Greetings!
First, I'd like to thank all of our repeat customers! As a breeder, there is no higher compliment or better "review" than purchasing again from us. Thank you!
I'm excited to report that I have 2 outdoor plots this year and 3 grow tents going! With 5 options, I will be able to make more breeding choices this year. For example, for the first time, I will be crossing plants from my high potency Legend line with my high CBD, low THC Balance line! I will also be able to keep the high THC strains that I have developed and released, including Class Clown, Irie TriStar, Irie Select, Breeder's Choice, Santa Sesh and Legend, isolated and moving forward. Exciting times!
Let's start at the beginning - I had excellent germination (99%) with all of my seed lines, using the CannKan germination unit. (Good news - the units are back in stock from the manufacturer!) It really makes a difference to keep seeds consistently moist and warm during germination. I've learned to leave germinated seeds in the unit until they begin to shed their hulls and inner membranes, which I carefully remove and place the sprouts in my seedling mix. I keep them moist with mist and a vented dome over the seedling tray.
I am renting a new 12'X24' plot at a certified organic farm. The area was a hay field, so I removed the sod and fertilized the plot with compost and Pro Hemp blended fertilizer from North Country Organics. The soil test showed 5.94% organic matter and good nutrient content.
I mulched the pathways with local wood chips, then mulched the entire plot with ground tree leaves from a neighbor's "mulch pit." (He sees it as waste - I see it as gold!)
A load of gold from the mulch mine!
It felt really good to get the seedlings in the ground, mulched and watered!
For the first time, I sent leaf samples to Farmer Freeman for sex testing. Since I grow regular seeds, knowing female from male plants early has allowed me to eliminate a number of male plants, while selecting the best males for planting. I will keep weeding out males, as the season progresses, selecting the most vigorous, true-to-type males with intense stem rub odors and numerous large male flowers to breed my girls.
I'm concentrating my "Balance" breeding program at the plot I established last year. I destroyed a nice rye cover crop, then fertilized the soil with compost and Pro Hemp. I laid a soaker hose, then covered the area with ground tree leaves. I will keep the best Balance and Balance II plants for line breeding, and maintain a few high THC girls at this plot for cross-breeding.
Here's one of my sex-tested Legend girls, looking healthy and vigorous!
An Irie TriStar girl, showing good growth for the end of May in New England!
A Balance II girl, off to a great start. Even though I don't sell a lot of the Balance line seeds, I am getting more orders and interest, due to the line's high CBD and low THC content, (around 4% each.)
Finally, as I have mentioned previously, I am working with other breeders and seed banks to change Federal law to keep cannabis seeds legal after a fast-approaching November 13, 2026, deadline, after which cannabis seeds would be listed as a Schedule I controlled substance. We have formed the American Seed Innovation and Growth Alliance (ASIGA.)
I encourage you to visit the ASIGA website and to contribute to the GoFundMe campaign to support our efforts. Thanks!
