Drying Racks: The Secret to High-Quality, Potent Cannabis

Drying Racks: The Secret To High-Quality, Potent Cannabis

Drying Racks: The Secret To High-Quality, Potent Cannabis

Drying Racks: The Secret To High-Quality, Potent Cannabis

The Importance of Using Drying Racks

As a cannabis grower, maintaining the quality and potency of your cannabis product is essential to success. Many factors can affect the final product, including humidity level, temperature, and airflow.


One overlooked aspect of the process is the use of drying racks. Below, we will explore the importance of drying racks in maintaining the quality and potency of your cannabis crop and how Pipp Horticulture is leading the way in providing growers with the best drying racks and carts.

Why Proper Drying and Curing Is Important

When growing high-quality cannabis, proper drying and curing are essential steps that you cannot overlook. Drying and curing are the final stages of the cultivation process and can significantly impact the final product’s overall quality and potency. Proper drying and curing are crucial for a few reasons:

Preservation of Potency:

Drying and curing cannabis flowers preserves the potency of the cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, which are responsible for the desired effects of cannabis.

Improved Flavor and Aroma:

Properly dried and cured cannabis has a better flavor and aroma due to the release of terpenes, which are responsible for the unique scent and taste of different strains.

Increased Shelf Life:

Properly dried and cured cannabis has a longer shelf life, essential for growers who need to store their product for extended periods.

How Drying and Curing Affect the Final Product

Drying and curing impacts the final product’s potency, flavor, and quality. The controlled removal of moisture from the buds during the drying process helps to preserve the cannabinoid and terpene content while minimizing degradation. If the buds are not dried properly, the remaining water can lead to mold growth, which can be a health risk and prevent the product from being sold on the market.

Curing is the process of storing dried cannabis in a controlled environment to further develop its flavor and aroma. Curing allows the remaining moisture to distribute evenly throughout the buds, leading to a smoother smoking experience and a better taste. If the buds do not cure properly, they can become too dry and brittle, negatively affecting the final product’s quality.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

There are a few things that growers must be mindful of during the drying and curing process, which can lead to a lower-quality final product. Here are some things to avoid:

Drying Too Quickly: 

If the buds are dried too quickly (<7 days), it can lead to a harsh,  grassy taste and an unpleasant aroma.

Drying in Direct Sunlight: 

Drying cannabis in direct sunlight can lead to a loss of potency and reduced flavor.

Not Curing for Long Enough: 

If cannabis does not cure sufficiently, the taste and aroma may not fully develop.

Not Properly Sealing Containers: 

If cannabis is not in an airtight container, it can become too dry or moldy.

Benefits of Using Drying Racks for Improving Flavor and Aroma

The proper drying and curing process not only ensures the potency and terpene content of cannabis but also enhances the flavor and aroma profile. Drying racks play a vital role in improving the flavor and aroma of cannabis. Here are some of the benefits of using drying racks for enhancing flavor and aroma:

1. Slow and Even Drying

Using drying racks helps to dry cannabis buds slowly and evenly, which is essential for preserving the natural flavors and aromas of the plant. Slow drying allows the plant to slowly break down the chlorophyll and other pigments, resulting in a smoother smoke and better flavor.

4. Improved Shelf Life

Using drying racks helps to improve the shelf life of cannabis by ensuring that it is properly dried and cured. Properly dried and cured cannabis can last for months or even years without losing its flavor or potency, making it a valuable investment for growers.

2. Prevents Mold and Mildew

Drying racks help to prevent mold and mildew growth during the drying process. Mold and mildew can destroy the flavor and aroma of cannabis, and using drying racks ensures proper airflow and prevents moisture buildup, which reduces the risk of mold and mildew.

5. Enhanced Curing Process

After drying, cannabis buds require curing, which involves storing them in airtight containers allowing them to mature and develop their flavor and aroma profile. Drying racks provide an excellent surface area for curing and help to enhance the process, resulting in a smoother and more robust flavor.

3. Retains Cannabinoids and Terpenes

The cannabinoids and terpenes are in the trichomes on the surface of the buds. Drying racks help to retain the cannabinoids and terpenes that give cannabis its unique flavor and aroma. 

Pipp Horticulture’s Drying Racks

Pipp Horticulture’s Mobile Drying Racks are a leading solution for drying cannabis that offers many features to improve the quality of the final product. Let’s take a closer look at some of these features:

Product Features:

Cost-Efficient Drying Method: Pipp Horticulture’s drying racks offer a cost-efficient way of drying cannabis plants, which helps reduce labor costs and improve overall efficiency.

Adjustable Height: Standard racks are available up to 15′ high, allowing growers to adjust the size of their drying racks to suit their needs. Taller racks are available with engineering approval.

Gray Powder Coating: Pipp Horticulture’s Dry/Cure Room Rivet Racks come with a gray powder coating, which provides an added layer of protection against wear and tear. It is important to note that the powder coating is not antimicrobial or fungal-resistant.

White Powder Coating: Pipp Horticulture’s Dry/Cure Room Bulk Racks feature a white powder coating that possesses properties which inhibit the growth of microbes and fungi.

Hanging Options:

Round Hang Bars: Hang full plants on hang bars with a simple hook attachment that allows for faster trimming.

Finger Bars: Easily hang plants from adjustable cantilever prongs without hooks or wires. The hang attachment comes with 12 rods, which easily adjust along the support bracket.

Grid Hang: Hang plants from any position directly on 4” x 4” wire grid spacing. This style allows for greater air circulation with built-in flue space.

Pipp Horticulture’s Drying Carts

If Pipp Horticulture’s Drying Racks are not an option for your grow facility, our Drying Carts provide an alternative method for drying cannabis. Our different drying carts not only provide a space-efficient method for drying cannabis that requires minimal floor space, but also easy transportation of the product throughout the facility. With a variety of cart styles and options available, our carts can meet all your drying needs. 

