For decades, Cannabis has been associated with free thinkers, beatniks, and hippies; as a result, it is primarily considered a green (no pun intended) industry by the masses. However, many may not realize that the Cannabis industry has never really been that sustainable. With the commercialization of Cannabis, the industry continues to move in the wrong direction in many parts of the country. It should be stated that the initiative to go green or produce Cannabis commercially is no small task and is often highly challenging to achieve financially and logistically. .
Despite these difficulties, the symbiotic relationship between Gonzo Farms, LLC CEO Chris Gonzales and the Sacred Garden CEO Zeke Shortes challenges the organic and sustainable patterns of contemporary manufacturers and dispensaries.
After spending some time with Gonzales, Shortes, and General Manager/Jack of All Trades Kent Little, it is clear that this group is dedicated both to Cannabis and to the planet. They have spearheaded initiatives to improve sustainability practices within their facilities, both for indoor and outdoor/greenhouse cultivation, not to mention implementing a fully “Organic Edible Kitchen” facility in Santa Fe. At NM Cann, this makes us hopeful for the continued acceleration of the market and its sustainable practices.
Gonzo Farms has more than 15 years of combined expertise devoted to plants’ superior growth and is dedicated to formulating world-class blends of fertilizer. These fully organic fertilizers and nutrients can enhance production for small-scale farming or large-scale commercial applications. All of the “Gonzo Products” have been and continue to be researched at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos (LANL), NM – a world-renowned research facility. It cannot be overstated how meaningful the relationship with Los Alamos Labs is when it comes to environmental studies. Although LANL has its own set of challenges to maintain sustainability (see 2021 “Site Sustainability Plan” for “Rapidly Changing and Growing Mission”), it is no secret that the environmental studies programs at the labs are always in full swing and on top of the world (quite literally) of collecting data and helping other industries to stay focused on environmentally friendly practices to the best of their capacity.
For over 10 years, Shortes and Sacred Garden have felt operations of all sizes strive to grow better plants with fewer inputs and a tighter bottom line. The symbiotic relationship between Shortes and Gonzales directly results from a lack of nutrient manufacturers that take sustainability seriously. Some fertilizer manufacturers have taken note, striving to produce formulas that increase plant efficiency and multitask. Many of these organic options earned a negative reputation, prompting growers to opt for conventional products and formulas. While the lack of information about how to effectively use organic fertilizers contributed to this stigma, there were other factors at play, such as lack of consistency and performance.
It’s important to remember that many organic and quasi-organic products on the market are waste materials being disposed of and labeled organic at a low cost. Fortunately, some companies such as Gonzo Farms are changing this low-quality perception by manufacturing products that meet the industry standards and utilizing professional testing and mixing facilities to ensure that consistency of nutrients does not sway one way or the other. At Gonzo Farms, a 15-year research initiative helped Chris Gonzales understand and implement the benefits and limitations of organic nutrient processes.
Speaking with Zeke one on one, it is clear that he feels that despite the “organic category’s” increasing reliability and popularity, few growers are shifting to fully certified organic facilities. Many companies have noticed that due to the challenges of maintaining such a controlled environment, the growers who sell Cannabis are mainly the ones who focus on certified-organic products. The Sacred Garden team is passionate about their proven test results of no heavy metals or chemicals in their products – materials like such are found in some of the cannabis companies throughout New Mexico.
“Organic is still kind of a loose term,” said Shortes. In terms of plant production, organic refers to natural, sustainable, environmentally friendly products, which is a growing trend. Some people mistake or combine organic certification and organic. It all depends on what you’re growing, and with Cannabis, it’s essential to know the difference.
In addition to the call for sustainable products, Chris Gonzales feels that fertilizer manufacturers need to notice the increasing demand for products that enhance the plant’s natural processes. These products are relatively new to the greenhouse market, but many have supported specialty agriculture for years.
As locally grown Cannabis continues to entice the end consumer, cannabis industry professionals will have to meet the needs of the people with buying power.
Many fertilizer experts see this as a trend that is not only here to stay but will get more sophisticated over time, and Gonzo Farms is no exception. The focus on sustainability isn’t limited to fertilizer materials. Most growers want to incorporate sustainable practices across the board, which can be financially and logistically challenging. It’s also true that products that multitask and limit waste tend to boost an operation’s bottom line, too.
From my experience, any greenhouse grower that operates is a grower first and foremost, but they’re also savvy business people. I’ve come to see that growers are likely to use one product that can accomplish multiple goals when it makes sense. When I reflect on conversations and business ventures I have been involved in outside of the cannabis industry, I can’t help but feel like we in the industry are seen as non-business savvy.
However, when I decide to delve into the complexities of running facilities and cultivation operations, people’s ears always perk up with surprise and shock that we would consider all of these traditional manufacturing and business practices daily. Part of our mission here at NM Cann is to work with the community to help normalize the cannabis space and educate non-patients and people who would like to address the concerns and questions they have but may feel as though they’re not getting answers.
One thing is for sure – the example being set at Sacred Garden for the relationship between a cultivator and an owner of a cannabis company should be used as a model for new and existing Cannabis operations.
