Like tracking familial DNA, if there is a father of modern weed, the paternal lineage could be traced back to Ed Rosenthal, and its birthplace to the Emerald Triangle. Rosenthal’s bestselling book was the first of its kind–a literal manual to growing cannabis, called Marijuana Grower’s Guide. I remember the white paperback on my dad’s side table, or desk, or bookshelf at various points in my life. Ed was the first to publish a DIY book on homegrown weed that “went viral”, especially with Back-to-Landers (aka Legacy Farmers).
When we met a couple weeks ago, a gorgeous day on his back patio in Oakland, I could feel the underlying education Rosenthal was presenting. Although I did my best to soak it in, seshing with Ed Rosenthal had me low key star-struck, so it wasn’t until I listened to our recorded conversation later that I fully picked up exactly what he laid down.
A man always ahead of his time and ahead of the game, he has a way of making anything look easy. Ed is generous toward a worthy cannabis cause, so we smoked and chatted for hours before touring his garden, then smoked and chatted some more.
This interview brought several things full circle, including an early edition (1974) of Ed’s book that Sgt. Sanborn had seized during a raid in Trinity County in the ‘70s and then used as a text book to educate himself about the plant. Sgt. Sanborn gifted the book to me several years ago after personally inscribing it. I brought it to show Ed and he signed it, too. Then, when Ed asked me to roll a joint, the book was the nearest tray, so I used it without thinking.
Looking down at the once confiscated Grower’s Guide (now covered in Ed’s weed), then over at Ed himself–a warm, welcoming soul, I was overwhelmed by the moment thinking about the life of that book. From publisher to book shelf to Legacy Farmer to law enforcement to storage to NorCalWeedGal to Ed’s house, and now used as a rolling tray. It was surreal.
My biggest takeaway about Ed Rosenthal is that while being a futurist, he is also extremely savvy (arguably genius) in creating immediate practical solutions.
Rosenthal’s Resumé
Ed’s following is loyal and large for one reason—trust. This 81-year-old has lived a lifetime (some would say several) of growing, traveling, advocating, documenting, explaining, promoting, fighting, and winning…all while smoking.
I’ll cover some professional milestones in this brief summary, and if you’d like to know him better, subscribe to be on his email list. In addition to his reliable “ed”ucational tidbits, you can expect his consistent candid nature (Ed is Ed). And Here’s a link to his Wiki page if you wanna’ go down the bio rabbit hole (who could blame ya’?).
When I asked Ed what prompted him to publish Marijuana Grower’s Guide, I was expecting some passionate explanation about nurturing his dreams to fruition at a young age (his late 20’s). Instead he smiled, and revealing his practical problem solving side, answered in total candor that he was “interested in the royalties”. I chuckled out loud at this glimpse into his authenticity.
Ed grew up in the Bronx and discovered his green thumb in the acres of a nearby botanical garden, taking advantage of youth programs offered there. He knew from a young age he wanted to work with plants. A framed certificate from the New York Botanical Gardens is still fondly displayed in his home office. As a kid, Rosenthal experimented with growing African Violets under florescent lights.
Over years he tested, adapted, cloned, studied, dissected, and perfected home growing, including cannabis. That’s when he started thinking practically, about residual income. Both going by pseudonyms, he and his friend Mel Frank published Marijuana Grower’s Guide in 1973. A revised edition would later catapult the book into a bestselling phenomenon, especially in Northern California.
Trivia side note: Ed’s real name is John Smith! Mel has revealed his real name since the book’s publication: Jim Goodwin. Ed figured no one would believe his real name was John Smith, so he changed it to the more eloquent Ed Rosenthal. Rosenthal in German means “valley of roses”. Jim’s reasoning was more about anonymity. Ed reminded me that, “nobody writing about cannabis was using their real name at the time”. Jim chose the name Mel Frank after his 2 cats, Mel and Frank. Frank was the female.