  • Drying Cart: Designed to accommodate hanging plants in order to dry them out for further processing with adjustable cantilever-style finger attachments.
  • Nesting Drying Cart: Delivers ease of use, safety, and long life with super heavy-duty construction combined with Z-Base allowing for nesting when not in use. Optional middle hangrail and bottom shelf available.

In Conclusion

Using mobile drying racks and drying carts is a crucial step in the cannabis cultivation process. Pipp Horticulture’s Mobile Drying Racking System offers a reliable and efficient solution for drying and curing your cannabis crop. With adjustable shelves, air circulation, and temperature control, these drying racks can help maintain your product’s potency, terpene content, and overall quality.

To learn more about our products and how they can benefit your grow operation, download our dry/cure ebook. Refrain from settling for a mediocre product when you can achieve excellence with the help of Pipp Horticulture’s drying racks.

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Episode 10: Starting a CEA Indoor Vertical Farm with Sweet Cut

Episode 10: Starting a CEA Indoor Vertical Farm with Sweet Cut

Episode 10: Starting a CEA Indoor Vertical Farm with Sweet Cut

Summary:

In this episode, Daniel Algaze, Director of Cultivation at SweetCut, shares the company's unique approach to cannabis cultivation. Daniel explains how Sweet Cut maximizes canopy space and ROI while prioritizing efficiency and ergonomics using a unique combination of LEDs and multi-tiered racking from Pipp. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong team and discusses the challenges and opportunities in the current Michigan cannabis market. Daniel also touches on Sweet Cut's initial signature strain, Sweet Cake, (“a bready sweetness with a hint of skittles”) and the importance of branding and going multi-tiered in a market that is becoming increasingly commoditized. Anyone interested in the cannabis industry will find valuable insights in this informative episode.

  • Based in Kalamazoo, Michigan, SweetCut is rapidly making a name for itself in the cannabis industry.
  • The company has a 16,000 square foot facility that includes four 1,100 square foot flower rooms, one triple tier bedroom, and an R&D room.
  • SweetCut uses a multi-tiered environment for its production, which allows for more physical flowering canopy than actual square footage of space. This results in a higher yield and ROI compared to single-tiered environments.
  • SweetCut's initial signature strain is Sweet Cake It has a bready sweetness with a hint of Skittles on the exhale, and it clones well with an amazing structure.
  • The current cannabis market in Michigan is experiencing oversupply and commoditization, with prices dropping from $3,000 per pound to $1,000 per pound. Strong branding is a key differentiator in this market.
  • Why going multi-tiered is generally more lucrative than single-tiered production, as it almost doubles the grams per square foot of canopy.
  •  

“What's been rewarding is actually finding this team. I really like the people that I've hired, and I haven't always been able to say that in the past. I think that it starts from the top. Mark gave me a lot of trust to fully go out, write my own job ad, target the exact people I was looking for, do all the first rounds of interviews, and then bring them in for the final interview where he would get to talk to them”

“I think we're going to have a lot of really interesting strains come out of our pheno hunt very soon that are going to be available in the next few months. But right now, our initial signature strain is Sweet Cake, and that's a strain that no one else in Michigan has. As far as I know, it's pretty niche, even if you kind of look at the more developed markets like California.”

Daniel Algaze LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-algaze-a8619995/

SweetCut Website: https://sweetcutgrow.com/

Show Links

Pipp Horticulture Website - https://pipphorticulture.com/

Pipp Horticulture YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nNnNCiwS5k5GX7BaXIrbA

Pipp Horticulture - Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pipphorticulture

Pipp Horticulture Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pipphorticulture/

Pipp Horticulture LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/18333737/

Pipp Horticulture Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pipphorticulture/

Pipp Horticulture Twitter - https://twitter.com/pipphort

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

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Evolution of vertical farming

Evolution of Indoor Vertical Farming Webinar with MJBizDaily

Evolution of Indoor Vertical Farming Webinar with MJBizDaily

Trulieve

The Past, Present & Future

What does evolution mean? One definition of evolution is the gradual development of something, specifically from a simple to a more complex form. As humans, we grow to adapt and change to our environment. As we see the effects of climate change slowly integrating into our daily lives, we must start thinking ahead and change how we operate.

The adaptation of indoor vertical farming has become the new norm for many growing operations. Primarily due to the success of allowing cultivators to maximize their production capability, reduce operating costs, and increase their overall revenue per square foot. Utilizing vertical racking systems has further enhanced the efficiency of indoor vertical farming, providing a space-efficient solution for optimal plant growth. Additionally, incorporating vertical air solutions has proven to be instrumental in maintaining an ideal growing environment, contributing to the overall success of indoor vertical farming operations.

Michael Williamson, Director of Cultivation, and Anders Peterson, Cannabis Operations Specialist, recently presented a webinar with MJBizDaily where the team discussed the Evolution of Vertical Farming. From the early adoption of multi-tier nurseries by legacy growers to the cutting-edge vertical farms of today, viewers gained valuable insights into the progression of vertical farming equipment and designs and our predictions for the future.

Brief History of Vertical Farming

Today’s vertical farming is a relatively new concept, yet we’ve seen people use aspects of vertical farming for thousands of years. The first example of vertical farming dates back almost 2600 years ago to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Anders explains the Hanging Gardens of Babylon as “a man-made oasis in the middle of the desert, almost 60 feet tall, with advanced irrigation systems that could pump water 60 feet into the air to plants from around the world.” While just 1000 years ago, we learned that the Aztecs used floating gardens called chinampa. These gardens were one of the first hydroponic raft-style forms of agriculture, correlating to a technique of the Iroquois and the Cherokee use, referred to as three sisters or three sisters’ agriculture.

