The Cannabis Trail Leads to SoHum This Saturday
[Graphic from the Cannabis Trail website]
The Cannabis Trail logo
The proponents of what they are calling The Cannabis Trail say it will eventually wind from Santa Cruz to Weaverville with stops along the way honoring the “the pioneers, places and significant historical moments that paved the way for the legal cannabis access we have today.”
Graphic from the Cannabis Trail website.
The backers say the trail will take its place alongside the Napa Wine Road and the Marin Cheese Trail (Marin has a cheese trail?…Sign us up!)
Two of the three first stops to be honored on the trail are Southern Humboldt’s The Hemp Connection and Huckleberry Hill Farms. This Saturday, June 19, the public is invited to check out the landmark unveiling ceremony…and satisfy the munchies with some small bite treats.
Follow the trail of smoke this Saturday to The Hemp Connection at 1 p.m.
Here’s more details in this press release from the Cannabis Trail:
The public is invited to attend an unveiling ceremony for two new Southern Humboldt County Cultural Landmarks along The Cannabis Trail on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Festivities will run from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. at The Hemp Connection, 412 Maple Lane, Garberville, CA 95542.
If you are interested in learning about how California’s cannabis legalization movement was started and who several of the main players are in its ongoing evolution – then this little celebration is not to be missed!
Cultural Landmark #1 Honors Marie Mills
Marie Mills first came to Southern Humboldt County, California in 1980. Influenced by the back-to-the-land movement of the late-1970’s she camped out deep in the woods, embraced a lifestyle of self-reliance, and learned to cultivate cannabis by simply doing it.
In 1990, Marie established the first hemp retail clothing store since Prohibition – Hemp Connection – in Redway, California. Her first 10 years in business were dedicated to learning how to craft handmade hemp paper from her homegrown cannabis stalks and to designing, dying, sewing, and perfecting her line of hemp clothing products. In the early days of her operations Marie worked mostly with imported hemp raw materials while developing her cottage industry-based manufacturing techniques.
In 1998, with the help and support of her daughter Teresa, Marie expanded her retail operations. Shortly after opening a second store in Garberville, California a group of local citizens took issue with the fact that Marie’s Hemp Connection business signage prominently displayed a large cannabis leaf image. Their efforts to have her sign removed, or modified, motivated the Southern Humboldt cannabis community to come to Marie’s defense. With the support of a small group of activists Marie fought back and her rights as an American citizen to free speech and freedom of expression were eventually upheld.
Today the Hemp Connection’s sign stands tall atop Marie and Teresa Mill’s storefront, which has become one of Garberville’s most photographed pieces of real estate. With the installation of a Cultural Landmark plaque on June 19th The Cannabis Trail is pleased to focus their spotlight upon two cannabis pioneers, Marie, and Teresa Mills, as well as their iconic Hemp Connection sign.
Cultural Landmark #2 Celebrates Johnny Casali
Ponds and landscaping surrounded the Huckleberry Hill greenhouse and home where Johnny Casali has lived since he was 5-years-old.
Johnny Casali is a 2nd generation Southern Humboldt County cannabis cultivator and the owner of Huckleberry Hill Farms. As a young boy he was taught by his mother to grow and care for plants – cannabis included. “My mom was an incredible teacher. Her cannabis cultivation techniques gained her the reputation of being one of the best growers in Southern Humboldt.”
In 1992, when Casali was 24 years old, he was arrested for cultivating cannabis and spent the next 17 years of his life in and out of the federal court, prison, and probation systems. His cannabis incarceration story is like that of many other men and women who were severely penalized under the mandatory minimum prison sentencing guidelines utilized during the decades-long War on Drugs.
Upon his release Johnny returned to the land and the community he loved. Today, Huckleberry Hill Farms is a beautifully landscaped environment – created with intention and purpose to honor the small legacy cannabis farmers of Southern Humboldt County. Visitors are welcome to stop by and see how Johnny cultivates his high-quality cannabis from heirloom cultivars passed down from his mother.
