Breaking Barriers with Cherry Blossom Belle

Marge** ((((((((((((((((((((((((((00:00:05)))))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Welcome back friends. You're listening to episode 258 where I sit down with Cherry Blossom Belle. Welcome to the Faces of Cannabis interview series, where we take a break from talking about edibles and focus on the people behind the plant. Whether it's fellow podcasters, bartenders, Ganjier, advocates, cultivators, cannabis lovers all have their stories to share and I want to share them with you. If you're unfamiliar with Cherry Blossom Belle, you won't be after this conversation. She was an apprentice of Frenchy Connolly, a master hash maker, and not only has she perfected the art of making hash, she is the lead hash maker at Heritage Hash Co in California. But she's so much more than a hash maker. She's a connoisseur, an educator, a martial artist. Bell has seen much in her days in the cannabis industry. We cover a lot in this episode, including how she first met Frenchy, her experience living abroad, her culinary background that translates directly to hash making, how she's handled being a woman in a male dominated industry, and how she fosters collaboration instead of competition.

Speaker 00:01:14** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Without further ado, please enjoy this conversation. No, it looks like we're already recording and it didn't count down for me, but that's okay. Hello everyone. Listeners have Bite Me the show but edibles. I'm really excited to be joined today by Belle Cherry Blossom Belle as she's known as online. And I was just hoping you could start out by telling us a little bit about yourself, Belle, and saying hello to everyone listening through Bite Me.

Speaker 00:01:46** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. Hi, everyone. yeah. So my name is Cherry Blossom Belle, and, where do I even begin? so, you know, I grew up overseas. I came to the United States when I was 20 years old. Or I should, I should say I came back. I was born here in the United States, But, I'm a military kid. So I left when I was really young, and I came back when I was 20 years old. but my brother at the time, Leo, he was already up in Mendocino. He had just got out of the military.

Speaker 00:02:23** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - messed them up a little bit. So he found solace. You know, he went to seek salt. You know, he went to seek a little peace with, you know, growing cannabis up here in Mendocino. And, and then I actually he invited me to a High Times Cup. I didn't hear from him or see from. No one heard anything. He was just gone. He was gone in the mountains. And, he came down one time and invited, invited me and my oldest brother to come see him at the High Times Cup. He had just won some award and that award was actually the Emerald Cup. He won the breeder the Breeders Cup for his black lime reserve at the time. And that's actually where he met Frenchy. And Frenchy, became his official hash maker. and that's where. And that High Times cup is where I met Frenchy, because him and Frenchy were at. Had a booth at that High Times club, the aficionado booth. And you know, here I am, coming from a country where you pretty much get hung for cannabis.

Speaker 00:03:26** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And I was a big fan of cannabis. So, of course, coming to this High Times Cup was like, you know, unheard of. You know, this is something that you, you only dream of in a country that I come from And so walking into this high Times cut, people were throwing joints and like there were so many free. It was the days of all the free samples. Ever. Always. Just so many free samples and dabs and hash and bong rips. People had bongs on the table so you can smoke their flower. And, I went to this was during like, that heady culture time, you know, like a lot of heady glass, a lot of the goo and like the goo art and like that, that, that period. And, But Leo, when I came up to his booth, he had he had presented it like, fine wine or like cannabis, you know, like fine wine or cigars. He had his menus. He had a jewelry case.

Speaker 00:04:23** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - He had an oriental carpet and two leather chairs. It was like, oh, cool. So above his, so beyond his time. And there was Frenchy smoking people out with his three hole ball, looking in his silk shirt, just looking like, fantastic. And that's where I got my first hit of hashish. And, you know, long story short, I ended up joining my brother because, you know, like, I, you can't walk away from a this guy had 20 foot by eight foot plants like our six feet, I would say they're about six feet by like about almost 20ft. I would say like maybe 17 rowers dream. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, oh, I'm here. I'm I'm ready. So I became a farmhand. And that's where Frenchy offered me to be as apprentice, because he had this beautiful vision of the hash being made by the family, you know, with the genetics. bred by the family, grown by the family, processed by the family still rings true to this day for ultimate quality people who can have the ability to achieve that.

Speaker 00:05:30** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - It's quite a feat. So Frenchy wasn't wrong. so yeah, I moved in with him and his wife and I traveled with them and, and, taught workshops and we produced. You know, hash on the, on the market and, under the Frenchy economy brand officially. So I produce the hash for the Frenchy. You can only brand with Frenchy alongside him and then present day. Now I'm the lead hash maker and director of manufacturing at Heritage Hash Co. And we are a micro business, so we are a retail location, but we're also the world's first public cannabis hatchery. So you can see the hash being made behind our window from our retail area. So we'll do the wave and everything just hey there, you know, then we're open. Yeah. We're also open consumption too. So for anyone coming up to the redwoods or a, you know, where two hours north of San Francisco and anyone coming to the Emerald Triangle, we're basically in the gateway of the Emerald Triangle, and we have the nicest bathrooms on the 101.

Speaker 00:06:39** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So that's that's probably a huge draw for all those folks.

Speaker 00:06:45** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Have a nice bathroom.

Speaker 00:06:46** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. Yeah I mean that's that's important. That's a that's important. But it sounds like it was all happenstance, like just the way that you and your brother and Frenchy all came together like, this. Sounds like it was totally meant to be. And you mentioned his your brother's display at this emerald cup, and how ahead of his time he was, because I know Frenchie really tried to instill a lot of that. Like, I took the Ganjier program and they were really about sort of elevating the whole experience and appreciating fine cannabis and, you know, comparing it to wine and cigar industry. So that's really cool that that all worked out that way. And you mentioned that you're a military kid, so you must have moved around quite a bit. I understand that you lived in Japan for ten years. And how did that shape your perspective of cannabis? Because I imagine that was one of the places where cannabis was very illegal.

Speaker 00:07:38** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Oh my gosh. Yeah. I mean, so I would say like cannabis in Japan and where I lived, like most of the countries that I lived was, just highly illegal, like you. Really. Okay, first of all, okay. So you really had to know somebody in Japan, you know, and, and the other countries I live to, you know, you really had to be well connected in order to find any kind of because it's like serious contraband. And even as a kid, you know, I grew up kind of in a Catholic military household in Japan. On top of it, it's super, super.

Speaker 00:08:28** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Trifecta right.

Speaker 00:08:29** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - There. Yeah, Yeah. So I mean, it's considered super contraband and you really have to know somebody. and also, I was a kid. Okay. So I'm, you know, by the time I was even slightly curious, I was probably 13 years old, maybe getting into, like, 13, 14, 15 somewhere around there. I know that that's when, like, my friends were a little curious about it too.