By 1915, an American geologist, Gilbert Bailey, coined Vertical Farming and studied an alternative way to increase farm area and produce quality crops. The events of World War One drove this experiment – with Gilbert creating a way to grow plants underground. By “blasting holes into the ground, with low-cost explosives produced during World War One, and growing plants underground in tunnels,” created a way to “protect them, shield them from the war, and locate them closer to dense urban areas.” Modern vertical farming concepts were developed by the 1950s, at the beginning of the Cold War. Many greenhouse and hydroponic systems were introduced and developed during this time.

In the 1990s, Columbia Professor Dickson Despommier, the father of modern vertical farming, “saw vertical farming as the answer to bringing food production closer to the consumers and reducing the carbon footprint, increasing sustainability,” Anders explains. Professor Dickson was interested in learning about New York and how we can help feed dense urban areas. For nine years, he taught experiments at Columbia on how to run calculations and scenarios of how tall skyscrapers would need to be for vertical farming. How many people could we feed if we planted food on every rooftop across New York? The experiments and concepts created then would evolve into what we see today.

How Cannabis Legalization Spurred

Adoption & Innovation

In the early 2010s, Vertical Farming was discussed and implemented into modern farms for non-cannabis crops but had not yet been adopted for cannabis. Anders explains, “It wasn’t until we saw adult-use cannabis legalization around 2014 in Colorado that the innovation kicked off and started to surge.” Due to the cannabis crop having a high value, growers were used to growing indoors due to the prohibition. They had a very high value and margin, allowing for innovation in the market.

From 2010 to 2015, more grow room designs were static, single-tier benches with HPS lights. Once 2013-2015 came along, we started seeing growers looking at horticulture systems and practices, adopting these practices, and having access to vendors and technology. From 2015 to 2018 – Larger racking manufacturers began entering the space. Pipp Horticulture joined the horticulture space in 2017 with our first indoor multi-level mobile vertical racking system. This system was installed in flower rooms at Fog City FarmsBy the end of 2018, Pipp had 40 installed locations. Now Pipp Horticulture has quickly become the industry-leading provider of Mobile Vertical Growing Solutions with installations in 45 states/provinces, 450 facilities, and over 2,500 grow rooms worldwide.

Progression of Vertical Racking Designs

One significant change to the vertical farming industry was the introduction of Fluence, an LED lighting company. They created their first Spyder light with a low profile, no fans, and a full spectrum white light LED, grabbing much attention from cultivators. Michael explains, “A common theme for the most significant limiting factor for good yields, plant health, and phenotypic expression in these rooms was a lack of environmental controls. We saw an industry shift within 2020-2022 where the ancillary equipment and services innovation showed significant improvement.“ We now see HVAC systems with integrated hot gas, reheat, and dehumidification much better suited for the indoor vertical farming space. 

Anders explains, “in terms of modulating controls, and sensors, they’re not running off thermostats on the wall; they’re running off canopy sensors in the room. We also started seeing purpose-built in-rack airflow systems, such as Vertical Air Solutions.After the first double-stacked mobile vertical racking system was installed in Fog City Farms, James Cunningham quickly realized he needed a purpose-built airflow solution to move air through the canopy of the multi-level racks. James and his partner, Matt Bogner, created Vertical Air Solutions, which provides increased, consistent airflow control while integrating filtration and CO2 delivery.  

As the indoor vertical farming industry continues to advance with discoveries and lessons learned from prior trials, the following questions come to mind “how do we make the labor more efficient? How do we make employees happier working in a multi-tier room” while also advancing in “the developments in the racks themselves?” Anders brings up the TRAK-FREE™ Carriage System, having the option to remove tracks on the floor for a more flexible work environment while also developing the ELEVATE® Platform System, allowing easy access to the top tiers of your vertical farm. Michael, who was involved in the development of the ELEVATE® Platform System, when touring facilities has asked who has adopted the platform system and how it’s helped their daily operations. Their answer almost every time is, “Game Changer.” Instead of having one row to service and one side of the canopy to utilize, growers can now run two of the ELEVATE® Platform Systems on the “canopy that they’re working on, putting workers on both sides. It dramatically reduces tasks while improving safety and ergonomics,” Michael states.

Where We Are Today

Where are we today with cannabis? “Much more competitive as more markets are opening,” Anders states. Production is at an all-time high in many mature states bringing the price per pound lower. What is the trick to the market today? Efficiency. Anders brings up that “a common thing discussed today in vertical farming facilities and single tier facilities is quantifying the performance metrics of these facilities.” Cultivators are now looking at a vertical approach. Michael brings up all the factors involved with a new build, “new facility, a new state, new laws, new building, new equipment, new team, new LED lighting; it takes a while to understand new technology. People have had time to work out the mistakes made and are now pushing the envelope of what’s possible. Growers are finding the balance of the design, and builders are figuring out the balance of how to build inside these systems.” Seeing an increase in yield metrics today. Anders states, “We’ve built enough facilities to learn these lessons.”

Prediction for the Future

We now see lessons learned in the cannabis industry translating to the non-cannabis sector. Non-cannabis vertical farm applications to consider would be leafy greens, strawberries, and herbs. As Anders would say, “closing the loop coming full circle to where we started.” Locating facilities closer to dense urban areas limits the food distance of transportation. We’re now seeing a move to indoor vertical farming in the Middle East, growing vertically in Abu Dhabi and Dubai due to climate and moving the plants from where they’re grown to where the consumers are, growing these plants at a much lower cost all year round. Michael states, “People realize today, more than ever, how unstable our food supply chain is. With our ever-growing population, some really difficult challenges exist to overcome.”

