serves as Senior Advisor for the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois and is active in cannabis industry professional and patient groups. Mark hosts the Cannabis Community Insider podcast, a program of The Cannabis Community media platform. He is a regular presenter on cannabis industry topics for Oakton Community College and serves as a mentor at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Mark on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-peysakhovich-2788426/

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Tenay Kham  joins Tony P for an informative discussion in this week’s episode entitled, “Cannabis Cultivation Design for Success.” Some of the topics in this episode will include: general philosophies and requirements unique to cannabis cultivation, ratios of usage of space, methods and SOP strategies that work, general costs associated with starting a cultivation facility, common mistakes and much, much more. If you are a cultivator, facility owner or anyone interested in growing, you won’t want to miss this episode.

About Tenay Kham

Tenay Kham is one of the most experienced and accomplished cannabis cultivators in the US with 8+ years of commercial execution. He has managed build outs and optimization of 500,000+ SF of environmentally controlled facilities. All Tenay's projects are profitable and standing in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Canada as well as a current license holder in Michigan.  

Tenay has market leading industry knowledge with a background in supply chain and risk management. He has an ownership philosophy rational and a result driven approach.  

Contact Info:
Tenay Kham, Head of Products
Operation Grow, LLC
[email protected]
(928)451-2336

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