Eventually, Rosenthal would work as a writer for High Times, the cannabis education and appreciation magazine. High Times was revolutionary and Ed happened to be employed during a pivotal era. Among America’s counter-culture, it became a milestone to “Ask Ed” a question about cannabis.
My glimpse was brief, but it seems that Rosenthal’s professional and personal life are closely intertwined. From his organized, friendly wife/assistant, Jane (with a successful background in publishing), to his longtime business associations with friends, to his personal passion for decriminalization and adoration of what this plant offers. It all blends together seamlessly.
Ed’s Influence In The War On Drugs
If you’ve read my previous articles, you may recall Sergeant Sanborn of Trinity County Sheriff’s Department saying that law enforcement consistently found 2 items at busts—Ohaus scales and the Marijuana Grower’s Guide.
Early on, sensing he would need some type of education on the topic, Sanborn held on to an edition he’d confiscated and used it as a text book. He studied it meticulously, eventually gaining enough knowledge to be seen as an “expert witness” in marijuana cultivation by the court, as well as by his peers. The Sergeant seemed as surprised as I was as he explained,
“Part of my qualifications as an expert witness in marijuana cultivation was that I had studied Rosenthal. It was a standard and accepted by the court!”
A cop who has never grown, never smoked weed, no knowledge of botany otherwise, yet an acceptable expert in cultivation in the eyes of the court. In the War on Drugs, it definitely helped Prosecution to have such an expert witness.
During our afternoon together, Ed described challenging that very “expert witness” criteria from a Defense perspective. In the 1990’s, Rosenthal worked closely with attorney Bill Logan and together, they co-authored several books about the judicial rights of cannabis cultivators, filled with do’s and don’ts.
More importantly in the long run, though, and contrary to what had been the acceptable standard for judges spanning decades, Rosenthal and Logan would eventually increase court expectations by arguing that an “expert witness” speaking about cannabis cultivation should be someone that had actually grown the plant. (More on this in an upcoming article called Defense Loopholes) By the time this progress was made, Sanborn had since retired. Flipping the tables, Ed himself would eventually become an expert witness for the Defense in cannabis cases many times over.
Side note: When I told him about my upcoming interview with Rosenthal, ironically (and genuinely) Sanborn asked me to thank Rosenthal for him. Sgt. Sanborn was truly grateful for Marijuana Grower’s Guide, enabling him to be seen as an expert in cultivation simply by having memorized the information from it.
Rosenthal’s Connection To The Emerald Triangle
Marijuana Grower’s Guide was instrumental in educating Legacy Farmers. As I mentioned in previous articles, all weed before about 1975 had seeds. It was an accepted norm. Once farmers in the Emerald Triangle started utilizing Ed’s curricula, the market slowly began to change. By the early ‘80s, seeds in a bag of weed were a sign of low quality. That was all due to Rosenthal’s applied knowledge by Emerald Triangle farmers in the 1970s and 1980s, raising the bar for the entire cannabis market.
This gave The Emerald Triangle an edge, some notoriety. What would, in fact, become a world renown brand synonymous with “the best weed money can buy”.
Rosenthal appreciates the Emerald Triangle for its history. He currently works with Humboldt Seed Company on collaborative endeavors. However, he warns of the Emerald Triangle losing its shine, its reputation for cultivating the best weed in the world. He’s not vague, either.
Legacy Farmers vs. Today’s Cultivating Culture
Those now known as Legacy Farmers in the Emerald Triangle put the “unity” in community. They brought the essence of hippie culture to the mountains. Especially in Southern Humboldt, there was a responsibility shared among individuals to contribute to the whole. They worked tirelessly to make sure their community had what it needed.
Throughout the Emerald Triangle, farmers often spent black market money at local businesses, recycling it back into the community. Our rural economies were pulsing during the War on Drugs!
In SoHum, residents made it a mission to enrich their towns by building schools, clinics, and with their own hands—the beloved Mateel Community Center where they would hold organized meetings. Farmers even developed their own language to communicate with one another on CB frequencies, and eventually local radio stations were created to share news, opinions, and event information.