Johnny Casali has embodied the true spirit of the cannabis cultural revolution for several decades. His story is an important part of the Emerald Triangle’s history. On June 19th, The Cannabis Trail will celebrate his life’s journey with the installation of a Cultural Landmark plaque at Huckleberry Hill Farms.
Treats from Café Feast and more…
The unveiling ceremony will include small bite treats for all to enjoy from Café Feast in the Evergreen Industrial Park, Redway, CA. In addition, Brian Applegarth, the creator of The Cannabis Trail will deliver opening and closing remarks. The Cannabis Trail Pioneer Chart and Regional Map will be on display. Pebbles Trippet (another cannabis and medical marijuana luminary) will provide remarks in honor of Marie Mills and Rose Moberly will provide remarks in celebration of Johnny Casali.
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Well done 👏🏻👏🏻
Congrats and thank you
Ya should call it the “trail of tears “. For the fact that all that glorious legalization took away our mom pop culture of grow a bit to get by pay the bills etc
To now where ya can’t even get by unless ya growing 500ish lbs and employ a bunch a worthless mouth breathing titty sucking unemployables !
Let’s tear down those landmarks like they are in the south getting rid of all that confederate racist statues, landmarks etc
Steven – Cannabis Trail non-profit organization aside – in your opinion, what Humboldt cannabis and hemp stories, culture, and legacy are worthy of preservation, honoring, and celebration? Lawrence Ringo’s story perhaps? Or other? Thoughts?
SoHum, or, “Disneyland for Druggies…”
The Cannabis Trail has led to SoHum for half a century…
“It’s beautiful, but it’s a fucking trap”.
Yes we get it! You’re a non-profit nobody cares about your tax exempt status ! Tell us more sweet thang lol! I think Jim Jones and the Scientologist s be non profits too!
Back to my point…the world does not revolve around weed…why don’t ya do start the fentanyl trail or the heyron pills and meth trail. Or the stolen/abandoned vehicle trail!
Remember when the tracksuit mafia moved in next door or some knucklehead kid got some money lifted his truck and drove like an asshole up the 36 were the problem! Man we had it good back then eh?
So when and where do the tourists get the CAMP style buttstock to the head? They should have screaming kids in the background crying “let my mommy go” as they drag some woman accross a field.
For sure. Low Gap jail should be on the trail. And what about ground zero of Operation Greensweep? And how ’bout the offices where they are still using spyware and parcel maps to prosecute people with illegal plants, now that pot is “legal”? What a joke.
It’s really too bad this area was ever popularized for weed. The publicity and the whole “coming out of the shadows” movement screwed it over as much as the cops did.
Low Gap in Ukiah? Camp and Operation Green Sweep, also very important history. Some believe that the painful stories and fight for civil liberties are important to enshrine and remember, so we do not forget and they are not repeated. #COG
How about a story about how massive legal and illegal grows in Southern California and Oregon are killing the permitted and black market here. There’s really nothing to celebrate, the trail to legalization is doomed for Humboldt, as planned. Humboldt will collect their taxes and fees as long as possible before the crash which is inevitable. Corporate weed will win and that’s nothing to celebrate. Yay! Legalization was and is a scam, I feel bad for people that tried. I don’t see a rebound.
Yes! Or how about handcuff me to the toilet and steal all my shit, shoot my dogs and experience!
It could be like the escape rooms man that would be the best part of the tour !
My dad made us lock the dogs in the bedroom for their safety when we heard the choppers. Theirs a memory of long ago that flashed back reading your comment.
They also need the choppers dropping plants from their nets while heading to Ruth Airport for the realism aspect. How about camping overnight with tarps of weed along some forest service road waiting to get picked up, lol. This should only be done between mid October and mid November and ya get a badge if ya can handle it for a few days in a pouring rain.
Wait, I got another, how about the “run.” Get a few old pick up trucks with teams of three and they gotta chop a scene down and haul it 3 miles to a shed and fit it all in before the choppers or the po-po see or catch you.
And a picture of every politician liar who voted against cannabis
So now there will be a Cheese Trail and a Cheesy Trail.