Speaker 00:08:56** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But I was still in Japan and like, it is so expensive. We just we don't have that kind of money as a kid. You don't have that. You don't have. You barely have money to buy snacks at the store. Like, we're not we're not buying weed. We're not. We're definitely not buying weed. But, you know, it did shape my little. Did I know how Japan, though, you know, even though, you know, I actually I was in Southeast Asia when I started smoking cannabis. Even more illegal to hang you there.

Speaker 00:09:29** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah.

Speaker 00:09:30** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Like. Wow. So. And at that point, I was pretty okay. I was connected to somebody who got some really good stuff from Thailand, and it was so good. It was so good. It was some of the best stuff. Until this day. I don't remember laughing, as I've never laughed as much and ate so much. I could eat a table of food, but I little did I know you know, even though it was like super contraband in Japan that I would be like like the cultural nuances I picked up had a lot to do with how my family and I approached, like, craft cannabis, like along with Frenchie, because I told you Frenchy lived in Japan as well.

Speaker 00:10:10** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Frenchy lived in Japan at the same time. I lived in Japan. So Frenchy and Kimberly, his wife, both lived and they lived in Tokyo. I lived in Yokohama. I was a little, little kid at the time. Frenchy was a fashion designer. He designed stingray handbags. and I'm convinced my mom might have met him because my mom's friend bought one of his bags. I remember seeing the stingray bag they were all crazy about, you know, like, and Frenchy had his tech where he died. The stingray, rather than painted the stingray, because you can't paint it or chip. You have to dye stingray skin. so, you know, he had used the leather from Cartier watches, like, beautiful, beautiful. I still have one of his belts he gave me, but I seen his ad in a magazine. I was riding the train and my mom brought a magazine home and there was a picture of Frenchy, and he was holding a camera, like, to his face and smiling.

Speaker 00:11:05** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And as a kid, you don't see a lot of Caucasian people in advertisements. And I rode that train all the time. It was on the JR line. It was a little advertisement. I asked him later in life. I was like, did you have an advertisement on the JR line? And he was like, I did.

Speaker 00:11:19** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Ha ha ha.

Speaker 00:11:20** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That's a whole I saw you with your camera because he showed me that picture. So, so funny. But we both picked up, you know, this, this whole thing of how, you know, how they approach things, the cleanliness. You know, cleanliness is something you grow up knowing and you, you just have. It's really hard to teach. You can teach actions of cleanliness, but it's hard to teach the mentality of cleanliness, so that's kind of one thing. Frenchy and I both really saw eye to eye and shaped our craft was cleanliness, organization, you know, the mentality of organization and the all these mentalities. Patience. You know, you never see.

Speaker 00:11:59** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Rarely do you see. Maybe nowadays more. But rarely did you ever see like a a Japanese person just honking at someone on the road. Just move. Get out of the way. You know, rarely they're so polite and patient, and they'll wait days for you. And, you know, honesty. You know, I've. I've left my bag on the train in Japan. There were still about 12 stops, and they don't check the train until the 12th. You know, the last stop and my bag was still on the seat. Had all all my money, my my IDs, my passport, my camera was expensive camera, and no one touched it because that's just how they are. They're just like not they're things. They're not going to have that karma come on them. So that whole thing of honest practice, being honest and having honor, honor in your like, work and being respectful to to people. those are some of the really, like, cornerstones of the Japanese or Asian culture in general.

Speaker 00:12:55** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And I think that's why a lot of the martial arts, I'm a martial artist, so it's why a lot of martial arts stem from from that area. It's that same kind of like patient, you know, cleanliness, organization, patience, honesty, honor, respect.

Speaker 00:13:11** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So you were able to bring all of that into your work in the cannabis scene as well, because I guess they also have a lot of ritual. I think of like tea ceremonies, because I understand some of those can be incredibly complicated and beautiful. And then that would lend itself well to to the ritual of enjoying cannabis or your hash or whatever the case might be. But yeah, I also understand, speaking of tea ceremonies, this is, you know, I'm trying to make a connection here, but you also have a culinary background, and I, I, I think it was Kimberly that told me that Frenchy had one as well, or just that even in French culture, they seem to have a better understanding of palate from a younger age.

Speaker 00:13:49** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But can you talk about your culinary background and how this influences your work?

Speaker 00:13:53** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. Of course. so Frenchy and I both worked in the restaurant industry. Obviously not together, you know, different, different points. You know, he worked he worked, kind of in the Berkeley area at a restaurant for a while, and, Berkeley, California. And I worked in Southeast Asia in a restaurant. and it was like a kind of. We did local dishes, like local Southeast Asian dishes, but we were close to the military base, so we had to do American like English dishes as well. So, like fish and chips and burgers and grilled cheese and like, but also like we had to do walk stuff. So we had to do fried rice. We had to do mee goreng, we had to do a bunch of like, you know, Asian stir fry. but that culinary like, were revived was Frenchy when, when he asked me to be his apprentice or asked if I was interested to be his apprentice, he asked me when I was on my brother's farm.

Speaker 00:14:53** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - the first thing he asked me was to come to his workshop. So I went to his workshop in San Francisco, started just where everyone else normally starts. Like I always tell people that when they come to my class, I started right where they were. I came to his workshop and I saw how he approached his craft a lot like how a chef in a michelin rated restaurant approaches their craft again with the cleanliness, cleaning as you go, respect for your tools, respect for your ingredients. You know, Frenchie had a deep understanding of his technique, his timing and his ingredients. And, I think I mentioned this when you were at the class, but there's Anthony Bourdain, you know, world renowned food critic. He commented on a master sushi chef in Japan named Jiro. And he has a documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi. And the documentary. Yeah. Okay, so you're familiar with it? And Anthony Bourdain commented on Jiro Sushi and said, what separates a $30 plate of sushi from a $300 plate of sushi is only three things.

Speaker 00:15:58** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - It's technique, timing, and ingredients. And it translates exactly the same into hash making. It's your your technique and your timing and your ingredients. And Frenchy, just like a chef, had a deep appreciation and respect for all three things. And we really vibed on that. And, when, when I started apprenticing with him, the way we kind of worked was very like a very much like a kitchen. Like, I can see that he was ready for the next thing. He didn't need to verbalize. Like, we just know what was going on in the kitchen. So it was great. Like we could work without talking. I mean, we would talk about other things. We talked about life, you know, just all kinds of life stuff. But our funny stuff or sports or something, you know, but we wouldn't be talking about the process because we, we had that symbiosis of like a culinary. We really got it. We understood it. We ran it like a kitchen. Right?

