Farm to Table: A Cannabis Tale | Photo Essay

    Commercial cannabis was legalized in Oregon in 2015, becoming the 5th state to legalize after Washington and Colorado started the wave in 2012.  After the commercial legalization many startup cannabis companies were eager to break into a budding market of connoisseurs with new products. This is the story of a local business that has made a name for themselves in an industry that just broke the $1 billion mark in 2020. This is a look at Cascade Valley Cannabis, from Farm to Table: A Cannabis Tale. 

     In operation since 2016, and the first commercial cannabis farm licensed in Benton County, Oregon, Cascade Valley Cannabis operates a several acre farm where they produce and assemble cannabis pre-rolled joints to sell at regional dispensaries. Their operation is one of the first in the state to break into the market of  pre-rolled joints, and their business has seen tremendous growth in the first five years of operation. 

 

    Jonathan Brown has worked at Cascade Valley Cannabis for the last year and a half. He is currently the head grower and inspects young clones that will eventually make their way to the rolling table. Cascade Valley harvests several different strains of cannabis for the discerning connoisseur, and are well known for their Rainbow Party Packs that have several strains in each pack.  

    Cascade Valley Cannabis seasonal worker Brian Farrell de-leafs the plants, a process that yields better buds and cuts down on bug infestations. Cascade Valley Cannabis started out with only two employees; however, up to 22 people are now employed at any given moment. Much of the cannabis industry relies on seasonal help during different stages of the harvesting process to ensure speedy yields. After each harvest the marijuana is cured, trimmed, and made ready for the joint rollers who work in a separate facility on the property. 

   Shawna Osenga, employed at Cascade Valley Cannabis for four years, shows us how they roll their 'pre-fabs'. Each joint roller rolls about a thousand joints per shift. Making sure each joint is weighed correctly, rollers separate the joints into their proper strains and sizes, then prepare and package the final product for distribution.  

Cascade Valley Cannabis founder, Logan Osenga, prepares a shipment of variety packs for local regional dispensaries. Cascade Valley Cannabis distributes throughout the state of Oregon, and continues to find new dispensaries as their products become better known and sought after. Given how successful Cascade Valley Cannabis has been since 2016, the future seems very bright. 

     Midori Okumura, who works at Green Room Dispensary near OSU campus in Corvallis, stated "we can't keep Cascade Valley Cannabis products on the shelf long. It seems people around here like the ease of pre-rolls, and enjoy the variety of strains in each pack, certainly one of our best selling items here." 

    From farm to table, Cascade Valley Cannabis has been sowing a tale of innovative ideas that have seemed to catch on, and have no plans of quitting any time soon. With their laid back demeanor and steady determination, they have created quite a name for themselves within the world of commercial cannabis. From Benton County's first commercial farm,  to one of the best in state, Cascade Valley Cannabis loves keeping it local! 

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Post-Script:

  A very special thank you to Jonathan Brown for setting up the time for me to come in and shoot this photo essay, it was greatly appreciated.