OCTOBER 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


33


Summerland growers cultivate best practices for cannabis Boosting


genetics of legal seeds key to quality weed growth


by SUSAN MCIVER


SUMMERLAND – Summerland growers Jeff Thorne and Erin Lang are expanding the concept of diversification in agriculture with the production of cannabis as well as vegetables. A city kid from Kelowna,


Thorne’s introduction to agriculture came as a teenager working in the vineyards at Summerhill Pyramid Winery. He eventually became a


A major focus of the work is better understanding the genetics of cannabis plants, including how to make them resistant to pests and to increase the level of active ingredients. Typically strains of cannabis plants used for medical purposes are high in compounds called cannabinoids and low in THC, the psychoactive ingredient associated with recreational use. “We bred the plants


ourselves from seeds we purchased on legal international markets,” Thorne says.


Thorne’s expertise is in demand by large


multinational cannabis firms for which he serves as a consultant. He is also working with


Erin Lang and Jeff Thorne of Jive Turkey Gardens. SUSAN MCIVER PHOTO


production manager and later a sales agent. In the early 2000s, he joined his


brother’s Kelowna construction firm which specialized in building cannabis production facilities. In 2013, Thorne and Lang


purchased eight acres and began growing under the name Jive Turkey Gardens. Today, they have two acres planted in ground crops, two large climate-controlled greenhouses and a


small greenhouse producing microgreens including baby lettuce, pea shoots and sunflower sprouts. Other crops include dozens of varieties of heirloom and field tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, melons and potatoes. Thorne and Lang plan to scale up their operation to include more high-value items such as raspberries and strawberries. The produce sells at Summerland’s


farmer’s market each Sunday and also supplies Craft Corner Kitchen in Penticton.


While the couple have worked hard to expand, perhaps their most innovative venture to date is Sweet Valley Cannabis Inc., a consulting firm that operates a licensed research garden for users of medical cannabis. “We are not a dispensary and we do not sell cannabis,” Thorne explains.


Grower’s Supply Co. and Goodwin’s Greenhouses in Abbotsford to develop a production guide which will


eventually be available to the public. The guide will outline best


practices, informing readers of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to grow high-quality plants. “We also want to ensure that the cannabis is safe for patients. That includes no pesticides and no fungicides used in production,” he says.


THE STRATEGY OF BLUE KARAT – THE IDEAL CHOICE FOR MAXIMUM VERSATILITY


Primary tillage, seedbed preparation, deep mixing or ripping. The Karat can do it all in one pass, leaving your fi eld ready to plant. Switching between diff erent share types was never easier thanks to the famous LEMKEN quick change system. It allows you to equip the Karat for your strategic tillage application.


 The combination of point and guideboard ensures intensive mixing and good crumbling


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7 share types in diff erent versions for working depths from 2’’ to 13’’


Now with 0% Financing Off er ends October 31, 2017. Conditions apply.


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