What in your opinion would make it not cheesy? What northern California cannabis culture and history is not cheesy to honor and remember?
I think it’s going to be tough. For the relatively few years involved, the area’s weed history (and general history) seems pretty complicated and nuanced to me. [I’m a greenrusher by time of arrival (but not by stereotypical behavior), so I’m not really an authority.] It’s going to be tough to represent authentically within the framework of a driving tour. Maybe road logs with narration by knowledgeable locals? Good luck, especially if you treat the people of this area well.
“It wasn’t just marijuana that got prohibited, it was the truth about history.” Tod Mikuriya, MD
Half of my wardrobe is hemp from the Hemp Connection. Jack Herer was their first customer according to Marie.
I got my first 215 letter from Dr. Mikuriya ☺
1997
Marie is a pioneer and visionary. I wish I had met Dr. Tod and Brownie Mary before their passing. People speak so fondly of them and the impact they had as cannabis pioneers and advocates for patient access.
Hopefully there’s a detour to Phillipsville: light dep by the riverside…
Please share more about Phillipsville light dep legacy. Sounds rad.
Yes! Pretty “rad”, for sure. Easy to see from 101.
Lol.
years in the cannabis industry left me with nothing and now i think about suicide every day why does this project get promoted it is a slap in the face to me and peoplke who were here first
i am suicide is there anywhere to turn?
If you need help during a dark time, first contact the 24-hour Mental Health Crisis Line at 707-445-7715 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
call and talk to someone
Kym dont turn your back on us for these grredy people now my comments dont get on here
Actually, Santa Cruz was one of the areas where sinsemilla was pioneered.
Yep… Skunk Man Sam was down there seventies and eighties popping g thousands of seeds pheno hunting.
So easy to tell whoever put this together knows nothing about emerald triangle cannabis and is no more than another capitalist coming to cash in on something they know nothing about. Weaverville is certainly not a cannabis town like hayfork . Santa Cruz/SF has had 0 impact on the emerald triangle becoming what it is . Go back to la. Can’t wait to see this fail
What changes could be made that would further entice your support of this non-profit organization in fulfilling their mission to preserve and celebrate northern California’s cannabis history and culture? What would need to change in order for you to root for it’s success? As it stands now, The Cannabis Trail is intended to preserve, celebrate and educate about the multi-layered and diverse story of the NorCal cannabis and hemp history – a trail that travels from Santa Cruz to Trinity County (Weaverville, Hayfork or otherwise) and shares all kinds of stories about pioneers, places, and benchmark moments. Some suggest the California hemp and cannabis story goes as far back as the Spanish missions – many of which still house pre-prohibition hemp artifacts today. It definitely includes the Beatniks in North Beach and BiPOC and queer communities.
non-profit, LLC, etc often doesn’t mean much other than a way for individuals/investors to profit and skirt tax laws.
you ask what might get folks to “root for it’s success” and the most important factor might be to show who y’all are as individuals and your background in the emerald triangle communities. it’s tiresome to see local folks losing day to day income from no long being able to trim in theirs or a friends living room, run a small scene at home, etc while others are utilizing the “legacy” and the history of risk, trauma, and troubles faced by every and anyone who put their life into the soil, so that they can turn a buck and create an image profitable to themselves and others who have run no risk of life and livelihood. Might as well include all I-80, 90, 70, and 40 and memorialize those lost in Nebraska, Texas, and Kansas.
You obviously don’t know much about cannabis. Many strains came from so cal to the emerald triangle including some of the. Best growers.
The Marin French Cheese Company is the country’s oldest cheese company. Their Camembert & Brie are to die for. Very expensive in stores, the factory prices are bargain basement. I buy in bulk every time I pass the store (on the back road from Petaluma to Marin, take D street). The cheese freezes well ☺
Where is that at? That sounds wonderful.