Speaker 00:16:50** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I love that analogy too, because it makes it really approachable for people as well, when they're starting to learn the craft themselves.

Speaker 00:16:55** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And because those elements that you mentioned are, you know, when you think of cleaning as you go and cleanliness and these types of things, these are things that you can easily add to your own process without having to buy a new equipment or.

Speaker 00:17:09** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Absolutely.

Speaker 00:17:09** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I mean, maybe changing your starting plant material might make a difference, but if you don't have optional stuff, you can still make a great product with these other things, and you don't necessarily need a bigger machine, or are these other, other things that that aren't necessarily going to actually help in the end product, but know.

Speaker 00:17:29** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, you can bake a pie at home. You can bake a pie in a commercial setting. Yeah. Yeah. It's the same thing. You can make cash at home, or you can make it in a commercial setting, too. It's just like you can.

Speaker 00:17:42** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Still have, like, a beautiful product at the end, regardless of where you're working from, with these same sort of techniques and rituals that, you know, at the.

Speaker 00:17:51** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - End of the day, you're just processing an agricultural product. And that's what I usually that's like my actual legal title. If you really want to get technical, I'm an agricultural processing consultant. I'm a service provider. I don't actually grow the material myself. So I provide the service of processing somebody's material for them, whether it be my own company or the farmer. But it's the same thing if you're processing your tomatoes from your garden and you're making salsa or tomato sauce, you're still doing it at home, but you're still processing an agricultural product. It's the same thing if you look at it in that that way is like, oh, you know, I'm just simply separating the heads from the plant matter. It's just like making tomato sauce from your garden. Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah.

Speaker 00:18:41** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So you learned your craft through Frenchy, and, I mean, what better teacher there was? I don't know, I don't think there is one, but I really get the sense that Frenchy, who wanted to empower people and be really inclusive with his knowledge, because you can you don't have to attend a workshop to learn everything.

Speaker 00:18:57** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - You can just go on YouTube and look it up in your preferred language. Probably. What do you think gave Frenchie such a progressive mindset, and how do you find yourself continuing that legacy in your work now?

Speaker 00:19:10** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So I think what gave Frenchy a progressive mindset, unfortunately to start, was he had a hard childhood. and in the nature of and I'm not, I am not saying anything towards anybody who has any religious affiliation. I'm just stating like Frenchy's experience as a child, he went to Catholic school, where they were far from nurturing. Let's just say they were far from nurturing and believed heavily in corporal punishment. Right. and that's very Frenchy, unfortunately. You know, a light a and this is a light example of the trauma this, this man went through. But you know, the, the the common slapping the kids on the hands with the ruler on, you know, they put their hands on the desk and slap it with the stick or the ruler, you know, corporal punishment like that, really pushed, you know, they think they're trying to scare them into a belief.

Speaker 00:20:03** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But push actually did quite the opposite and pushed this man far, far, far, far away. So far, far into the mountains of Nepal. You know, like that's how far that man went. He left you with the hippie route. He just. And that that's the whole thing, is he just went diving. He became. He went. He worked at Club Med. You know, Club Med is a big club and like a resort in the Mediterranean. So he worked at Club Med for a while, and then he raved on the beaches of Goa. And when you live that life and you travel through countries like that, you really realise, like you really see the world, you really understand like people and happiness and like, like being humble and humility and really like accepting everybody. You really have to, especially if you're traveling in their country, traveled through India, up into Nepal. he traveled some places in the Middle East and that those are no areas where anyone should ever kind of, like, you have to be loving and accepting of the people who are feeding you and helping you get from point A to point B.

Speaker 00:21:20** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That's all Frenchy he had was the people who got him to point A to point B on his journey, which were the locals. And you learn to love them and love their life and who they are, and you see that in your world. So, He Frenchy, he never liked things that only certain classes of people or only certain types of people can participate in, like. And a lot is like again, maybe that comes stems from the Catholic Church, a little bit of like you have to be Catholic to participate in this kind of thing or what parish do you come from kind of thing. Or if you don't come from a parish, it's like not Catholic though, right? Yeah. It's like, oh God, so intense. But like so I think it stems from that a little bit. But he never liked things that excluded people. He wanted everybody to be included. And he understood. the basic like this plant belongs to everyone. It's a plant. Everyone is entitled to knowledge. And and it's kind of like how we evolve as humans.

Speaker 00:22:20** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - We in order for us to evolve like our, our consciousness, and and just to evolve like our data and knowledge on this, it has to be talked about and shared. So, so like it's very simple, you know, but it's weird. It's interesting how people can't, you know, comprehend something as simple, like a really simple thing. But I think, you know, traveling and, and those worldly experiences really open frenchy's kind of like third eye to that, so to speak. Right?

Speaker 00:22:51** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, yeah. And I really love that because it's refreshing. I feel like in a world where, I mean, the world that we're more familiar with right now tends to be a little more competitive and capitalist. So it's sort of you gatekeeper information so you can make money from it. And that's a very different approach. And that's why I think Frenchy has such a, a fan base of people who who really appreciated the way he did things because it's so different, even though everything you're saying makes a lot of sense, like it is a plant that is shared by it should be shared by all the people.

Speaker 00:23:23** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So why gate keep that information? But you know, when we lived in a capitalist world, everyone was trying to make a buck, I guess. So.

Speaker 00:23:32** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, it's pretty easy to.

Speaker 00:23:33** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Fall into that trap, which is again, why it's so refreshing. But. So you were working with Frenchy, hosting workshops, and you've now host these workshops yourself with Kimberly. and have you found, like, were there any challenges that you had to confront while working in this cannabis industry?

Speaker 00:23:55** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. You know, okay, so with with the workshops, the only thing I can think of is just like the legal status between like, varies between state to state or country to country. when it came to the workshops, I know that Frenchy and Kim are very much for as as, as rebellious as they are, as their spirits are. I think they're very aware of the repercussions to of even like. I mean, even giving information in the wrong countries can get you arrested. Handing out a pamphlet in the wrong country can get you arrested in jail time, right? they're very worldly people, so they're they're they have such a deep awareness of the kind of the legal area, like the legality and like the repercussions.

