A Golden State Dispensary: Micro-Grow in Redding, California
Located just around the corner from the Redding Airport is their brand new, flagship dispensary/grow... You’ll need to see what they have accomplished, it’s essential to your gourmet cannabis edification. (read my review of Empanadas Diez by A Golden State in Cactus Approved.)
They’d love to see you at the dispensary and the warmth that emulates from the room is not just something you can see... It’s something you feel inside. Rest your legs awhile on the sumptuous couches, savor the stylish architecture of the building. Enjoy the view of the fully scaled cannabis grow situated just behind large windows facing the equally large windows fronting their always changing streetscape in a very safe area of town.
I’ve never been in a facility anywhere in the world that looks as visually beautiful as this facility. It’s organic in style and peacefully designed, yet vividly lit from the inside. A blazing series of LED lighting arrays. They are immediately punctuating your entire visual experience. The plants growing behind you are oozing with green and purple, orange, and white flowers. Others, in their trimmed state are displayed in jewelry cases, set prominently on the broad, modern mountain- designed stone counters with rough hewn edges reminiscent of New Hope, Pennsylvania artist, George Nakashima’s hand-hewn wood tables, yet fabricated in local stones- are interactive and demand your touch on the edges. Self-shopping is encouraged, or just let the friendly and deeply competent budtenders personally guide your canna-centric experience with gentleness. Their verbal anecdotes and canna-vision are pleasant and non- sales pushy. That get ‘em in and out in five minutes or fewer minutes just doesn’t exist here. You are encouraged to come as you are, and enjoy the views, either outside or inside. I loved both because I’d never experienced a dispensary with a full sized grow just behind. Sure, I’ve been to Colorado and Oregon where there were micro-grows of a couple plants in the shops... But this was completely a full-scale operation, no messing around with just for show grow. The space is pristine, they are always cleaning and hand-tending to the plant. This is what is always going on in the background. The plant is what is important here... With the visionary plants from A Golden State guiding my dreams.
The store itself is visually more akin to a high end NYC design shop, reminiscent of the Museum of Modern Art store in SoHo. A Golden State has achieved another feather in their quiver with their non-obtrusive design. The plant in her glory is presented in large glass cases. Lighting is soft and the color palette is earthy and calming. The entire length of the dispensary is punctuated by large glass windows facing an LED bathed professional grow.
An experience in architecture, light, the giant windows gazing into another dimension. A fully in action, craft cannabis grow. Very impressive indeed.
Tell us about your small batch flower?
Our artisanal, small-batch flower is irrigated with the nutrient-rich, glacial snowmelt trickling down from Mount Shasta. This volcanic terrain has yielded a mineral rich water source, naturally alkaline, and low in pollutants, making it the purest water source for our cannabis flower.
Our proprietary genetics are a result of over a decade of deliberate, selective breeding and meticulous cultivation, through which we’ve developed exclusive strains with unique and specific profiles of cannabinoids, terpenes, and growth patterns that differentiate our products from anything else in the market.
When selecting our strains, we go through a rigorous 7-step process in which we consider multiple data points for precision and excellence.
1. Node Structure & Spacing
Node Structure: the parts of the plant where a branch meets the main stem.
Spacing: spaces between the plant’s nodes that dictate how tall the plant’s stems will potentially grow.
2. Uniform Canopy Growth
A canopy is the total surface area within a cultivation site that is dedicated to growing. all our plants are uniformly spaced and strategically positioned in a way that makes each one easily accessible and properly cared for.
3. Cannabinoid Content & Terpene Profile
Terpenes: oils secreted from trichome resin offering therapeutic properties while modulating how cannabinoids interact in the body. Also produced by other plants and fruits, terpenes help define strains' unique flavor, aroma and overall effect.
Cannabinoids: there are over 100 different types (some psychoactive, others not), among them THC and CBD. in the presence of terpenes, they offer therapeutic and medicinal benefits
4. Yield
Yield: the amount of cannabis obtained from a harvest. certain strains yield more flower than others, this can also be affected by differing growing practices and environmental conditions.
5. Crystallization, Shine, Trichome Production & Color
Trichomes are crystal, mushroom-shaped glands on the leaves and stems of the cannabis plant, acting as its defense mechanism against predators. They secrete cannabinoid and terpene-rich resin, giving buds their crystallized sparkle and shine.
6. Overall Flower Structure & Density
Dense cannabis buds often feel heavier than 'fluffy' nugs that tend to have a lower quality feel. firmer buds are an indication of top tier growing practices, higher potency and a considerable cannabinoid and terpene profile.
7. Aroma, Smokability, Effects & Flavor
The ‘entourage effect’ states that different cannabinoids in the presence of certain terpenes result in a unique set of aromas, flavors and effects—cannabinoids and terpenes work better together, contributing to a strain’s fragrance, flavor, smokability and experience.
Tell us about your sustainability efforts?
Part of our mission is to protect and appreciate the plant without harming the earth that produces it. A Golden State is the only carbon-neutral cultivation facility in the country, relying entirely on sustainable energy with a focus on hydroelectric power. 92% of our packaging comes from non-plastic, recyclable sources. We only use ethically sourced materials including recycled glass with tops made from ocean plastic.
We support sustainable global efforts such as tree planting in India, Kenya and Uganda, peatland restoration in Indonesia, and preservation and reforestation of the Brazilian Amazon providing clean cookstoves to impoverished communities in Honduras. We’re also thrilled to offer our very own vaporizer recycling program, allowing consumers to safely dispose of their A Golden State pens in a mindful, eco-friendly way.
Tell us about how you work for more social justice?
Diversity and inclusivity are key to our foundation. Our company is minority-owned and predominantly female-run. We are committed to elevating minority and gender equality efforts whenever and however possible.
We partnered with the ACLU SoCal to raise awareness regarding voter rights, criminal justice, and drug policy reform—for every jar sold, we donated 3% of proceeds to support ACLU SoCal’s efforts. our team also volunteered at their virtual outreach program to help educate about voter suppression and answer questions about voting rights, deadlines and locations.
We created limited edition ‘open your heart’ curated sets in honor of October's breast cancer awareness month. 100% of proceeds were donated to the California-based organization, Shades of Pink foundation, providing temporary monetary assistance to women experiencing financial distress as a result of their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
We aided local hospitals and underserved communities that were disproportionately impacted during the pandemic by donating PPE.
We also backed global relief efforts by donating to red cross, care and international medical corps in an effort to support the people of Ukraine during their heartbreaking fight against Russia.
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