As much of a strong arm law enforcement was at the time, the Legacy Farmers of SoHum countered it with their tough “kiss my ass, I’m not bothering anyone” attitude right back. In the mountains one learns to be independent, and independent they were. But these folks were also smart—they knew they were stronger together.
Ed Rosenthal mentioned this in a roundabout way during our sesh. It was one of those things that I didn’t really grasp fully as he was saying it, but in listening to the recording post-interview, his point was clear. He basically said that if the Emerald Triangle wants to keep its reputation as being the leader of the highest quality cannabis cultivation, farmers need to get back to innovating and adapting.
Once cannabis was legalized in other states, demand for Emerald Triangle weed fell dramatically. Recreational legalization in California favors big industry, and has pulled the bottom right out of the market across nearly every category, except new ones like beverages…virtually unattainable for boutique family farmers. Retail cannabis sales continue to favor weed grown indoors, leaving outdoor farmers to figure out how to market and sell through their crops, like swimming upstream.
Side note: Some boutique farmers are making an effort to lead with environmental awareness and innovations, i.e., Trailheads brand’s Certified Carbon Neutral indoor strains…a very modern and effective marketing tactic!
Then there is the elephant-in-the-room problem about local politics where certain politicians are artificially preventing progress. Ed describes solving these issues as fundamental to the Emerald Triangle holding its position as being a world leader in quality cannabis. Complacency could prove detrimental to our region’s recognition.
Preserving The Emerald Triangle’s Legacy
Viewing it through a wide lens, Ed sees a reality in the Emerald Triangle where modern farmers could come together as the Legacy Farmers did…giving their money and time to hand-pick politicians and causes, and build up local power from the inside out. He was clear it takes business owners, farmers, and volunteers to have a healthy ag region, with farmers recycling money back into the area to further advance its economy. In addition to better controlling local politics, here’s a little of Ed’s advice for the Emerald Triangle to continue its hard fought legacy:
Embrace Strain Demand as a Moving Target - Perhaps instead of growing strains they like (or that grow easily), then selling the public on why it’s so great, Emerald Triangle farmers could grow more of what is in demand in the current market, and foresee strain trends that would help the area maintain its reputation as a trusted cannabis leader. We would be wise to keep in mind that we need the market more than it needs us at this point.
Adopt New Techniques - Innovations like Rosenthal’s wick watering system saves water and manpower. Big leafing as plants grow (vs. post-harvest) to maximize energy to the buds. By farmers being open to trying and adopting effective techniques, the Emerald Triangle could be the Silicon Valley of cannabis–right on the cutting edge, showing the world how it’s done.
Change the Planting Timeline - Ed is a firm believer that harvest should be done ideally in early September—mid-September at the latest. If farmers in the Emerald Triangle were open to adjusting their harvest timeline, Rosenthal asserts that quality would increase.
Again, Ed was very direct, saying about the Emerald Triangle:
“Tourism and branding won’t work when the county government is actively opposed to what you want to do. So the first thing is that you really have to change the politics there. The only way to do it is to actually put in a new set of politicians. You don’t need all of them (just a majority). It can be done. The Seed Company is up there and they’ll contribute.
But if the farmers don’t do it, they’re not worth doing it for. It’s all in how much respect they have for themselves. Are they just going to collect the money and not contribute to the community? Or are they gonna’ contribute to the community? And that makes all the difference…because part of it is about them getting the respect they deserve, and they’re not gonna’ get it with the politics there now.”
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: CaliLove Dispensary at 1516 Main St. in Weaverville, California. In a county of 3,200 square miles, Trinity County offers only a single dispensary. And she’s a mighty one!
Developed by a passionate owner and local farmer, Melissa Love, CaliLove is purposely incognito to quietly nestle into Weaverville’s main strip mall on the East side of town a few doors down from CVS. Fighting every step of the way for licensing, location, store front, and signage, saying this dispensary was a labor of love is not only a pun, it’s an understatement.
