Spotlight Series: Alecia Weisman and the Legion of Bloom

Alecia Weisman and her team are on a mission to produce the highest-quality cannabis products using sustainable, conscious cultivation and extraction practices. From the farm in Northern California Alecia and her team produce organic cannabis without chemicals, no harmful pesticides, and no additives and they have the awards and accolades to back it up.

We wanted to find out more about The Legion of Bloom, Alecia and what drives her. Check out the interview below and be sure to follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

How did you get involved in the cannabis industry?

I started growing cannabis in 2009. Living in Northern California, and having a longstanding affinity for the plant, I started growing my own. Growing for personal use quickly turned into a larger grow project that my husband and I worked on together. We initially grew indoor and transitioned into greenhouse and outdoor grown cannabis for the medical market. After years of cultivating organic cannabis, we began branding our flowers and concentrates along with a group of close friends who shared in our labor of love. Thus, the inception of The Legion of Bloom. Currently, I am the lead cultivator at The Legion of Bloom.

Tell us a little bit about your product or service

We are a conscious cannabis brand that focuses on high quality medicine. Our flagship product is our Monarch vape pen, which features strain specific flavors. The monarch combines cannabis derived terpenes with high THC, creating a full vape experience that rivals a flower experience. We also have a 1:1 CBD:THC pen – the Terrapen. Additional products in our line include: organically-grown flower, an Ayurvedic-inspired CBD roll on, Live Resin, and Era Pods, compatible exclusively with PAX Era devices. Purity is of the utmost importance in all that we offer. We start with organically-grown, small batch cannabis, and use industry-leading practices to create a distinguished end product. Our products do not contain propylene glycol, MCT oil, or any other fillers. Our main objective is to give you an elevated cannabis experience by providing a clean, superior product. All our products are tested for purity, potency, residual solvents, microbes, and mold through a certified lab, and all results can be found on our website!

What time does your day typically start and what does a normal day look like to you?

My day usually starts at 7AM with a cup of coffee and a smoothie. On big project days at our farms, I am on-site helping out, making sure that our work flow is efficient and that all our plants are happy. Other days, I work from my office—planning, and working on a calendar to schedule swing crews to get the next big project accomplished. I also do a lot of big ordering to ensure the farm has all its necessary supplies; this often requires a good bit of math to make sure we have plenty of soil, compost tea, organic nutrients etc. for each different stage of plant growth. My days are dynamic, and I love that. When you grow cannabis, you have to be flexible; while planning is essential, you also have to be able to morph that plan each and every day. I enjoy checking in with the plants to see how they are responding, this guides me in every step of strategy to optimize the quality and quantity of our harvest.

What is your vision for your company going forward?

To continue producing the highest quality products on the market, emphasizing conscious methods every step of the way. Currently, it’s my job to ensure that every ingredient used to cultivate our cannabis is top-notch. I personally develop custom soil blends, organic feed regiments and integrated pest management plans. As we continue to scale, I will continue to maintain our quality standards to ensure that our inputs (flower, trim, etc.) are cultivated with intention. Additionally, we will empower small cannabis farmers by developing symbiotic relationships that help us continue to offer new exciting flavors, while keeping our craft vision in mind. I hope to excel in our scaling processes, by continuing to create an authentic product and also diversify by branching out to other like-minded organic farmers. We will only source product that is up to our standards, so I will be visiting many farms to ensure that all methods are consistent with our vision - quality from seed to final product.

What would an ideal post prohibition society look like to you?

Free trade of quality-assured (3rd party lab tested) cannabis across the entire U.S.

Accessibility. I would love to see a lot more cannabis being sun-grown, and this will require states like Michigan being able to trade with states like California. Indoor grown cannabis is incredibly resource intensive, and it’s contributing to our Global Warming problem. Ideally, California, with its perfect microclimates for cannabis cultivation will be able to supply other states. I imagine cannabis being more like wine in the near future.

What was your first experience with cannabis like?

Joyful and liberating. Lots of laughing and vibing with music. It was lovely, really. There was a lot of stigma around cannabis back when I tried it, and when I did, I was sort of confused why any stigma would surround such a marvellous plant.

Tell us about some of the challenges you face working in the cannabis industry

The moving target associated with changing laws from medical to recreational in the state of California.

What are some solutions you've found?

We are in a state of rapid change, and in many ways that’s what we signed up for. Though it’s challenging to hit a bullseye in a constantly moving target, it’s something we have to continue to do. We must strive for excellence and persevere. So, we stay flexible, and take a lot of deep breaths, and just roll with the punches. Never a dull moment!

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about cannabis?

Basically, there’s an option for everyone. The variety of strains and ways to consume cannabis give us ample choices and empower us to use cannabis in a way that’s right for each of us, individually. I encourage those that may have had a bad experience with cannabis earlier in life to give it another try. Chances are, you used something that wasn’t right for you. And, these days, you can find anything you want, you can dial back the doses in a refined way that wasn’t possible before the age of legalization.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about your product or service?

How much pride we take in creating a premium, health-conscious product for our customers to enjoy. Our value-driven business is what sets us apart. We extract cannabis derived terpenes with state of the art, innovative methods, producing vape pens that taste like and give you the experience of smoking flower.

If you could go back in time and do it all over again, what (if anything) would you do differently?

Honestly, nothing. No regrets.

What is your favorite way to consume cannabis?

Depends on the setting, but in general, I love to smoke a joint. I love the ritual of breaking bud and sharing the fruits of our labor with friends in a puff-puff pass fashion. I also enjoy taking a dab as a night-cap and hitting one of our vape pens while on the go.

Concentrate or flower? Why?

Flower. I just love the all around full effect on both the body and mind.

Do you think cannabis legalization will change the world for the better? Why?

Yes, absolutely. One of my favorite things about cannabis is how it urges those who use it to reflect. I believe that reflection is one of the first steps to inner peace, and it allows us to interact with our community in a more productive way. There is so much trouble in the world right now, and I think we could all look inward just a little more. Cannabis can help facilitate that.

What advice would you offer to another woman who is looking to get into the industry?

Do it! Follow your heart and find your niche! There is so much opportunity here, and more intelligent women are needed in this industry every day.