Melanie's Blog

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April is “go time” in the gardens here at Alpenglow Farms. Exponential growth is almost mind blowing as the cover crops are waist high overnight and all the neighborhood birds are competing for air space as the songs vary in intensity and frequency. Calendula and red poppies are…

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I have a Master’s in Communication (my B.A. too), which means I’ve spent years studying, describing, and then theorizing on all things related to how we individuals communicate with ourselves, each other, our community, and the world as a whole. I love EVERYTHING about communication and language and…

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(Our sauna at Alpenglow Farms) Craig’s family came to the United States in 1968 from Helsinki, Finland. He was the first one born on American soil, and was raised by his grandparents Johan and Aunekylikki on the Northside of Milwaukee while his parents worked. Craig’s time with his…

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Our homestead resides in the mountains of Southern Humboldt, and the mountain we live on is Reed Mt. It’s TPZ land meaning it’s designated for timber production. This is interesting for a few reasons; 1) growing weed in Southern Humboldt pre-legalization was initially done under the canopy of…

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This past Friday, Craig and I had the opportunity to talk with Chris Carr, host of The Cannabis Connection, which airs locally in Santa Cruz and shared throughout the various social realms online. It must have been the winter solstice energy and Chris’s way with words and conversation…

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​​Craig and I had a wonderful 48 hours in Vegas, where we received the MVP award for the BEST OUTDOOR FLOWER in CALIFORNIA with our Jack Herer cultivar. It was an honor to be acknowledged for this accolade, but more so it was incredible that the Budist are…

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Our road to Vegas has been thirty some years in the making and we are excited to announce that Craig and I will be accepting the MVP award for BEST OUTDOOR FLOWER in CALIFORNIA at the inaugural MJBOWL Awards Show in Las Vegas next Thursday, December 4, 2025.…

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Since legalization our homestead is now known for its cannabis cultivation; which is fantastic because my sweet Craig grows amazing weed and some folks are interested in all things related to this epic annual herb. But before legalization, we were just an off the grid homestead couple raising…

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It was the Spring of 2013 when Tahoe came into our lives. Both our pitbull Mendo (Mendocino) and Shepherd Rottweiler mix Desmo (Desmondo) were getting older. Both dogs only followed me and Craig around the property, and with living in the mountains with lots of wildlife, including bears…

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One of our cultivars this year is known as “Sprite” which is a hybrid strain with its lineage being Honey Popz X Pink Runtz. Though I am far from a cannabis breeder, I do know the name is a nod to the famous soda; the tasting notes hold…

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Alpenglow Farms is excited to share that our Orange Sunshine cultivar is one of the three pre-rolls being sold at the Dead & Company show in Golden Gate Park this August 1-3rd. Dead & Company celebrates 60 years of Grateful Dead Music, and this weekend in August will…

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Craig and I had a super fun Saturday attending the California State Fair in Sacramento where we received our three Gold and three Bronze medals at the California Cannabis Awards ceremony. It’s incredible and invigorating to see the cannabis community alight with love and innovation, and to witness…

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(Harry Rose, Melanie, Craig, Eli, & Noah) Hey everyone! Craig and I will be at Solful San Francisco this Sunday, July 13th from 2-5pm in celebration of SF Hash Week. And the even more exciting news is that our Madfruit Live Rosin is dropping that day too, an…

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July is my birthday month and also my least favorite month of the year. Some may find that odd; it’s time for a personal celebration of existence, the days are long and bright, and the gardens are buzzing with life. It’s summertime after all. But this month always…

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If ten years ago someone said Craig and I would be publicly talking about our lifestyle and ways of income, legally selling our product through our incredible partners, and accepting awards for our sungrown craft cannabis I would have had a hard time believing it. Yet, this has…

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The beloved Eel River has been a focal point in my life the last two decades. I vividly remember my first time meeting her all those years ago. I was taken to a spot known only to locals, and as I clumsily climbed over rocks to avoid the…

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Statement from the pot growers of Southern Humboldt (Alderpoint Rd, 2015) Conversations around prices per pound have always been a topic of discussion within the world of weed. Years ago a pound could easily sell for $5,700, which is how many people and communities thrived. Some of us…

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The month of April has arrived and she has made quite the entrance already here on the homestead. All the fruit trees are budding and the almond, plum and cherry trees are in full bloom.  Our cover crop has skyrocketed, and because of the topography of our land,…

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Many of us in the Humboldt County cannabis community have had a long go of it. It’s been a journey throughout the decades for most of us. Helicopter harassment, convoys coming up the hill to bust indoors or grows, and the long list of regulatory requirements and processes…

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Wintering is a word I’ve been hearing a lot during this cold and rainy season. I don’t remember hearing it before, but I love it. I looked to see if there was a true definition of the word but all I could find was the basic definition of…

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Last December (2023) Dan Mar from High Tide Permaculture designed and installed our rain catchment system. With all the buildings connected we now store 5,000 gallons of water for every inch of rain from our rooftops. Add that to the pond surface area and we are looking at…

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Twenty some years ago I would routinely sit in a circle with women. Our days would start early and end late, consisting of KMUD radio shows, warm soups or sandwiches, abundant stories that would lift or break our hearts, and weed. We were trimmers, and we spent months…

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Though we are a month into the fall season and everything around me is reflecting the seasonal shift, I feel as though it hasn’t fully arrived. Our harvest on the homestead is complete and it was truly beautiful and bountiful. The colors of nature are changing as the…

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“I believe in the birds, and the implicit trust in the loving providence that feeds them.” This is from A Summer Creed by A. A. Argow. I love that poem (I’ll leave you with its entirety at the end of the blog), but I wanted to start this…

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It’s incredible that seven years have passed since Craig and I were on the cover of Emerald Magazine. We had a long talk as a family; our “coming out” of the green closet as we say was monumental. Years and years we moved through our lives quietly working,…

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Our 2024 year has been busy and full of blessings. Our daughter Mahala graduated from high school and has ventured out on her own and is thriving. Josephine (our youngest) is starting sophomore year and is ready for another fall season of crew and a winter of dirt…