While it may sound too good to be true, the owners of a cannabis farm are looking for volunteers to test their products this summer.
Greg Claroni, general manager and media coordinator for Greenherb Farms, said an integral part of the company’s research into different cannabis strains involves people testing what they grow at their farm about 45 minutes north of Moncton.
“The more people we have, the more specific we can get with our studies,” he said. “It’s a serious research program but we want people to come out and have a good time, too. It might just sound like you’re getting free cannabis but it’s for a good cause and we want to do it properly –we’re looking for people who are responsible and reliable.”
Claroni told Huddle Greenherb is growing 60 different strains for its research on cultivation techniques, processing methods, and consumer consumption preferences.
This research will allow Greenherb to figure out which strains are best for the climate and consumers, which is where the volunteers come in.
“We’re asking consumers to come out and trial some of the stuff we grow after we produce a final product out of it and to tell us what they think,” he said.
There’s no hard limit on how many volunteers can come; Greenherb is looking for as many people as possible.
While the farm, located in the community of St. Joseph-de-Kent, near Bouctouche, is a bit remote, Claroni is confident there will be a mix of both locals and tourists heading out across a broad demographic swath.
“It’s a scenic route and a lot of people drive this way, anyway. We’re lucky to be pretty close to Moncton and in an area tourists want to visit,” he said.
Greenherb Farms is engaging in a process of elimination to find the best out of the 60 different strains it’s going to grow this summer, testing them for climate hardiness and gauging public opinion.
“We can really narrow down which plants grow best here and which cannabis flowers our consumers really like,” he said.
“Each one of those cultivars is going to be grown by seeds, so you’re going to have a lot of different expressions of those cultivars. We’re going to have a variety going into the field this year, and we’re taking a lot of plant samples to see which ones are the best.”
Depending on how many plants get put in the ground, Claroni said there could be as many as 100,000 grams of cannabis grown on the property this season.
Greenherb is poised to receive a sales amendment, at which point it can sell its product.
“We have every intention to retail it,” Claroni said. “There’s a lot of overhead to put products on shelves and if they just sit there that’s a waste of money for everyone,” he noted.
The owners of Greenherb Farms purchased the former Michaud Farms property near Bouctouche. Image: Michaud Farms
Claroni said the ideal cannabis plant for the New Brunswick climate needs a trio of resistances to cold, disease, and pests.
“We’re finishing up here closer to October, when the risk of disease is more prevalent,” noted Claroni.
Greenherb Farms, a company with three employees, purchased the 52-acre former Herve J. Michaud Farm in the community of St. Joseph-de-Kent and is already helped along by a group of family volunteers. Of that 52 acres, Claroni said about four will be used to grow cannabis.
“Anything we do outdoors has to be fenced in perimeters – security is very high,” he noted.
Before the growing can get done, Claroni said there are a series of renovations that need to be done to make it able to handle cannabis plots, with infrastructure to set up that protect the plants from rain and wind.
“We have to find ways to support them, so we’re preparing the field for that – and that takes a lot of labour,” he said. “Once we get the plans in, as long as they’re safely in their homes, get a lot of nutrients and water, they’re happy.”
Sam Macdonald is a reporter with Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
