The last place you’d imagine finding Humboldt-quality cannabis is Cuba, Missouri. Yet, when I visited this small town of 3,000 people, I found cannabis that rivaled that of the Emerald Triangle. It didn’t come from an MSO. And it wasn’t endorsed by a rapper or celebrity. It was cultivated in a glass-top greenhouse by veteran growers who have dialed in on what it means to grow regeneratively. This could only happen through a combination of old-school NorCal techniques, new-school ag tech, and a rich sense of ethics.
The company, Robust, is a mid-sized cannabis grow founded by Tyler Hannegan and Brad Rhodes. They knew they had to bring in an experienced cultivator when they founded the company. But it couldn’t be just anyone. They were committed to doing things right, which meant not cutting corners.
That’s when they reached out to Bryan Sayre, AKA “Dragon” from Dragon Design and Consulting, an experienced grower with over a decade of experience growing in Northern California’s infamous cannabis mecca, the Emerald Triangle. They also brought Anthony Gillan, or “Gilly,” to manage their propagation process and mother plants.
As I toured the Robus facility, it became clear why Dragon was the right man for the job. His extensive knowledge in regenerative and organic cultivation practices and knowledge of innovative infrastructure has led their team to adopt new practices. These changes have helped reduce waste and pollution, improve employee working conditions, and produced a well-rounded, complex flower, ultimately serving the patient and their bottom line.
When asked about Robust’s tactics to reduce waste and save money, Hannegan stated, “It’s a labor of love, the way we operate here, and it’s always evolving.”
“When Bryan came on, we had fifteen-gallon pots, then we went down to five, and now we’re at three – so our volume has increased in terms of plants we are populating our rooms with, but it’s also based off of the genetic selection of the plants we are working with.”
More Than Just Dirt
Soil is one of the main areas where the team has honed in on best practices that result in cost-savings and offer opportunities for organic inputs and regeneration. At the beginning and end of the grow process is soil re-amendment.
Re-amendment is the process of taking the soil from the last harvest and adding – in this instance – organic live materials to improve its physical properties. This aids in improving the microbiome of the soil, water retention, drainage, and structure, which creates a better environment for the plants to thrive.
Robust re-amends all 300 cubic yards of soil they use in their facility after harvest. They first test the soil for contaminants and necessary vitamins and mineral replacements. They remove old root balls from the pots and put the remaining soil into a giant mixer.
“We used to have a one-yard soil mixer, and then we upgraded to a two-yard soil mixer with a two-yard hopper, so we 4X-ed the operation,” Hannegan explained.
The pots are washed and sanitized, then reused in the next batch – which saves the company tens of thousands of dollars each year and saves the planet from excessive plastic waste. These structural changes to their process have allowed them to grow sustainably while sticking to their commitment to eco-conscious and regenerative practices.
At this point in the process, they mix in a proprietary organic amendment package created by Soilscape Solutions to re-invigorate the soil. Organic plant nutrients can come from many sources and help to feed microbial decomposition. Some of the ingredients in this type of soil amendment package might include feather meal, alfalfa meal, bone meal, fish bone meal, or shrimp meal. The result is a living soil rich in nutrients ready for the next step in the process.
After it’s been re-amended, the dirt drops onto a conveyor that leads to a hopper, which reloads the pots and transports them by conveyor to their vegetation bay. This brings us to yet another improvement in their system – the conveyor. It is a sight to behold to watch a happy little plant shaking and dancing on a conveyor belt. These mobile conveyors allow plants to quickly and seamlessly move from room to room, save an immeasurable amount of time, and reduce the strain of manual labor on the grow team. Each improvement serves as a benefit to all stakeholders, not just those at the top.
This process has been thoroughly tested and tweaked to create the best soil, but ultimately, the proof lies in the final product: the flower.
Success and Values Can Go Hand-In-Hand
Initially, I boldly claimed that the flower rivaled cultivars in California’s Emerald Triangle. I say that confidently, having consumed flowers from some of NorCal’s best farms. The Robust team has repeatedly cultivated terpene-forward, cannabinoid-rich, robust buds. Large colas, significant terpene coverage, loud aromas, delicious complex flavonoids, smooth smoke on inhalation, and a wonderfully round euphoria as the medicine sets in.
Their cultivars are reminiscent of the First Class Funk, Rainbow Sherbert #11, and Permanent Marker I sampled just this year. But you don’t just take my word for it. The consumers of Missouri tend to agree. Feel State’s budtenders reported that the Robust cultivar drops – more often than not – sell out within hours upon release.
Ultimately, there’s a lesson here. Instead of chasing clout with celebrity endorsements, cutting corners to save on costs, or funneling money to the top, Dragon, Gilly, Hannegan, Rhodes, and their entire team put in honest, thoughtful, and eco-conscious decisions that pay off in the form of delicious, terpene-rich flower they can proudly stand behind.
With a significant focus on soil health, waste reduction, and innovation at the sight of friction, they’ve created a great process for their plants, patients, production, and the planet. It strengthens my belief that when brands put their values first, everyone wins.
