Cannabis Farmers Market At Magnolia Wellness in Oakland, California.

Cannabis farmers markets are on the rise across the country, making their debut in the Bay Area this month at Harvest in San Francisco and Magnolia Wellness in Oakland. Intrigued by the idea, I decided to stop by Magnolia and check it out. The event was modest in size, with about 14 booths, some which were shared by multiple vendors. Fresh flowers, tasty edibles and community services all conveniently located in one sunny parking lot. Unfortunately, I didn't visit every booth. Sun Roots Farm and Humboldt Apothecary were too busy and I was too shy. Beezle Extracts and First Class Concentrates were packing up by the time I got there. 420 Fitness was too intimidating for my out of shape self. Operation EVAC was busy educating people on their wonderful services. But these are booths I did visit!

---

Clarified Confections makes medicated Ghee, a form of clarified butter, and delicious cookies with it. Jars of their organic and grass-fed Ghee were on sale for $50 and contained a whopping 2,000mg of THC. One teaspoon contained about 80mg, making it a potent product that was certainly worth the price. I didn't taste it, but the smell was pungent. I did taste one of the cookies, the Spiced Iced Pumpkin Cookie, which was amazing. I'm not a fan of sweets but I'm one of those people who loves anything pumpkin even if it's not autumn. The cookies came in 80mg doses, perfect to split with a friend or for all day snacking. 

---

We all love vape pens for their convenience, but know that they might not always be the most effective. Whether it be a faulty cartridge or battery, 'watered down' product or bad flavor, there are variables that can make them less enjoyable. humblt makes disposable vape pens with 200 precise doses, guaranteed. I tried the pen for the first time, the 'calm' high CBD variety. After 3 second of inhaling the pen vibrated, signaling me to stop. The flavor was there, smooth and sweet. I didn't even cough! Each pen is formulated with specific ratios of  THC, CBD, accessory cannabinoids and various terpenes to achieve different effects. This is an ideal product for novice users looking for a more controlled and precise medicating experience. They also have a pen recycling program which gets you a discount on your next purchase.

---

Soul Sugar Kitchen, also known as Edibles by Marcus, and winner of 'Best Packaging' in the edibles category at 2016's Happy Place Festival caught my eye with it's bright colors and fun imagery. The big bowls of medicated snack mix samples grabbed my attention too. Garlic Parmesan and Chesapeake Bay seasoned snack mix were the savory options. Handmade chocolate truffles and peanut butter cups with a variety of interesting flavors were the sweet options. The snacks were dosed at 100mg-200mg per bag with about 4 servings per bag, great for sharing and enjoying a few times yourself. 

---

Sonoma County based Absolute Xtracts, Care By Design and Satori Chocolates shared a colorful booth full of vape pen cartridges, medicated sweets and high CBD medicine. I was excited to see the Absolute Xtracts and Jeremy Fish collaboration "Fish Tanks" and there also were some Absolute Xtracts x Emerald Cup collaboration cartridges among the flavors available. I had never heard of Satori chocolates, and as someone who doesn't really like chocolate, I thought they were super tasty. You could tell by the taste and texture of the product that the ingredients are of quality. The strawberries, blueberries and raisins were my favorite. Each piece ranges in dosage from 1mg, 2mg, 3mg, 6mg and 10mg for easy dosing.

I was most intrigued with Care Be Design's line of sublingual sprays, drops and softgels. With a range of CBD:THC ratios between 1:1 to 18:1! This variety allows more or less psychoactivity in the high CBD products.  

---

Award winning cultivators, extract artists and overall badasses behind Empress Extracts were there showing off their flowers, extracts and amazing whole plant Rick Simpson Oil.  The first strain pictured escapes me but the second is Gorilla Glue. They both smelled amazing!

---

At this point, I'm sure most people are familiar with Oaksterdam University, founded 10 years ago in Oakland California and the nation's first cannabis university. Although it may not be an accredited school by the Department of Education, the school still offers a comprehensive curriculum including a horticulture program which is more hands on, and an academic program that offers a more traditional learning environment and classes covering the business, legal, social facets of the cannabis world. There's even a cooking class! I was overjoyed to hear the expansion of their program to places like Jamaica and Mexico, as well as the newly added online courses.

---

Have you ever heard of an Indica-dominant line of cannabis products? What a concept! Leisure Life, the chill edible, has created just that. Medicated popcorn came in cheddar and caramel flavors, a mix was available as well. Each bag contained 200mgs of THC, enough to leave one feeling pretty leisurely. Pre-rolls, cleverly named California Rolls, covered in C02 oil and high grade kief also had a spot on the table. Medicated ice cream was a freebee for those who purchased, a very exciting product to see, since there aren't a lot of frozen medicated treats on the market. 

---

Mendocino county has been known for it's cannabis production for decades. Flow Kana partners with select organic, sustainable farms throughout the Emerald Triangle to help bring them out of the shadows and into metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Farmers from one of their partners, Rusty Shovel Ranch, was there to meet patients and talk about his products. All the flower smelled and looked great, who says outdoor isn't good?!

---

​Kiva Confections has been making medicated chocolates since 2010, and I think I've been enjoying them for just as long. They've come a long way since then. Adding the Kiva Minis, the Kiva Terra Bites, and their newest product the Petra Mints.  It's easy to find a product within your tolerance level, because it's all easy to dose. The chocolates are labeled per square, chocolate covered blueberries and coffee beans are 5mg a piece and come in 120mg tins, and the new mints are 2.5mg a piece-great for microdosing. 

---

I never really thought about the idea of a cannabis wholesaler, until I came upon the River Collective booth. River partners with cultivators, extractors and infusers to help get their products in the hands of more patients. They also help guide their partners in brand management and operational logistics. As their motto says "to nourish the roots and carry the fruits."

---

I left my first cannabis farmers market feeling happy and high, I could not complain about my afternoon. I look forward to the future, and hope there only become bigger and better. Make sure to stop and smell the flowers on your way out!