As far as cannabis and predictions for the future, technology keeps advancing and can be taken advantage of in the indoor cultivation market. Michael predicts, “Between the implementation of AI and robotics that exists today, I anticipate that you’ll be able to call trays from whatever tier, whatever room, whatever level, and a robot will go grab those for you, bring those to a centralized headhouse or processing building, where workers will be basically in line.” Those workers in the headhouse could even be automated robotics. Limiting the number of times we touch plants helps limit the spread of diseases. Humans tend to be the spreaders of pests. The more we can keep human interaction to a minimum, the fewer pesticides used and fewer diseases and pests spread. Because of this automation, Michael states, “We’ll start seeing more tiers in cannabis going higher, even more vertically, occupying that cubic footage.” Also, with the federal banking reform, cannabis operators have “more traditional access to capital and loans. This will help spur the next phase in the evolution of vertical farming.”

In Conclusion

In conclusion, vertical farming has come a long way over the years. It has evolved rapidly due to various factors, such as technological advancements in indoor vertical racking designs, cannabis legalization, and the efforts of companies like Pipp. The history of vertical farming has shown that it has the potential to advance how we grow our food, and it has already started to impact urban areas significantly. Pipp Horticulture has been at the forefront of this evolution of vertical farming, offering innovative solutions to improve the efficiency and sustainability of indoor vertical farming.

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Dispensary Storage

7 Mistakes to Avoid with Cannabis Dispensary Storage

7 Mistakes to Avoid with Cannabis Dispensary Storage

Dispensary Storage

Make the Most of Your Space!

When it comes to cannabis retail, there can be many obstacles to face even before opening your doors to your first patient. Sooner than later, you might run out of storage space with all your inventory and rising cannabis brands in the industry. Where will these products all go? Dispensary storage is no different than general retail storage, and mobile shelving is the preferred storage method for most of the nation’s top retailers. Pipp has dominated the retail storage industry for over 40 years, helping retailers maximize stockroom storage space and finding innovative ways to keep the area clean and organized.

Below we have compiled a list of mistakes to avoid with your dispensary storage to help you stay ahead in this rising, fast-paced industry.

1. Brand Positioning in Back-of-House

MISTAKE: Unorganized Back-of-House

Clear organization is essential in keeping the back-of-house free from cluttering. Consistent and clear brand representation throughout the dispensary is necessary to create a cohesive and memorable customer experience. Before starting, dispensaries should clearly understand what message they want to communicate to their customers and with the brands they carry.

 

SOLUTION: Use Storage Systems to Access Items

Using a well-thought-out storage system to access brand-specific products will allow quick inventory access. Utilizing shelving units with individual storage compartments or shelves for each brand will allow for dedicated and easy-to-manage brand locations. Our Back-of-House Secured Mobile Storage solutions are available in various configurations to meet your cannabis-secured storage goals. They are suited for dispensaries using labeled bins or boxes to store items from each brand separately.

2. Architecture & Construction

MISTAKE: Not Enough Storage Space When First Designing

Cannabis dispensaries running out of storage may face several challenges, including stocking popular products, decreased sales, and potential regulatory issues. It is crucial for dispensaries to carefully manage their inventory and storage space for cannabis to ensure they can meet customer demand and comply with local regulations.

“When I managed a dispensary, the biggest challenge for us by far was not having enough secured storage. We had to order smaller quantities until we retrofitted the secure storage room (vault) to accommodate more products. The regulations from state to state varied greatly on secure product storage for cannabis, making it difficult to find the right compliant solution for us; it required talking to an expert who understood the technical specs.”

Anders Peterson, Cannabis Operations Specialist at Pipp Horticulture.

SOLUTION: Working with Pipp to Maximize Square Footage Design

Consider Secured Storage or a Mobile Storage System to maximize square footage in small spaces. You can design and construct your area to incorporate built-in storage solutions such as robust pry-resistant doors, a fully welded closed tube frame, a three-point rod locking mechanism, tamper-proof hardware, and our secured storage options.

Secured storage provides more space and helps keep inventory protected and organized while storing more goods in a fixed space. Storage capacity increases can range from 35 to 50 percent utilizing high-density mobile shelving.

If increased storage capacity isn’t the goal, an additional advantage of choosing high-density mobile shelving is to decrease the overall storage footprint in your store. Mobile shelving allows for a specific amount of marijuana storage in a smaller space, freeing up other square footage for selling floors or other elements needed in the store.

3. Organization for Inventory

MISTAKE: Disorganized Inventory

Cannabis dispensaries without organized inventory can face many challenges, including difficulty tracking product availability, inaccurate sales reporting, and decreased customer satisfaction. Dispensaries need a system for inventory management to ensure smooth operations and happy customers. 

SOLUTION: First In, First Out Concept (FIFO) with Secured Storage

Creating a First In, First Out (FIFO) concept with secured storage means that the items are retrieved in the order they were stored, ensuring that the oldest items are sold from inventory first. This system can be helpful in various situations, such as inventory management or product freshness. 

4. Climate

MISTAKE: Forgetting About the Details

It is essential to ensure that cannabis dispensaries’ storage rooms utilize climate control measures to maintain appropriate temperature and humidity levels. Mistakes in climate control can lead to the product’s degradation and failure to maintain proper humidity levels. Failure to maintain climate control can cause mold and mildew to grow on the packaged plants, affecting the potency and quality of cannabis products.

SOLUTION: Storage Systems with Powder Coating

Implementing storage systems with a powder coat paint or zinc-plated finish can address climate control concerns in cannabis dispensaries – with appropriate temperature and humidity levels, helping maintain a clean and safe environment for storing products and extending shelf life.