Speaker 00:24:48** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So that's that limits where we can go. Unfortunately, we only can really access places that, that we're not going to get super arrested for, for, for showing people, you know, just doing a little demo. So that's just been the biggest challenge altogether with getting knowledge out there is the accessibility. and but you know, and traveling and expenses. But that's, that's that's so minute. So minor compared to, you know, we don't really like Kimberly and I and Frenchy, you know, we were always willing to do whatever it takes for the workshops, whether we have to take those really like late flights for, for to, to accommodate like a cheaper flight, especially the further we go the more expensive. So. those are the only challenges. They're not even that's not even really a challenge because we're always willing to do what it takes. It's really just the legality of preventing us from going certain places. We wish we could access more places. I think that's the biggest challenge. right? But in the industry in general, like outside of the workshops, you know, when you're participating in this industry, we especially here in the United States, we we don't have banking or we didn't have banking for a long time, like we just got banking in California.

Speaker 00:26:03** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And, and so that means no loans, you know, that means people have to find private investors and And unfortunately, my story and Frenchy's story in a lot of other people's story in this industry is, you know, a lot of relationships not don't end up working out, because of needing to seek private investors or finance issues. But a lot of relationships don't work out due to, creative attachments or personal agendas, which neither really have anything to do with the plot itself.

Speaker 00:26:36** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Right. Yeah, that's more business, I guess.

Speaker 00:26:39** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, sometimes I guess, you know, breeders will get it. The creative attachment does come to the plant sometimes with, with, with certain things. But, you know, I think that's the biggest challenge for like being in the cannabis industry is not getting the support from the government, not getting the support, you know, but, you know, nobody wants to like you until until they like you, until you're convenient for them.

Speaker 00:27:04** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Right? Yeah. And then you have to put in all that hard work and then maybe they'll consider it because it's a it's remarkable to me that, I mean, how long is California been legal for recreational recreationally.

Speaker 00:27:15** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And they're you're just getting like banking now. That's pretty crazy.

Speaker 00:27:21** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. Long time, you know, It's like we're there. We're there tolerating us. Like we're still the delinquent bad children. But they're tolerating us because we make money. But like. Like they're like, because you're bad. We're going to make you pay us even more, right? We're just friends.

Speaker 00:27:41** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Because they're also like, California's big in the wine industry. Yeah, and that seems to be okay.

Speaker 00:27:46** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But, yeah, there's a lot of lobbying. There's a lot of yeah, like I said, there's a lot of personal agendas, there's a lot of lobbying. And unfortunately, California's government isn't around the best like a lot of people's governments. Everyone has. I'm preaching to the choir. You know, there's a lot of people out there who don't agree with their leadership, but it comes down to mismanagement of funds to, you know, mismanagement of my taxes. I think in my neighborhood I just saw a whole new fleet of police cars.

Speaker 00:28:15** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I was livid, I was livid, I was like, you guys just got new cars like five years ago. And those aren't like the base price for those Fords. You know, the base price for that type of Ford is $75,000. They got a fleet of maybe 6 to 10 of those cars in the two towns. These nice, fancy black and blue police cars. I was like, that's my money, right? It's like that. All my money goes to that. I was like, you don't need a new police car, dude. What we need is like home ec. What we need is wood shop and auto shop and. Yeah, and food for kids skills school. Yeah.

Speaker 00:28:54** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Basic skills and stuff. Yeah, yeah. It's always interesting to see how politicians decide to manage the money because it's yeah, hopefully the new cars. It's in my mind hard to justify that that case, but they must have managed to do something. But the personal agendas too. Yeah. You need a.

Speaker 00:29:12** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - New armed squad car in Mendocino. Dude, we're in the redwoods, right?

Speaker 00:29:17** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, that's an even better point. In Mendocino, it's,

Speaker 00:29:20** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Oakland maybe. Okay, Oakland is a little scary sometimes, not going to lie. You know, Oakland, but, you know Mendocino. You don't need to know a whole new fleet of squad cars. Come on now and then. But we still have problems in our school. That's where the issue is, is like I if you told me the taxes that I were paying, we're going to the schools, I question it. I wouldn't look twice. I'd be like, oh that's dope. Okay, cool. Like fine. Like it's going to something I truly believe in. I'm not mad that, you know, almost $400 every check gets taken out. Yeah.

Speaker 00:29:53** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, nobody really likes that, that's for sure.

Speaker 00:29:56** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - No. And to know that it's going to their squad cars. Yeah. I was like oh that like it, it really like started a fire in me.

Speaker 00:30:04** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I was like, man I really got to like start seeing like how we can really make a change here cause that's really I'm really not okay with that.

Speaker 00:30:11** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Now. I'm curious too, because you have been working, like in the hash industry for quite some time. You've been doing the workshops, you've been traveling. Have you had to overcome any challenges when it comes to dealing with the fact that cannabis is still a pretty male dominated industry?

Speaker 00:30:28** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. Yeah, I, I think that, you know, I would be lying if I. I'd be lying if I didn't say. People would assume like I was frenchy's, assistant or his secretary, but he would stand up for me each time and correct them and tell him. Tell them like, straight up, like, oh, she's not my assistant. She's my apprentice. and so, you know, I, I've come to find that, yes, there can be actually sexism. Sexism on both sides. I've have awareness around that. I think statistically us women unfortunately get kind of the heavier end of that.

Speaker 00:31:11** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - but it's not you know, I think guys have a really bad I think us ladies have to actually give a little bit more love to the guys in the cannabis industry, believe it or not, because like there are a lot more. There's a I've noticed a lot more recognition and love and respect to women who are killing it from men in the industry. More, more so more and more, you know. and so I think that that's, that's, you know, it's also they might feel a little of that sexism too, of, of like, not like they're not all sexist jerks, you know, and, you know, loving girls in bikinis smoking. at the camera. You know, it's like not all of them are like that. And I guess it's like the like I said, I've told you to you this, but it's like who I choose to surround. The men I choose to surround myself with as well are in this in this world, you know, it's they're, they're, they're they're loving, they're kind, they're respectful.

Speaker 00:32:10** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Frenchie is a great example. You know, Frenchy was so loving, kind, respectful. Honest. of course, my partner Cody, you know, my lab, the my friend, my really good friend Richard, who runs the lab with me. One of the most respectful, human beings ever. So I, I surround myself with really good, respectful people. But then it gets complicated because sometimes women don't set it up easy for success, because sometimes there's this expectation that that we put on ourselves of, like, we have to be in a bikini or damn near naked, blowing smoke at the camera in order to find validation. Love, respect. more so, and, it's a fine line because there's, there's there's self-expression, which, like, who's the judge? Like, if that makes someone feel good. And that's how they want to express themselves. I'm not one to be like, you can express yourself, you know? But yeah. So that's like really? But then it sets kind of like unknowing, I think, without knowing or being super conscious of it, these girls also set a false expectation for, especially if they're super popular.

