Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to Carpinteria, near Santa Barbara, on a beautiful evening, to enjoy a cannabis dinner on a five and a half acre cannabis farm? Engage me. That’s exactly what they did on Friday, April 14, as Autumn Brands hosted its first-ever Cannabis Kitchen Dinner, offering us lucky guests a delicious cannabis-infused meal at their family farm.
Unforgettable world class food Chef Ayo Cherry He effortlessly stole the show, but the experience of being able to enjoy a delicious meal with other like-minded individuals who also share a passion for cannabis was definitely not overlooked — not to mention the stunning ocean views in the background.
Autumn Brands Springs ahead
Autumn Brands is a family-owned, slick, women-led company located right on the coast. It paid off when two Dutch families converted their flower farm (yes, real flowers), into a cannabis greenhouse. Located in this unique corner where the microclimate is just right, the natural ecosystem has allowed families to grow, nurture and care for cannabis plants. Since 2018, Autumn Brands has dedicated itself to being 100% spray free, using no pesticides, and only using a 100% no spray biological control program, which sets them apart from other cannabis companies.
“We host a lot of tours, and every time, people go away feeling energized and educated and we feel energized because we’ve made a difference,” says CFO Orof Shelton. “We’re so excited about the plant, what it can do and how much it can help people. And that we can tell our story and who we are: We’re two families that own and run this cannabis business. We’re in it every day. A lot of businesses don’t exist. But we’re going with these greenhouses.” Every day. We are part of it and we are among it. When we can share that message with others, they get to know us and how drizzle-free we are – it’s amazing.”
The festivities kicked off at 3pm when guests were welcomed to an intimate and informative tour of the farm, led by CEO Hans Brand. As we were guided through each step of the growing process, tiny beetle larvae stuck out. With their natural ecosystem in place, beetles native to California can thrive here, finding their way into greenhouses and helping passive insect mitigation, allowing the plant to grow naturally. While their farm tours usually draw 10 people, about 30 aficionados took part in Autumn Brands’ amazing cannabis dinner.
After the tour, we enjoyed an ambient happy hour, filled with good conversation and delicious wines from a local winery Cape d’Or wines. Located in Santa Barbara, the company prides itself on bringing “terroir-driven wines from the Cape of South Africa to the United States.”
Hemp dinner winner
When 6 p.m. rolled around, it was time for dinner. Chef Ayu and her team, Chef Brie and Chef Ashley, have been working tirelessly in the kitchen to create a scrumptious three-course meal for the books. Chilton shared how a friend of a friend recommended Chef Ayu. “We found out about her and how amazing she is — not only as a cook, but how she’s able to get cannabis into food which is very important and which I think is the future,” she said. “Being able to have this hemp dinner is about opening people’s minds and learning more about the plant; how it can help us And I still have a lot of fun with her.”
I chose Dosi Dough – Ras El Hanout – roasted seasonal vegetables with toasted bread from a local bakery – as my first course. The beauty of the meal was that guests could choose their own dose level, whether it was filling or not. The first course was infused with Autumn Brands’ proprietary elixir ‘Thrive’, a 1:2 ratio of CBD to THC. While this may be seen as a small dose, Shelton says it’s a personal game-changer for her autoimmune symptoms, as she experiences nausea and vomiting.
“If I take two drops of Thrive every three hours, the nausea goes away,” Shelton says. “I’m not high and it doesn’t affect my ability to do things. It’s a powerful elixir. The reason we call it an elixir is because there are no additives. It’s a tincture, but tinctures are usually made with alcohol or flavors, or other things added to it. Our products are 100% full spectrum, whole plant, pesticide free products with coconut oil. That’s it. And the flavor is nice – not overpowering. It shows that you can eat something that will really help your body, and that’s what elixirs do.”
For my second course, I chose the beet gnocchi and roasted mushroom duo – it was really amazing! This was infused with the ‘Warrior’ elixir, which contains 1,000mg of THC. Named after cancer patients who struggle with pain relief, “Warrior” is a mixture of THC and THCA It enables them to feel good, to give – and to become warriors.
The cannabis dinner “was an opportunity to take an edible art and add another level to it. Food should look, feel, smell and taste good,” Chef Ayu told me. “But with cannabis, you can add a high that makes it a full-body experience. I want food and cannabis to be together like food and wine. Maybe we can get to the point where certain threads make certain dishes better. The possibilities are truly endless.”
The event cost $225 per ticket, and attendees flocked from all over the United States and the world. In fact, I sat next to two beautiful women from Delaware, who learned about the event via Instagram.
Business head
So how does a sunny family farm find success in the tough weed environment of California?
“Luckily for us, we started Prop 215 medical marijuana days and then moved into the regulated market in 2018 — so we’ve been on that roller coaster ride for a number of years now,” Shelton said. In 2020, everyone used their stimulus checks to buy cannabis, so I rebounded. It was the year of the unicorn. Everyone made a lot of money. We are thrifty [laughs]So we saved that money. We spent it on a few things, but we saved a lot of it and that allowed us to stay here today, even after the market crashed a year later.”
Chilton reveals that they’ve spent a huge amount of money getting their permits in the past two years, but she’s so grateful to have three amazing partners.
“We all bring unique things to the company and that has really allowed us to grow together,” she says. “We stay focused. We’re not trying to build something shiny. We’re not trying to get too big. We’re just trying to run a business, something our families can own for the long haul. That’s what has really allowed us to stay in the industry during this tough time.” and climate.”
Tropicana Candy Cookies consist of poached Asian pear, colorful cookie crumbs with lace, tulle and pistachio. The next day, I woke up dreaming about the flavors and a truly memorable evening.
While this was Autumn Brands’ first event to combine a tour with an amazing cannabis dinner, it certainly won’t be the last.
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