5. Designing with Employees in Mind

MISTAKE: Not Considering Employee’s Workflow When Designing

Designing a cannabis dispensary with employees in mind requires considering their safety and comfort while creating an efficient workflow process. It’s essential to consider the back of the house in these considerations. Providing adequate employee training to operate the dispensary safely and effectively is vital to a successful team. 

 

SOLUTION: Creating an Efficient Workflow with Secured Storage

Establishing transparent processes and procedures is essential to improving workflow efficiency. A mobile storage system with secured storage can allow for a more efficient existing workflow by removing fixed aisles and more efficient use of square footage. Secured storage can help create a system that tracks inventory and limits access to authorized personnel – preventing theft or unauthorized use of products. Additionally, regular audits can help ensure regulatory compliance and identify potential issues early on.

6. Cleanliness

MISTAKE: Unreachable Areas to Clean

Having areas that are difficult to reach and clean regularly can cause inadequate cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces and equipment and failure to store and label products properly. These mistakes can lead to potential health hazards for employees and customers. Following proper cleanliness and cannabis storage protocols ensures a safe and healthy environment.

SOLUTION: Regularly Cleaning All Surfaces Easily with Mobile Aisles

Creating a schedule that includes regular cleaning of all surfaces and training staff on proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures helps ensure everyone follows the same guidelines while utilizing secured storage options like Secured Storage Systems and Mobile Storage Systems to store products safely and securely. Implementing a system to ensure that all products are organized and easy to find makes cleaning and sanitizing the area more long-term manageable.

7. Personal Employee Items Security

MISTAKE: No Area for Employees Belongings

Not providing a designated space for team members to store their personal belongings on the job can lead to cluttered work areas and potential security issues. Dispensaries need to prioritize the safety and comfort of their employees by providing adequate storage solutions for personal items.

SOLUTION: Secured Employee Lockers

Using employee lockers can help keep the workspace organized and provide a secure place for employees to store their personal belongings. There are various options with employee lockers, from different heights and size openings to other door options that include solid, ventilated, and even see-through.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Pipp Mobile Storage Systems have a 40-plus-year history of providing storage solutions. Retail Dispensary Storage is the latest application where our wide variety of products can improve efficiency, workflow, security, and overall employee satisfaction.

Our team of in-house experts can provide detailed storage area designs, goal specific shelving elevations, offer a turnkey experience by installing the fixtures, and solve storage concerns in the retail dispensary market. Our products solve the storage issues for many of the top specialty retailers in North America.

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Episode 9: Passion For the Plant with Redbud Roots

Episode 9: Passion For the Plant with Redbud Roots

Passion For The Plant

Summary:

Joe Zeller and Dante Metaluno provide a deep dive into the cannabis industry. Listen in to hear their success story of Redbud Roots, from the importance of genetics and quality to the strategies they use to rise above the competition. Learn about their specialties in cultivation, extraction, processing, packaging, sales, brokerage, white labeling and small batch production. Explore their thoughts on the effects of federal regulation, marketing of certain strains and the evolution of the Emerald Cup. Gain an inside look into their process of creating SOPs, their data-driven approach, and the unique staffing structure they have implemented to create more accountability and engagement among their team.

  • Discover how Joe and Dante have navigated Redbud Roots from 6 employees to over 150
  • Find out how Joe and Dante implemented a staffing structure to increase engagement and pride in their work
  • Learn about the importance of SOPs in cannabis production and the use of data to make decisions
  • Uncover the team's focus on quality, and their passion for the product
  • Understand the success story of Kim, and the evolution of the Emerald Cup
  • Discover the unique terpene profile of the strains produced by Redbud Roots

“We are cultivation, extraction, processing, packaging. We have a diverse sales team. We do a little bit of brokerage white label and try and find a skew that matches almost every product that somebody can want to purchase at this point. Lean towards the craft side of the market.“(Joe Zeller)

“It's that positive attitude appreciating what we get to do. And that's why I speak on the passion of just the joy of working with the plant, going into a grow room on a gloomy Michigan afternoon. If that doesn't turn you up a little bit, then you should be somewhere else.“(Joe Zeller)

“It’s all about quality and a product that you're proud of, a product that you'll gladly show up to any event with and say, this is mine. This is what we made. Step up the quality.” (Dante Metaluno)

Redbud Roots on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redbud-roots/

Show Links

Pipp Horticulture Website - https://pipphorticulture.com/

Pipp Horticulture YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nNnNCiwS5k5GX7BaXIrbA

Pipp Horticulture - Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pipphorticulture

Pipp Horticulture Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pipphorticulture/

Pipp Horticulture LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/18333737/

Pipp Horticulture Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pipphorticulture/

Pipp Horticulture Twitter - https://twitter.com/pipphort

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

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Pipp Horticulture Acquires Grow Glide Assets

Pipp Horticulture Acquires Grow Glide Assets

Pipp Horticulture Acquires Grow Glide Assets

Growing Stronger Together

Pipp Horticulture Acquires Grow Glide Assets

Pipp Horticulture Acquires Grow Glide Assets
Pipp Horticulture Acquires Grow Glide Assets

This acquisition solidifies Pipp’s position as a leading provider of Indoor Commercial Mobile Vertical Grow Racks, Greenhouse Structures, and In-Rack Airflow Systems in North America.

Walker, Michigan – March 6, 2023 –During the past 6 years, Pipp Horticulture has emerged as a leading provider of indoor mobile vertical racking & in-rack airflow solutions throughout North America. The complexities of scaling an operation in this space have kept the competitive landscape lean, but in addition to Pipp Horticulture, Grow Glide, found its lane delivering quality systems at scale and developing a voice within this community.

“Following five years of both brands working hard to deliver higher value to their respective customers, we are pleased to announce that Pipp Horticulture and Grow Glide are now operating together and perfectly positioned to push the industry forward into what is bound to be a very exciting future.” – Craig Umans, President & CEO of Pipp.