Speaker 00:33:25** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - They set a false expectation of what us women kind of have to be amount to. And sometimes men kind of might feel like, oh, like, that's kind of a woman they should probably aim to have right at the same time. And it's like, so there's a lot of kind of like complications with that. but who's to say, you know, it's like I said, there's there's a lot of moving parts that makes that super complicated, that, like, where, where women, you know, we, we like we want to self express ourselves and we want to, like, live it in the moment and be the beautiful queens that we are, you know. Yes, we have that moment, girl. So sometimes I'm like, yeah, get it, live it. But at the same time, you know, I just want to encourage women to because we set ourselves up for that sexism too. It's, you know, if you want to put yourself out like that, it's kind of like, well, of course, you know, a certain type of reaction or an intention is going to come.

Speaker 00:34:35** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And if you weren't liking that attention, it's like, well, maybe that's not the kind of, attention you should put to it. But, you know, I. But, you know, there's like, Mila, you know, there's other women expressing themselves because, like, I've noticed, like a change in the attitude over time in the cannabis industry. Like its. I can argue that it's a lot easier to be in a woman in the cannabis industry than it is to be in the the, the sales world, the business world, like Wolf of Wall Street kind of life. Right? sales quotas coming back to the office, having to do sales quotas. I've lived that life before. And like, you get hazed if you didn't get, like, like certain sales quota, you know, like that Wolf of Wall Street thing. That's real.

Speaker 00:35:28** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That's so super competitive. That sounds really competitive.

Speaker 00:35:31** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, yeah. And they they don't rate the men in the business world are not respectful to women like that rarely, you know, or contracting rarely do you see a woman in that contract labor intensive work contracting world.

Speaker 00:35:45** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So when a woman is in that position it's it it's it's it's hard and it's like she's never going to be seen as an equal no matter. She has to do three times, sometimes three times the work in order to get noticed. But in the cannabis world, I find like we don't have it that bad. I mean, it depends on who you surround yourself with. Yeah, if you surround yourself with with those really bad men. Well, yeah. But well, there's also these guys that are just killing it and so loving, so respectful and like they come from being part of the plant growing, the plant loving. And that's what.

Speaker 00:36:20** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I wanted to kind of ask you about because you're, you're sort of saying that there is sexism in the cannabis industry, as there is probably in every industry where it's male dominated and probably where it's not male dominated in some ways. But do you think that a lot of that has to do then in the cannabis industry, because we are celebrating the female plant, I feel like that must that must be recognized in some ways.

Speaker 00:36:42** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, yeah. And there's that influence too, I think she, she and there's we gotta give love to the male plants to that, that we get our genetics from. But she like you know she I think the plant has a big influence on on a lot of the guys too. You know, that's like you know, they especially the growers who grow it, they're very in touch with, you know, a lot of them I know are some of them I know are just like, again, these are the people I choose to surround myself with. But these farmers are just great family men, you know, they're just they're in touch with, with, with the plant and, and also there's other women too, that are, are just like you, you know, there's women out there setting the example of like, the expectation of like, well, you don't always have to be known for your body. And I know this is a feminine plant and a lot of women like to celebrate like that.

Speaker 00:37:32** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - You know, they're expressing their feminine beauty with the beauty of the plant. And there's not that, you know, that's beautiful. That's great. If that's what you're saying, you know, that you're like, yeah, but I love the women. You know, like Mila, you know, she she shared her experience, did things that most women could, didn't have the guts to do at her time. You know, not only same things. She just traveled through India and Nepal by herself. She met Frenchie in India and Nepal. She wasn't she didn't go there with him. Right? She did that on her own. And, and the same thing with, now, you know, you have these other women, Doctor Miyabi Shields, you know, if you don't follow her, Doctor Miyabi Shields and Doctor Riley, these women are setting the standard for, for, you know, women being known for. For what? The positive contributions that they're giving to the community, known for their craft, known, like, respected for who they are, like their craft and not not just like kind of the aesthetic, the aesthetic, that of of the women.

Speaker 00:38:38** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I think that's kind of the focus for sometimes where the sexism has happens is there's just there's so much focus on the, the appearance and aesthetics of things.

Speaker 00:38:48** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But it's interesting that you brought that up in a lot of ways, because I've had people like, I've run my podcast for about five years now, and I've had well-meaning, well intentioned male friends in the past be like, you know, you might like, get more views on your Instagram, I guess, or whatever. If you bear it a little more skin. Or like maybe you did your show topless. I don't know, like crazy stuff like that. And and I'm like, yeah, it might, but I'm not sure if a that's the kind of attention I'm looking for and what I'm trying to build here and be. That's just not really me. Like, it just doesn't resonate with who I am authentically as a person. And so there is that segment of the cannabis industry that is very much like, you know, sexy girls smoking bongs and looking for that male validation, I guess.

Speaker 00:39:33** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And if that's if you if a woman finds out supportive and she can and that's authentic to who she is, then by all means.

Speaker 00:39:42** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But you know, and yeah, I hear you, I've gotten that and I've, I've come to the point where, I have two brothers. Okay. To be fair, I have two brothers. And for some reason, I'm the kind of tomboy girl that always chose the boy things. As a kid, I was to. Yeah, martial arts wanted to do. I. My mom wanted me to do ice skating. I was like, longing and looking at the hockey team, like.

Speaker 00:40:08** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Right. Yeah.

Speaker 00:40:10** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Like like I want to do that though that looks way more fun. But, so I've come to find, like I, some women have a natural ability to have more camaraderie with men and kind of can, quote unquote, shoot the shit, you know, excuse my language, but, you know, like, and I've come to find that I, I, you know, energy only exists where attention goes.

Speaker 00:40:36** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And so I just don't put energy into that anymore. Like, oh, because of a woman I've not heard or oh, statistically, I'm not going to like this or oh, men only say that because it's like lately, you know, like I sometimes I just fire it back at them and, and realize that now is the time women can we can say what we want. You know, we worked really hard to to vote and, and, you know, like, things are changing and we can stand our ground. So that's all it really takes is not being like not subjecting to like all these statistics. It's it takes changing the statistics, but it takes kind of being tough. And you want to be equal to a man. It's like, well you I come at them equal. It's the same thing in martial arts. Like they're going to hit you as hard as you hit them. It's the same thing. So like if you're hitting them super light they're going to hit you super light.

Speaker 00:41:25** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - If you start pounding on them, they're like, okay, we're we're gonna here we go. Yeah. And it's the same thing in the world. So like, you know, I've told, you know, people were like, you know, you should show a little more skin. You know, I've gotten that too. And I'm just like, well, you know, you could show you could start getting some abs, too, you know, and showing you how. Yeah.