With an artistic flair, CaliLove is decorated with swirly blue floors, local paintings (rotated regularly), and stocked, of course, with quality Emerald Triangle brands, including Love’s own Mt. Mama Farms. CaliLove also often displays flyers for upcoming events and concerts at the check-in counter. And always friendly, knowledgeable service! Open 10am-7pm, 7 days a week.
Thanks for reading! Whether you’re a fan of cannabis, California, history, true crime, or law enforcement, I hope you’ll subscribe and stick with me for more unbelievable stories during the War on Drugs in the Emerald Triangle and my crazy childhood. It won’t be boring!
After the 10 free publications, paid subscribers will receive this weekly article with historic & proprietary pics, and exclusive audio and video tracks of interviews. A podcast option will also be available to paid subscribers. Also, early registration and a $50 discount on sleepaway Cannabis Camp in the Emerald Triangle!
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I appreciate your interest in this slice of American history!
GLOSSARY (If I’ve used a word/term not listed here, consider reading previous articles where the glossary likely explains it. I try not to repeat definitions in the glossary.)
Ask Ed - A long-running column in High Times written by Ed Rosenthal where readers write to Ed with cannabis related questions. Rosenthal later went on to publish “Ask Ed” books.
Bill Logan - Attorney with whom Ed has worked with closely to create judicial change in cannabis court cases. The duo has also authored several books together on the topic.
CB - Citizen’s Radio, with various frequencies on which voices can be transmitted via wireless communication without much privacy. The most rudimentary version is called a “walkie talkie”. A more advanced version is commonly used by long haul drivers to communicate on the road. Each participant on a CB has a “handle”, a nickname one goes by (like on Instagram). Code words are often used to disguise private matters from others who may be using that frequency. And there is an option to change frequencies, which means moving to a different channel to make conversation easier (avoiding static or eavesdroppers).
Bio - Slang for biography.
DNA - Genetic formatting of lineage.
Expert Witness - Used by lawyers in court to offer credible, professional opinions on matters (or evidence) in question.
High Times - A counter-culture magazine about cannabis founded in 1974 in the United States. It’s the porn mag of weed lovers. High Times set standards and broke molds. Ed Rosenthal wrote for High Times during the War on Drugs.
Humboldt Seed Company - A cannabis seed company in the Emerald Triangle founded by scientists in 2001. Their website states their mission as “empowering cultivators at every level—from first-time growers to commercial operations. Through our commitment to:
Develop innovative award-winning genetics.
Focus on stability and potency.
Preserve precious Landrace strains.
Advance sustainable cultivation practices.”
Low Key - Urban slang meaning “kinda’, but really”
Mateel Community Center - A non-profit community center in Redway, California, built by locals. The building played an important role for Legacy Farmers and local activists during the War on Drugs as a clubhouse of sorts. From Mateel’s website, their mission is: “The Mateel Community Center seeks to involve all segments of the community in the creative actualization of a cultural vision embracing diversity, vitality, justice and sustainability. Our programs and events serve changing community needs, emphasizing the performing and visual arts.”
Mel Frank - Pseudonym of Rosenthal’s co-author of Marijuana Grower’s Guide. His real name is Jim Goodwin.
New York Botanical Gardens - Located across hundreds of acres in Bronx, New York, Ed Rosenthal discovered his love of horticulture here as a young child.
SoHum - Emerald Triangle slang for Southern Humboldt.
Strain - Used to describe a varietal of cannabis within 3 categories: Sativa, Indica, or Hybrid.
Wick Watering System - A method of watering using a nylon wick, which drops into a 5” tall holding tank below and feeds into the bottom of a plant’s root system. Ed Rosenthal swears by this method, as it allows the gardener some freedom in watering. Regular watering still needs to occur, but much less frequently.