Pipp will utilize the key strengths of each organization, and the expanded product offerings will become available to the most discerning cultivation facilities worldwide. Customers will receive value through Pipp Horticulture’s experience, made-in-USA production, and dedication to world-class customer service together with Grow Glide’s unique design features and use of cutting-edge technology. We couldn’t be more excited about this acquisition enabling us to offer the best of the best and deliver previously unimagined value to the most exciting marketplace – indoor vertical farming!

“The team from Grow Glide is thrilled to be joining Pipp Horticulture. By utilizing our knowledge, experience, and resources, we’ll be able to deliver even greater value to cultivators around the world. This represents a significant step forward for the indoor cultivation industry as a whole, and we’re honored to be at the forefront of this evolution.” – Darin Siples and Travis Schwartz of Grow Glide. www.growglide.com

About Pipp Horticulture 

Pipp Horticulture is an industry-leading provider of vertical farming and space optimization solutions. We work with commercial agriculture professionals globally to design, install, and optimize operational spaces throughout cultivation, post-harvest, manufacturing, and distribution facilities through the implementation of vertical and mobile rack, cart, and ventilation systems. The Pipp team merges over 40 years of commercial mobile storage experience with horticulture industry experts with over 50 years of operational experience in commercial agriculture and seed-to-sale production. Pipp provides expertise, insight, and network connections far beyond our mobile systems in support of our mission to augment financial performance and mitigate risk for our partners. For more information, please visit www.pipphorticulture.com.

About Novacap 

Founded in 1981, Novacap is a leading North American private equity firm with over C$8B of AUM that has invested in more than 100 platform companies and completed more than 150 add-on acquisitions. Applying its sector-focused approach since 2007 in Industries, TMT, Financial Services, and Digital Infrastructure, Novacap’s deep domain expertise can accelerate company growth
and create long-term value. With experienced, dedicated investment and operations teams as well as substantial capital, Novacap has the resources and knowledge that help build world-class businesses. Novacap has offices in Montreal, Toronto, and New York. For more information, please visit www.novacap.ca.

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Episode 8: USA Made, Michigan Raised

Episode 8: USA Made, Michigan Raised

USA made Michigan Raised

Summary:

Del Rockwell and Michael Williamson explore the ever-changing cannabis industry and discuss the history of Pipp Horticulture, a leader in the racking space for cannabis cultivators. From discovering the benefits of modular racking systems to metal corrosion resistance to understanding the importance of voting with their dollars, in this episode, Del and Michael provide an in-depth look at the industry and the products driving it forward.

- Learn how 45 years of experience in the industry has led Pipp to develop products specifically for the cannabis space.

- Del talks about Pipp’s customer-centric approach and how they have embraced the cannabis industry and its culture. He also dives into how they have developed products for both horticulture and retail.

- Learn about the process of product development, from prototyping to third-party testing. Del also provides insight into his own learning process and talks about enrolling in Bruce Bugby's Horticulture and Cannabis course.

- Hear more about the knock down racking system and other exciting products that Pipp is developing for indoor cultivation.

- A great discussion on the challenges of the cannabis industry, such as taxes and pricing, and how partnerships have helped companies succeed.

- Advice on entering the cannabis industry, emphasizing the importance of having face-to-face conversations and listening to customers.

“We definitely got to drink from the firehose when it came to learning, and I think for the company as a whole, we absolutely tried to learn as much as we could. We wanted to listen to everybody that would try to impart a little bit of information or knowledge on us and try to combat it from that relatively humble perspective.” (Del)

“At the end of the day, are customer centric, and we view ourselves as customer centric almost to a fault. At times, it feels like, yeah, we'll do just about everything. We definitely want to listen to and hear out whatever system it is that they want to use.” (Del)

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This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

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MJBizCon 2022

Pipp Horticulture 2023 Trade Shows

Pipp Horticulture 2023 Trade Shows

The Ultimate Vertical Grow System - Pipp Horticulture

See You Soon!

The 2023 trade show season is in full swing, and we can’t wait to see you! Stop by our booth at an upcoming show for FREE swag and to learn how Pipp’s Mobile Vertical Grow Racks can help elevate your grow operation. Read on for a list of the 2023 trade shows we will be attending!

Indoor Ag-Con

February 27-28 in Las Vegas, NV

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Indoor Ag-Con is the largest indoor agriculture trade show and conference in the USA for indoor vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture.

Find us at Booth #723 at the Caesars Forum

Necann

March 10-12 in Boston, MA

The 2023 New England Cannabis Convention, a.k.a. “The Annual Meeting of the East Coast Cannabis Industry,” is back! Featuring a sold-out exhibit hall showcasing hundreds of companies spanning the full spectrum of the cannabis and hemp industries, plus five full programming tracks running all three days, with over 120 expert speakers covering all the relevant topics and news for the New England markets.

Find us at Booth #112 at the Hynes Convention Center

Attend Our Speaker Session!

This year we will be hosting a speaker session at 2 PM on 3/11 with Director of Cultivation Michael Williamson & Cannabis Operations Specialist Anders Peterson!

During this session, the team’s learning objectives will include “space planning & design layout, important factors to understand before you start, understanding environmental control needs in a multi-tier indoor cultivation facility, and genetics & key traits to consider in a multi-tier indoor cultivation facility. We will also discuss labor optimization topics such as improving safety, ergonomics, and productivity.”

CWCB Expo

June 1-3 in New York City

New York and the entire tri-state area are becoming one of the largest cannabis and hemp economic sectors in the country. Attend the 3-day CWCBExpo and stay for the special networking and Cannabis Week events in New York City – where business gets done!