Speaker 00:41:44** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And they're like.

Speaker 00:41:44** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Oh, you know, abs are those. I don't want to be.

Speaker 00:41:47** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That guy that shirtless with.

Speaker 00:41:49** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - My harvest followers.

Speaker 00:41:51** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, yeah, it does go both ways in a lot of respects. And I love that you mentioned, sort of talking, I guess not talking back, but like I heard this term recently called micro Feminisms, and it's sort of just this idea of just little things you can do to sort of exert your power, I suppose, when you're out in the world, because there's a lot of times where women are expected to be small and act small and not speak and let themselves be interrupted.

Speaker 00:42:19** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And I've really myself been trying to just take up space because I am a yeah, I'm a woman and I have just as much reason to be here as anybody else. And it's been kind of fun, actually. So, because I'm not doing anything like that's going to hurt somebody else. But if I'm sitting on the train, I'm not going to be all small. I'm going to man spread right next to the next guy.

Speaker 00:42:42** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, exactly. It's like you, you know. Yeah. But and, and and it comes to like not I again, I'm not condoning sexist behavior. I'm not condoning bullying. I'm just condoning, like, you see how or I'm trying to like, express like you see how a dog plays with another dog. It looks like they're fighting it like when a dogs are playing. You see, I have pit bulls, so you know, when you see them fight, it's just like, oh, they're not fighting, but they're playing and they're just pulling and you're like, oh my God, you guys are playing like, that sounds intense.

Speaker 00:43:16** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But it's kind of the same with with with our male with these, you know. And we got to like I think is is coming from a side of love and appreciating the characters, the characteristics of men, the characteristics of how they are. You know, they're kind of very like they like like they're very like, you know, they like, like growing up with brothers and stuff. They like to roast each other, you know, they don't have that emotion. They don't take things so personal. Sometimes they do. I'm not I'm not speaking all men because there's such a vast array of different kind of men and and like, it's not just to say like, oh, men are so primal and, you know, but, you know, growing up with brothers and me personally, just being surrounded by men my whole life, I just know they like to roast each other and they joke around. They're not so as emotional as us, and it's harder for them to to kind of come from a side of love one because it's, you know, we're kind of the more nurturing women are naturally more nurturing.

Speaker 00:44:13** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - We're more emotional. So like it's harder for them to see like, oh, like, you know, the women, women are they can some guys can they they see us like where the nurturing spirit, where the feminine like the loving. And we do like, like and so there are some men that are really good at communicating with women, being like, nurturing in the way they talk and like thoughtful in their responses and understanding. But sometimes I feel like us women kind of have to meet them halfway to, you know, we kind of have to give them a little bit of a punch on the side, too, you know, and they, you know, a lot of them will respect that. Or like, love the camaraderie. You know, it's not doesn't always have to be sexist, doesn't always have to be bullying. But it can be the same kind of forceful energy. But loving, you know what I mean? Like, it's the kind of like, you know, like like, I would only say that to my friend who's like, well, you just show a little more skin.

Speaker 00:45:08** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I would only like, say that to a really good friend. I'd be like, well, you could work out, get some abs and show them that. Yeah.

Speaker 00:45:14** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - You're not saying that.

Speaker 00:45:15** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - To a stranger. Yeah, yeah. And then they're just like, okay, I feel you. Yeah. Well, I think.

Speaker 00:45:21** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - To a lot of, you know, men have been conditioned a certain way. And sometimes there's a pretty narrow definition of what a man is supposed to be, as much as that typical narrow definition of what a woman should be. And it's going to take time to sort of allow that to expand, because I think that's better for everybody. But I love that you mentioned earlier sort of the male plant as well, and how key that is for the continuation of what we're doing, because you have to have the male and the female. And to me, I see that as collaboration and that's what's going to push everything forward, is collaboration instead of competition. And I feel like we're sort of just getting over the hump of a history of a lot of competition between men and women.

Speaker 00:46:03** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And I think if we focus on the collaboration, just like in the cannabis world, where you have to have the male and the female plant working together, that that can go a long way to making some positive change.

Speaker 00:46:14** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, do their part and they do their part based on their strengths, you know, and it's this thing where us women have our strengths and men definitely have their strengths. You know, I always tell my, my partner I don't even kill bugs. You know, I, I can't I'm very like I almost come from a Buddhist perspective of things growing up in Japan and everything very Shinto like, we we just I try not to kill bugs, and he just will smack a spider. And I'm just like, what? You know, some you never know. That kind of cold, like decision making is the stuff that can save someone's life someday, you know, like I, who knows? Like, you know, like you never like there are certain things where, like, their strength is, is, like, strong in certain circumstances.

Speaker 00:47:01** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And whereas our strength, our nurturing is strong in circumstances like so, it always like we balance each other out through the different circumstances we go through in, in this world. But yeah, I think we got to give a little bit more. Like I am all for the women, but I'm like, oh, the men do have like, I know, statistically, like, there are a lot of, you know, we have it. We don't have it easy. Women statistically, on so many different fronts. We are We're definitely have the short end of the stick. But I'm you know, I'm seeing there's change. Those statistics are the change is always bound to happen. And at the same time it's not going to happen with us. Just like with the negative outlook on it. Like we're not going to achieve any positive change trying to like focus on the negative things about men just being sexist and how they need to calm down and chill. And yeah, well.

Speaker 00:47:54** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I think that's where the collaboration comes in versus the competition.

Speaker 00:47:58** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And I also love how you mentioned earlier that you surround yourself with good people. And, you know, when you surround yourself with good people, they're far more willing to hear feedback as well. So if they do something that's a little, you know, you're like not comfortable with it or they say something that you're not, you're like, well, that might be a blind spot for you. They're probably going to be more likely to listen to what you have to say, because they have that respect. And I think, you know, surrounding yourself with good people, men or women is always a smart move regardless of what you're doing in life. But, yeah, when it comes to combating some sexism, that's probably also wise too. So, I am curious if you have any other mentors that have supported you in your journey in the in the cannabis industry?

Speaker 00:48:46** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - so I'm going to hit this really quick. Excuse me. Yeah, yeah. Thank you. I do, yeah, I do. I would say, madame carnally, Kimberly doesn't get as much light as she does.