The Marin cheese company is technically in Marin county but is most easily accessible via Petaluma. You take the East Washington exit and go west. I could give explicit directions if you would like. It is nice and quiet during the week but watch out for the weekend. Nice picnic area ponds, ducks and whatnot. They specialize in French soft cheeses. I was born and raised in Petaluma but have been transplanted north for quite some time. It is a nice drive out of town through rolling coastal hills and some of Petaluma’s oldest ranches. Hasn’t changed much out there since when I was a youngster. You can keep going west from there to Pt Reyes area. If you have any questions I will be more than happy to answer Hope that helps.
I’m sure I can google it but I love getting personal recommendations. Thank you!
Yum! Good to know it freezes well. Thanks for the tip.
C Trail, you basically have a good idea, and a great start with Marie& Teresa. & Johnny. Keep up with the authenticity & help the true history be told. There were some good attempts to document things , going back 40+years…One was Women Growing Pot. I’ve always thought it wld be fun(ny) to have tourists visit real “Hippie Homesteads”, cause we ain’t dead& buried yet! And we hold all the Humboldt history, beginning with the Back to the Landers. We were refugees of suburbia& the misguided consumerist, war oriented society. We were well educated, well traveled & somehow, were drawn here to this incredible environment. Things went well for quite a while& it was hard & fun! But, unfortunately, the next generation wanted to make a lot of money& brag about it, so now we have the aftermath of the Boom…
I know this is a major over-simplification , but I sense that you do want to go deep& get the history right, before us OGs all pass away.
Was it only the “next generation” who chased money or did some of you “OGs” jump on the gravy train with both feet too?
In my experience hippycrits are more common than actual hippies.
True – Santa Cruz has plenty of history including pioneering sinsemilla, WAMM, Valerie Corral, as well as San Francisco with Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary, the origins 420 in Marin County – and much more. Northern California is stacked with awesome cannabis and hemp legacy. That Cannabis Trail map is an old version. It is always evolving and will continue to evolve, as everything does.
learn how to read a map. They clearly show the only three counties as the emerald tri. The others are different names. Makes sense.
I think its cool. This is. like the Cannabis Prohibition days of our generation, it’s going to continue to change and evolve for years , but having a cultural historic landmarks map or trail I think is really cool. Wine and Cannabis taste testing tours in our future, now that would be awesome!!
Next part of the cannabis trail is hopefully the recall of gavin newsom .Due to him and his buddy George soros being responsible for this mass extortion and treason of the PEOPLE of northern California/emerald triangle.
Show up on election day and push back against slimy theft,use of the military against constituents to collect lie money !!!! After all its clearly stated that the United States military should never be used against American citizens !!!!! Slimy rich boy needs to go !!!
I’m not surprised someone finally decided to commercialize the Emerald Triangle. I’m disheartened it took so long. Most SoHum local entrepreneurs are missing the tourist dollars boat not creating a Cannabis Culture Amusement Park. It would benefit the entire community.
Haters are gonna hate… But for 30 years I’ve watched the local families invest their blood, sweat & tears, to fill a demand that was undeniable. Already one profiteer took the ‘Emerald Cup’ out of the triangle, to wine country. Where the wine already brings international tourist traffic. Like Kobe Japan’s beef and Champaign France’s sparkling wine, the Emerald Triangle needs to protect their cannabis history & future. NO 4th County – with Kush Valley or bogus ‘Gateway’ should be included in the Emerald Triangle trail. Period.
Your precious marijuana will soon be grown all over the country, all over the world!
Humboldt County ain’t that special, and marijuana grows anywhere.
Humboldt County “mom and pops” are screwed, completely over…
When a tourist stumbles across the bridge into Humboldt, they look around and say:
“Jesus! These people are all on drugs!”
They might hang around long enough to buy a bit of your “special” weed, but they can buy it anywhere, now…
All we need is more vagrant bums on our trails. Good one!
Just like they’ve done in Santa Cruz, the whole point is a land grab. Gruesome and Company want you gone.
That’s why the fines are so excessive, and high fees for licenses you can’t get. Crazy zoning, stealing water rights etc.
I watched it happen to a friend with 160 acres in SC.