Find us at Booth #515 at the Javits Convention Center

GreenTech Amsterdam

June 13-15 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

GreenTech is the global meeting place for all professionals involved in horticulture technology. GreenTech focuses on the early stages of the horticulture chain and production issues relevant to growers. GreenTech offers two yearly exhibitions.

Find us at Booth #05 164VF at the RAI Amsterdam

ICBC

June 29-30 in Berlin, Germany

ICBC Berlin is Europe’s longest-running and biggest B2B trade show and conference. Europe’s premiere cannabis business networking environment, the event attracts 350+ sponsors and exhibitors and 5000+ attendees from 80+ countries.

Find us at Booth #337-339 at the Estrel Berlin Hotel

American Hort

July 15-18 in Columbus, OH

Join us to learn best practices and foster business connections so you and your business can perform better, grow faster than ever, and be prepared for the future.

AmericanHort, the leading national association for the green industry, will host Cultivate’23—the premier event for the entire green industry. Cultivate attracts thousands of industry professionals and visitors from all over the United States and the world.

Find us at Booth #2019 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center

Cannabis Conference

August 15-17 in Las Vegas, NV

Cannabis Conference is the leading event for professionals from plant-touching cannabis businesses drawing in thousands of attendees from throughout the U.S., Canada, and nearly 30 other countries.

Find us at Booth #717 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

MJBizCon

November 28 – December 1 in Las Vegas, NV

Connect with 1,400+ exhibitors while walking the 280,000+ square feet expo, hearing insights from 180+ speakers focusing on content with six pre-show forums. Connect with countless networking opportunities at MjBizCon.

Booth # Coming Soon!

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Pipp Horticulture at Culta in Maryland

9 Common Grow Room Problems to Avoid

9 Common Grow Room Problems to Avoid

Cultivating Cannabis at Culta with Pipp Horticulture Racks

You’ll likely encounter a few setbacks when first entering the cannabis industry. Learning what does and doesn’t work for your business takes time. Still, having a basic understanding of best practices beforehand can help you avoid common cannabis growing problems. 

You’ve invested so much into this space, and you want operations to run smoothly! So, how can you dodge the biggest pitfalls that can make or break grow room success?

We’re here to help you protect your investment by explaining 9 mistakes cannabis growers frequently make when getting started. Use this information to stay ahead of the competition and reap the benefits of a thoughtfully planned grow room.

Here are 9 common cannabis grow room mistakes to avoid:

1. Neglecting Utility Infrastructure

Plant count constantly changes as you develop as a business. However, the canopy footprint (or total bench area) is constant. Not understanding how much space you need to house your crop and accommodate expansion can cause substantial problems down the line. 

Do your plants have enough space to move and develop freely? Is your veg room large enough to meet your flowering goals? Can you easily implement new equipment and technology based on your canopy footprint?

These questions should guide you as you plan a grow room. If you struggle with maximizing your space, mobile vertical grow-racking systems can help you gain square footage without sacrificing quality.

2. Neglecting Utility Infrastructure

Assuming your new property has enough power, gas, and water to run your multi-tier grow facility can cause delays. 

For example, running too much equipment without adequate power can be hazardous. Dealing with electrical shocks and shorts can cost you valuable resources, yield, and time. Insufficient water flow can impair your ability to properly care for plants, ultimately impacting your entire operation.

3. Cutting Corners

Cultivation facilities are expensive, especially for a newcomer to the industry!

You may be tempted to cut corners by buying cheaper equipment or skimping on automated technologies. However, doing so means sacrificing yield, quality, consistency, and efficiency. 

Growing cannabis is a precise science. Even if you’re an expert cultivator, the wrong layout, tools, or growing media can destroy any potential to succeed or earn profit. How can you focus on creating a thriving grow room if your equipment keeps breaking or your employees lack the proper training?

4. Wasting Valuable Grow Space

One of your goals as a cultivator is likely to boost yield capabilities and profitability. Unfortunately, operating a single-tier growing platform cannot accommodate substantial expansion. 

Cannabis needs room to grow, meaning horizontal square footage dictates how many plants you can cultivate. Not taking advantage of your entire vertical canopy footprint limits your facility’s potential to increase inventory, implement new equipment, or introduce additional strains.

5. Hiring the Wrong People

“You get what you pay for” is unequivocally true in the cannabis-growing industry. Don’t assume anyone can handle the fast-paced, intense, and hands-on workflow that comes with cannabis cultivation. 

Potential hires can put whatever they want on their resumes–not checking their references or experience can mean dishing funds into more training or fixing their costly mistakes on the job. Even if they excelled at a smaller facility, can they manage thousands of plants as opposed to a few hundred?

6. Implementing Poor Environmental Controls

The initial costs of choosing reputable equipment can deter any grower, especially one who hasn’t yet turned a profit. However, long-term success is limited to good environmental controls. 

A poor airflow design is perhaps one of the most common cannabis growing problems–practical and consistent air circulation is pivotal throughout the entire cultivation process. Ultimately, a shoddy airflow system can result in many cannabis growing problems, including mold, bud rot, delayed growth, disease, and even plant death.

7. Choosing Inefficient Lighting

High pressure sodium (HPS) technology can be inefficient at converting electrical energy into usable plant light. Moreover, removing HPS-generated heat requires more cooling capacity, which can be an additional expense when designing your grow room.  

Alternatives like compact fluorescent lights (CFL) are inexpensive but power-hungry and short-lived. They are also generally only suitable for clones or seedlings. Ceramic discharge metal-halide (CDM) lamps provide a slightly better balanced light spectrum but are costly and unreliable.

Plants require various levels of light across development stages–your lighting layout and choices should account for these differences. Light exposure can dictate growth, flowering, and yield, so one mistake along the way can prove catastrophic to your crop.

