By: Chris Carr
January 2018, I presented for a sold out audience in Capitola sharing an overview of the cannabis plant and how it interacts with our bodies. The audience was very diverse with experienced cannabis formulators to canna-curious baby boomers simply hoping to optimize their health. I was so lucky to follow up with key participants in their respective homes and continued the service of science based education and personalized consultations to fit their needs. This period inspired our team to take a chance and combine our energies towards the formal launch of Santa Cruz Center of Botanical Studies on May 6, 2018 exactly a year ago at the Santa Cruz Hilton. Our seed’s shell at the time softened by the waters of Community Support allowing a tap root to burst through.
Some of you may have participated in this Cannabis Synergy for Wellness course— such humble beginnings carving out a new space for cannabis education in our community. Each milestone we achieve together sets a new positive precedent to our hosts and collaborators to slowly remedy and reverse the negative stigma through professional seminars and events.
Throughout the Summer of 2018 The Center was invited to speak to varied groups of students shedding light on the business aspects of the new space for the Cabrillo College Horticulture Department to professionals in Tech with Santa Cruz New Tech’s CannTech gathering at the Jack O’Neil Lounge, another jam packed meetup that made a major impact and created new projects and employment opportunities in Santa Cruz. The seed of our work continued to stretch out the roots which began to fractal out, perfectly primed to plant in the soil which we did by the end of 2018.
On December 9, 2018, The Center sold out the Craft Cannabis Seminar— making a new mark on the wall of history providing the first cannabis seminar at the UCSC Arboretum. The talk has an emphasis on environmental and community stewardship. With any new opportunity, there is a chance for change and with any change comes responsibility to build a solid foundation cemented in the collective values of the community. Santa Cruz has continued to be a leader in progressive policies and beyond organic best practices and certifications. Our Craft Cannabis Seminar planted the seed of our work in the community soils of our audience and by the end of the evening, I could tell our seed had sprouted and inspired.
What started out as a seed of an idea had taken root here in Santa Cruz, providing new opportunities to collaborate with established businesses and groups like the Santa Cruz Cultural Tours.
To celebrate 4/20 this year The Center teamed up with three local compliant farms Bird Valley Organics, Coastal Sun and Lifted along with the fearless leader of the Santa Cruz Cultural Tours to make history launching the first Cannabis Agri-tourism event. The 420 Farm Tour is the first of a burgeoning new movement towards living soils and regional food systems seeing as all the farms grow food at the highest standards forced upon cannabis due to rigorous regulations. Our hope is that this new opportunity in Cannabis can push more traditional farmers to be more ecologically aligned and regenerative with their approach to farming. The work is not only focused on the new industry and crop that will continue to attract visitors and connoisseurs but must be deliberate in pushing beyond the status quo and striving for the highest good for our people and planet. Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food including the cannabis flower.
We are so thrilled to witness our seedling grow with all of your support and participation we will continue to care for this new creation and community shaping something that we all can be proud of and pass on to new generations that may never know prohibition or reefer madness. Together we are seizing this moment in history for the highest good serving the community first and the environment. Business leaders will cater to the demands of the consumers hence the need to hold space to educate our business community and network to find strategic partners with creative solutions that are challenging Santa Cruz.
Moving Forward
We hope you will join us May 18th at Seascape Resort. Your participation is crucial to our continued evolution as a leader in the space and luminary of ideas. It has been a privilege to connect with so many of you and I relish every day I can work with this special community and these powerful plants towards growing a better future for all. Thank you and looking forward to the California Cannabis Business Summit 2019 on May 18th at Seascape Resort. Please confirm your rsvp asap— this event will be a full house in one of the most beautiful venues on the Central Coast! https://events.sproutways.com/
Cheers to you and many more years!
-Christopher