Speaker 00:49:06** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - You know, she was the backbone of the company. Let me just say, like, Frenchy was the creative. Artistic. He was the creative visionary. But Kim, like, did everything. Everything for the Frenchy cannoli brand, for the workshops for years and years and years and years. she gets very little credit or. Thank you for that. You know, especially on things like the Facebook group. She doesn't get a lot of that's free. You know, you don't have to pay for that. That's completely free. And her time, she devotes her time for free on that and just tries to put her best foot forward. So I think, she doesn't get enough light. But she was one of my mentors because, like, I am the lead hash maker, I always tell people I'm the lead hash maker of heritage that came from Frenchy, but the director of manufacturing side definitely came from Kim. You see the manufacturing slides different from the lead makers side. That's a lot of project management, which she was a project manager for a big company for a long time.

Speaker 00:50:05** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - she taught me a lot about Microsoft Office or help Excel, my knowledge in Microsoft Office and how to how to effectively implement it into project management. so she is definitely one of like I would say, one of my mentors for cannabis and my brother Leo. you know, I always, I always talk about Frenchy. Frenchy all the time. and, but, you know, my brother was the one who I came up here and learned from, you know, my brother and Carlo, both of them, because they both run that company. Carlo doesn't like to be in the light so much. Leo is like again the creative visionary, the face of the company. But it's also run by my brother Carlo. and I've learned so much from them both. and Carlos, also martial artist. So he was not only, like my mentor in cannabis, but martial arts. So, yeah, I basically, you know, in cannabis, those those, those are kind of outside of Frenchy. Those are, you know, Kimberly, Kimberly, and Leo are my main, like, actual mentors who who've taken the time to, like, mentor me on things.

Speaker 00:51:21** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - that's.

Speaker 00:51:21** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Super valuable, too, because it sounds like Kimberly really helped you with the business acumen that you need in order to do what you're doing. Yeah.

Speaker 00:51:29** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yes, yes, yes. I couldn't do what I do if it weren't for her teaching me those, you know, and really encouraging me to implement those those skills and get those tools on my toolbelt because yeah, she's right. They're important. They are super important to know like back office Microsoft Excel like to in order to excel in life, you need to add more tools to your tool toolbelt if you want to to broaden your horizons so well, it's easy.

Speaker 00:51:58** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - To forget about what happens in the back end because you know, like you said, your brother is really the one. Brother is really the face of the company. And then Carlos, the the one in the back doing whatever it is that he's doing. But you can't have the you can't have them growing without both of them working together or Frenchy and Kimberly, like everyone knows, Frenchy and you have all these, like, beautiful shots of hash and and all this kind of thing, but none of that works without Kimberly in the background doing her thing.

Speaker 00:52:26** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, none of it would have existed. None of it would have existed if it weren't for her.

Speaker 00:52:31** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Right. And so the front end and the face is like the glamour and the things that we think of, like growing huge plants and all this kind of thing. But then there's the work that goes with it when you have to harvest those plants. Yes.

Speaker 00:52:43** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And that takes a whole like it takes the crew to be noticed and stuff and and, yeah, you know, and I've actually, you know, come to, you know, come to find that, you know, I've, I've learned a lot from my CEO of my company to, you know, his name is Kyle Greenall. He started Heritage Co. He it was interesting watching him, you know, a grower just kind of go through the learning curve of of keeping this business going. You know, I've learned a lot like watching him and, and and seeing like how he meant because, like, I'm going to be honest, I couldn't do what he does.

Speaker 00:53:18** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - You know, he's gone through so many challenges that would have broke me. And I've seen that guy get kicked down time and time again. And he gets back up every single time with a smile. It's insane. I'm just like, oh my God, with with the like, I couldn't imagine. So shout out to cannabis CEOs out there like, I, I can't even begin to imagine like what that's like. That is such a hard life. And I mean, I can't imagine because I, I have a business partner who's watching it happen. I watch it happen every day. And the guy stills steals as his whole family, you know, like, has his kids and his wife and, you know, loves him dearly. But, you know, it goes through these challenges. And I've seen it over the years, like I said, just gets back up every time and tries again with a smile. Right. I'm just like, God.

Speaker 00:54:09** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That's a mindset.

Speaker 00:54:11** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That would break most people.

Speaker 00:54:13** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - and and and those people like him are rarely in a think. They're in a thankless position. And I find that, too. I'm in a very thankless position. Kimberly. Leo. Carlo. And at the time, Frenchy, before Frenchy passed, a lot of the time, he was in a thankless position. you know, and it's crazy kind of what happens when all of a sudden people realize they don't have something anymore, and then they miss it, and they take it for granted, you know? But I remember a time when me and Frenchy were poop soup. You know, people were like, dark hash. That's gross. You know, we were the public enemy number one for us. Yeah. I mean, here in California, especially with the rosin and just the kind of misunderstanding now, there's more of a consciousness and understanding of, oh, each product is different. You know, one one is just cake and one's pie made out of the same thing, but cake and butter, flour and sugar kind of different expressions of it.

Speaker 00:55:08** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - But, but, now we understand that nowadays it's the consensus is starting to really grow more. But back, you know, when that first was starting, Frenchy and me were putting out press hash and the whole raws and scene was taken off. You know, we were definitely like, oh, why would I want to smoke that dark stuff? That's gross, you know? Right. But, yeah. You know, but yeah. So there were times, you know, where this, this world can be a little thankless, but so when you do get those thank yous, it's, it means, you know, you gotta hang on to them. Right. And.

Speaker 00:55:42** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Do you have any examples of a time where somebody was able to show you? Thanks. It was really meaningful for you?

Speaker 00:55:50** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. It happens at like every workshop when people show me that.

Speaker 00:55:54** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Right I bet. Yeah. That's going to feel really validating.

Speaker 00:55:58** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. Anytime someone shows me their hash and just is like, I watched your video or watch Frenchy's video or like I made this hash based on, you know, like this conversation I had with Frenchie that is like the most special and validating thing ever, whether it's hash or rosin.

Speaker 00:56:14** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And it's like, doesn't matter if it wasn't like a grade. It's like, wow, they tried. They went out of their way and got a machine or did it however they did it and like press it together and like came over here wanting to show you that all day, thinking about all their way there to, like, show you that moment, you know, like it's like so much energy for, you know, for Frenchy and me, I was like, oh, that is such an honor. You know, that's beautiful. I wish, I wish Unfortunately, that. Okay, I've to answer to come back to another question. And the other challenges of traveling for education is I can't bring stuff with me. So like, every time somebody gave shows me something, God, I wish I could give them a piece of my hash because that's what Frenchie would do. He would always pull out his head stash and, like, share a piece of his hash, too. so.

Speaker 00:57:02** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - One day, one.

Speaker 00:57:03** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Day about traveling. I can't always do that. I can do that locally. But yeah, it is so validating though, man, and so validating when people kind of just say thank you in that way.

Speaker 00:57:16** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Right now, do you do you have any hopes for the future regarding just in the cannabis industry generally? What would you like to see in an ideal world?

