New York state’s Cannabis Growers Showcase program aims to give licensed cannabis growers an opportunity to showcase their cultivars and products directly to consumers in a regulated environment. Bison Botanics is hosting a Cannabis Growers Showcase weekly until the end of 2023. As part of the showcase, we want to give each participating cultivator an opportunity to tell some of their story with a brief Q&A.
What is the name of your farm?
Ananda Farms
What is the name of the founder?
Sarah Stenuf
Where is your farm located?
Town of Granby in Oswego County.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in East Syracuse.
How long have you been cultivating cannabis?
About ten years.
What inspires you to cultivate cannabis?
My fellow Veterans.
What is unique about your cultivation methods and cultivars?
I practice all organic growing methods using fish emulsion, worm castings, fungi, alfalfa, kelp, etc. I am most passionate about studying the plant and utilizing our mineral-enriched fields and fully automated greenhouses to create premium cannabis. I truly love pushing phenotypes to their limits by using various stressing techniques to stabilize genetics that typically wouldn’t thrive in the Northeast.
What drives your passion for cannabis?
The plant saved my life. I have been seizure-free and off the 16 medications I was given for close to 9 years, thanks to cannabis.
When I was medically retired from the Army for epilepsy from a TBI and combat PTSD, I felt completely lost. I was on a downward spiral. Between jail, rehabs, and dual-diagnoses facilities, I was being overmedicated by the doctors and filing in voids with drugs and alcohol. Integrating traditional treatments with plant-based medicine makes me more open and able to process things.
Cultivating the plant provides me with dirt therapy and a sense of hope and purpose again. The cannabis industry brought me back, it has given me a second mission. Just like being a service member, cannabis has helped me in a multitude of ways. Therefore, it’s my duty to pay it forward and help others — especially Military Veterans.
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