Doing things differently sometimes comes at a cost, but it can also be the elevation you seek to set yourself apart from others. Autumn Brands is doing that in spades, with a unique take on farming along the Santa Barbara coast and making big moves like launching a partner series of flower with ever-popular reggae pop band Iration. Attending their kick-off party, I learned a lot more about what really makes Autumn Brands unique and how they are changing the game in terms of clean cannabis.
About Autumn and Iration
Autumn Brands, based in Santa Barbara County, California, is a standout in the cannabis industry for its blend of family values, sustainability, and high-quality sun-grown cannabis. Co-founded by Autumn Shelton and Hans Brand, this 50 percent female-owned company is dedicated to producing premium, spray-free cannabis using eco-friendly farming methods. Their product lineup, which includes various strains, pre-rolls, topical, tinctures, and bath products, caters to both recreational and medicinal users across the spectrum.
Hailing from Santa Barbara as well, Iration, a renowned band in the reggae-rock genre, has been captivating audiences with its vibrant, laid-back sound since its formation in 2004.
The band’s music seamlessly blends reggae, rock, and pop influences, creating a unique style that resonates with a broad audience. Their self-titled debut album in 2007 set the stage for their rise to fame, followed by a series of successful releases, including “Time Bomb,” “Automatic,” and with their new album “Daytrippin,” they found the perfect partnership in Autumn Brands.
Three songs, three strains, three hits
When I first heard about this partner series collaboration, I was stoked. High-quality, clean sun, sun-grown cannabis paired with some of the smoothest and ear-catching tunes by one of the best reggae bands around is the kind of mix that I enjoy wholeheartedly. While waiting at the pre-roll table, I caught up with Micah Pueschel, lead singer and guitarist for Iration, and asked how long it took for the band to decide on the strains.
“It was a full day of heavy smoking to decide,” was the reply he and the band came back with after mulling it over momentarily. While performing, Micah had also mentioned that the Lemon Time Bomb was the first strain they had landed on, but the other two took a bit more time to really identify which would pair best with their music.
With all three strains available, I wasted no time in digging in for my own taste-testing session. Summer Nights, an indica strain bred by Purple City Genetics, offers a sweet cream, garlic, and gas flavor from its GMO and GSC heritage, making it a deep and earthy delight. This was my personal favorite. Lemon Time Bomb features super frosty light-green buds glistening with trichomes, delivering a bold mix of astringency and fermented lemon scents that cut through to the taste buds. Finally, Daytrippin’ offers a unique blend of grilled peaches, hints of pine, and as a 2023 Emerald Cup winner, you know this hits different. Smoke and listen to each for an elevated music and cannabis experience.
Autumn Brands and clean cannabis
Walking the grounds at Autumn Brands, you notice things are a bit different here. As a no spray farm, this means that Autumn is not using the pesticides, even organic ones, that you find at most large-scale operations. Hans Brand uses his background and history from the wholesale cut flower industry and applies the methodology that makes these greenhouses unique. One of those things? No mother plants. You heard it right; you won’t find moms in this setup. Instead, they take clones from three-week-old plants, topping them to create the next set of clones to be rooted.
From hand-built custom racking in the Nursery, which I was thoroughly impressed by, to the reusing of overfilled nutrient solution, what Autumn Brands is doing is compelling, to say the least. Their focus on making the plants as happy as possible shines from the great care that is taken to make sure the plants are warmed via pipes and boiler to the blackout curtains being timed appropriately so that the morning and evening sun and air are brought in smoothly.
One of the most unique things when touring the flowering area was, well, the lack of issues. Having been to other outdoor farms, I know how big of an issue pests can become, and by being a no-spray and clean cannabis establishment, this just meant it would be even harder to control. Using mother nature to its advantage, however, Autumn Brands strategically releases beneficial bugs to combat any harmful ones that may lurk about. Plus, this creates a more natural ecosystem for the plants that seem to thrive with the extra attention.
A perfect blend
With the salty sea breeze and smooth sounds of Iration, you can easily get lost in Autumn Brands’ new partner series. And that’s just what you are supposed to do. Take a break and feel more at ease knowing the hard work that goes into making this a clean and accessible product line for your enjoyment. With their belief in full circle sustainability, it means not only can you have fun enjoying these products responsibly, but it’s also better for the environment. Save the water, free the weed, and smoke the best; check out Autumn Brands and follow Iration on their summer tour.
*This article was submitted by a guest contributor. The author is solely responsible for its contents.