8. Forgetting About Sanitization

Dirty facilities without proper reset and sanitization protocols increase the chance of disease, mold, pest infestations, and plant death. You also face the risk of failing regulatory lab tests. 

For instance, poorly cleaned or neglected equipment can be breeding grounds for pathogens like pythium. These fungi can wreak havoc on roots before your plants have time to thrive. Furthermore, two-spotted spider mites can house themselves in unsanitized pots, only to reemerge once new seedlings are planted. 

The worst feeling a cultivator can experience is failing a lab test or losing a harvest batch they just spent months growing.

9. Overlooking the Importance of Balance

Balance is the key to successful grow room design and operation. Are watering rates balanced with dehumidification capacity? Does your lighting align with CO2 levels? 

Every system within your grow room works in harmony. If you just think about your fertilizer solution or irrigation strategy, you fail to recognize other parameters that disrupt this harmony.

Finding Solutions to Cannabis Growing Problems

Creating a cannabis grow room is a huge undertaking–missteps are normal and expected along the way. Still, you can limit the risk of unplanned expenses and setbacks by educating yourself and your team about common mistakes. 

The Pipp Horticulture team can help you avoid these mistakes when growing cannabis. Pipp has a team of experts available to you with a combination of over 50 years of cannabis growing experience. We have engineered various cost-effective solutions to exponentially grow up to 5x more by maximizing cubic grow space and creating more efficient workflows. 

Moving forward with Pipp Horticulture means working closely with our in-house professional engineers, CAD designers, sales support, and experienced cannabis operators. Let us help you maximize your production capability, reduce operating costs, and increase your overall revenue per square foot!

Here are a few ways to avoid falling victim to cannabis grow room mistakes:

  • Run estimates: Estimates ensure you have a realistic overview of where you can allocate funds, whether to expansion or essential changes (e.g., purchasing new equipment). This data can limit delays, meaning you can get to work faster. 
  • Connect with local services: Engage with your local utility providers to estimate the timeline and cost of upgrading your facility to meet demand. 
  • Start out on the right foot: You must invest in efficient technologies to survive in today’s indoor cannabis market. For example, vertical farming can have a higher upfront cost. However, this asset sets you up for success with a lower production cost. 
  • Vet potential employees and partners: Investing in the right team will pay off in the long run! Engage experienced consultants, architects, engineers, and contractors specializing in building an indoor cannabis facility. Connect with the Pipp Horticulture team when considering a team!
  • Choose multi-functional solutions: The patented Vertical Air Solutions (VAS) system is designed to work with an HVAC system specified for vertical farm size and growing methods. The VAS system lets you control environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, airflow velocity, and CO2 levels, optimizing plant health and finished product quality.
  • Build up: Multi-tier farming may have a higher upfront cost. Still, the ability to produce more products in a smaller overall footprint is inherently more efficient and cost-effective. 
  • Simplify sanitation: Save yourself time and energy by using equipment designed to stay clean. Pipp Grow Racks have an E-Coat base and a powder coat top layer, providing antimicrobial and anti-fungal effects. 

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Episode 7: Harvested by Hand, Crafted by Culture with CULTA

Episode 7: Harvested by Hand, Crafted by Culture with CULTA

Harvested by hand Crafted by Culture

Summary:

Jay Bouton is the Senior Director of Cultivation at Culta, Maryland’s vertically-integrated craft cannabis brand. Today, Jay joins the show to share his role at Culta, the inspiration behind the name, and their work at Culta. Jay expounds on the Cravo system, the maturation time of crops, and why he considers Workplace of the Year to be the highest honor achievable.

 

*Medical cannabis is for certified/qualifying patients only. You must be at least 18 years old to view content.

00:31 – Michael introduces today’s guest, Jay Bouton, who shares the inspiration behind the name Culta, what it means to say that Maryland is a ‘limited license state,’ and the concept behind vertical integration  

06:57 – Jay paints a picture of the history behind the building infrastructure that Culta currently uses 

10:18 – An indoor, outdoor and greenhouse grower 

14:03 – The Cravo system explained 

20:04 – Jay speaks to the Indoor growing they are doing at Culta 

22:01 – Flowering rooms and average maturation time 

31:04 – Grower of the Year, Product of the Year, & Workplace of the Year 

36:33 – A collaboration with Dartmouth 

37:57 – Genetics and Pheno-hunting, explained 

42:36 – Traits Jay looks for in a cultivar 

52:28 – Selecting an equipment vendor 

55:54 – Partnering with Pip Horticulture 

58:51 – What the future holds for Culta 

1:03:51 – Michael thanks Jay for joining the show and sharing his story 

1:04:45 – Advice Jay would give to those looking to enter the cannabis industry 

“We’re the second largest employer in town now. And, as we keep on growing, I know we’ll become number one. There’s more opportunity that Culta can offer a lot of the people from Cambridge than The Hyatt or these other companies. There’s much more room for growth. You’re being educated everyday at work. We’re growing the people just as much as we’re growing the plants.” (09:51)  

“With outdoor, we’ve gone through two hurricanes. We’ve gone through a drought. We’ve gone through five straight days of rain. So, we have an idea of where everything’s gonna go, but you honestly have to see how that season treats you before you can really decide if this is an extraction year or a flower year.” (16:53)  

“It’s kind of humbling to know that, no matter how good or big we think we are, in the grand scheme we’re a smaller, middle ground company. But that also allows us to really focus on what matters.” (31:48)  

“What we’re most proud about is The Workplace of the Year in the cannabis industry. Being Grower of the Year is awesome. Being Product of the Year is awesome. But being recognized as the employer where employees would much rather be, that makes us prouder than anything.” (33:15) 

“We won’t put anything out there that we wouldn’t smoke ourselves.” (1:03:22)  

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