With the prevalence of indoor mega-grows and decades of perceived preference for indoor cannabis, it’s easy to forget that plants are most at home outdoors, under the sun and moon, swaying in the breeze, rooted in the soil of Mother Earth.
Once upon a time, just about any American-grown cannabis was indoor. But that’s not because indoor cultivation is inherently better, it’s because growers had no other choice. Law enforcement helicopters loomed overhead, seeking farms to raid and throwing countless growers in federal prison. Back then, indoor was simply the safest way to grow.
But now that the laws are changing, so are growers’ options. Licensed commercial cultivators no longer have to fear getting hauled to prison for growing outside. And because of this, outdoor cultivation methods are evolving, and sungrown cannabis is finally having its moment, well, in the sun.
One of the biggest reasons many cannabis enthusiasts prefer sungrown is because it leaves a lighter carbon footprint, making it substantially better for the environment than indoor flower that utilizes immense amounts of electricity. But there are other reasons to choose sungrown cannabis.
Full spectrum sunlight assists in the development of THC, terpenes and flavonoids, leading to higher terps and cannabinoid levels, increased flavor, and enhancing the entourage effect for a more complex and balanced high. Plus, it’s a lot easier for sungrown cultivators to produce organic cannabis that’s free of pesticides since outdoor plants are naturally more resilient to pests and better equipped to resist mold and mildew.
But as the legal landscape has evolved, so have outdoor cultivation methods. Today some sungrown cannabis has gone beyond organic, using regenerative farming methods that actually improve the land.
Sun+Earth is a certification that designates specific sungrown brands as “above and beyond organic.” According to their website, “Sun+Earth certifies that cannabis brands are holistically, responsibly, and regeneratively grown for the well-being of all people, farmers, and the planet,” while opposing “any practice harmful to growers or Mother Earth.”
Cannabis certified by Sun+Earth is grown by farmers who use regenerative farming practices, such as “building soil quality through mulching, crop rotation, and reduced tillage.” The growers enhance soil fertility by strategically using “cover crops, compost, compost teas, and homemade plant ferments derived from local resources.” And all their brands operate in harmony with Sun+Earth’s holy trinity: caring for the earth, fair treatment and wages for workers, and community involvement.
And there’s never been a better time to support craft cannabis farmers. Despite promises to protect small growers, California’s state regulators are on the verge of regulating them out of existence. Sun+Earth founded the Weed Like Change campaign to raise awareness and garner support for sungrown, regenerative farms and their certified brands.
Cannabis consumers now have the ability to choose products that are grown under natural conditions and optimized to be healthy for their bodies and good for the environment, with the added benefit of knowing their purchase supports fairness for workers and enhances the community the cannabis is grown in.
Sun+Earth is more than just outdoor organic. It’s cannabis that’s been lovingly cultivated with Mother Earth in mind and consumer health at heart. Not just grown in the sun – this cannabis is kissed by the sun.