Speaker 00:57:26** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I would like to see people kind of, just chill out on the competitiveness a little bit and the hate and the like. The I would like a more of a focus on the bigger picture because you know, where this is going to be real. Like there's two ways this can go. We can go the capitalist way and we're going to really screw ourselves, but we can go the the knowledge and education route and devote a little bit more time to being open source and knowledge and kind of figuring out, you know, how to set this up better for the futures is where we should be putting our focus and energy. but a lot of the places that are starting to go legal, I mean, I can warn them all day, you know, we can warn them all day on these podcasts and stuff.

Speaker 00:58:18** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And I guess that's what we can do to make a change. But I'm just warning everybody, like, stop being so competitive. It's like, that's going to be our demise. Like that competitiveness. And like hating on your neighbor, like all their stuff is boof or their stuff is trash. It's like, dude, you have any especially as a hash maker as I do. They went to the store, got some ice. If they don't have an ice machine, you know, they ran that they sauce that. They're doing this with you. Like you might not like them or they might be a certain type of way, or you might have differences in views. But at the same time, we're like trying to do this whole thing together to change the world. So instead of like, like, oh, like, like I said before, is like my stuff is better than your stuff. In that focus of like, oh, I my I, my stuff has to be better than your stuff.

Speaker 00:59:09** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And instead of like, how can we take both of our stuff and make the world a better place?

Speaker 00:59:15** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, I love that. And that's coming back to that collaboration versus competitiveness again, because I really think that competitiveness does really kill a beautiful thing. And yeah, I wholeheartedly agree because I think that's just going to pave the way for more collaboration in the future. And honestly, there's room for everybody in this, in this industry. Like there could be 50,000 hash makers, I don't know. But there's room for everybody and you don't have to look at it as such. A oh, I have to stamp out my competition because, you know, there isn't enough if I have competitors, but I just don't see that as being true. I think that everybody brings a unique perspective or a unique thing, and and people will resonate with one versus another, but there's nothing wrong with that. So yeah. Yeah yeah, yeah. Now switching gears just a little bit before we wrap up here, but what would surprise people about you?

Speaker 01:00:18** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - what would surprise people about me? I'm Filipino.

Speaker 01:00:24** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. People are like, you're Filipino, right? yeah, my mom's Filipino. I'm a Filipino.

Speaker 01:00:31** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - American. That's cool. Yeah, yeah. And do you have any exciting projects coming up that you would like to share with the listeners of Bite Me?

Speaker 01:00:40** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yes. I would like to let everyone know that we have another high tea event going on in San Francisco. You know, we have some workshops coming up. Kimberly and I have we're going to be in Minnesota in July on the 14th. And then, we have a workshop in San Francisco and Portland coming up. so, yeah, if you if you stay tuned on the Frenchy Connolly Instagram or my Instagram, you can see like our upcoming workshops and stuff, but those are some of the bigger events that we have going on so far.

Speaker 01:01:21** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And people should definitely check them out. I'm not sure if this episode is going to come out before the one you mentioned in mid-July, but I did. I was able to go to the High Tea in Toronto and the workshop, the lost Art workshop, and it was a fabulous experience.

Speaker 01:01:35** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And you so clearly know your shit and the way you present this information, as does Kimberly, because she does a lot of like the history and stuff at the beginning. But the way you two put together this information and present it to the group, it's it's well worth the time to check it out and learn something because you can't walk away without learning something. So I would definitely recommend to people that if they're in the neighborhood to go out and check it out. But I'll link to it in the show notes as well, so people can find you and the Frenchy Instagram so that they can stay up to date with that stuff. Because do you have workshops planned, like until the end of the year, or is this just such?

Speaker 01:02:13** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, yeah, we plan it a couple months ahead. So we have a couple like I know the the one after Minnesota will probably be Portland, right. I understand and then and then we have San Francisco in September. and then October, we have I believe it's New Mexico.

Speaker 01:02:34** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Oh, cool.

Speaker 01:02:35** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah, yeah. And then that. Yeah. And that high tea event is is fantastic.

Speaker 01:02:41** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - And are you doing the high tea in conjunction with all the workshops as well?

Speaker 01:02:46** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yes. Well, that's just going to be in San Francisco. We're just doing one. It's like a it's going to be Frenchy's documentary is going to be screened, and we're going to have lots of pastries and good tea and a lot, you know, free smoking, like, like, you know, consumption and stuff. So I'm pretty sure we'll be doing a hookah or two. So it's definitely a really fun event. And oh and one also thing I wanted to put out there is I recently joined the Ganjier Council as an instructor. Oh you did.

Speaker 01:03:16** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Oh cool.

Speaker 01:03:17** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I am a product specialist. Like what I do the product specialist. it's called the product specialist. it's like a it's not a full Ganjier like the whole class, but you can be a product specialist and you can get certified through this program.

Speaker 01:03:33** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - It's a smaller program. I teach, I teach about, product like concentrates, basically like the basic understanding, you know, concentrates and, solvent and solvent lists. I go over like, what they are, what they look like, how they're consumed kind of thing. They're very basic. And then there's a whole consumption thing. there's, so it's basically good for bud tenders. You know, this is really good information for like bud tenders or people in, in retail or distribution or. so I highly recommend looking at this program for anybody who is wanting to venture into the Ganjier program. but I know it requires a lot of traveling. Might be into it. The tuition might be a little expensive. So they have this kind of, different program, a different certification program that that can get your foot in the door, too.

Speaker 01:04:27** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Yeah. I'll be checking that out. I'll link to that in the show notes as well, because they are offering that program for all the Certified Ganjier. And so I'll definitely be checking it out, because I think a lot of people would be interested in that, even if they just want to have a better understanding of what's out there, because it seems like as the industry matures, there's so many more options and you get really confusing.

Speaker 01:04:48** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - So yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 01:04:51** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - I hear that.

Speaker 01:04:52** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Absolutely. So I just want to thank you so much for your time today, Bill. I really appreciate you spending your your time with me, and I wish you all the best in all your upcoming workshops.

Speaker 01:05:02** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - Thank you, I appreciate that. Thank you for having me.

Speaker 01:05:06** ((((((((((((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))))))))))) - - That's it for this week, my friends. I hope you enjoyed this conversation. And of course you can find all the links and mentions over at the show notes, and you can find out easily when the next workshop might be, and how to connect with Cherry Blossom Belle online, because she's always up to some cool, interesting things and sharing her knowledge and passion for hash and cannabis. Until next week, my friends. I'm your host, Marge. Stay. Hi.