The Best Is Yet To Come

“Best is yet to come and babe, won't that be fine?
You think you've seen the sun
But you ain't seen it shine

A wait till the warm-up's underway…
…And wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain't seen nothing yet.”

Good morning family!  I hope everybody has been doing well since we last spoke.  I wanted to start this post off with some lyrics from Ol’ Blue Eyes; no it was not me who wrote that song but the legend himself, Frank Sinatra.  It seemed an appropriate way to start seeing we will have been open for a year on March 5th!!! On one hand, I feel like this year has flown by but on the other, it feels like we have been a part of this community for much longer, and I mean that in the best way possible lol.  Over the past year, we have made THOUSANDS of new friendships with our guests and I love it that we are still getting to know even some of our more frequent guests better every time they walk in.  I have always preached on here that we want you to come by and talk to us; I have never wanted any guest to feel like they are just another sale or just another number.  That being said, I could not be happier with how this year has been overall, I can only hope that there are many many more years to come.  But you know what they say… there is always room for improvement and change is always good.  “Best is yet to come and babe, won’t that be fine? You think you've seen the sun. But you ain't seen it shine.”

Lets just say that Year 2 will be even more interesting that Year 1.  I do not want to give all my secrets away but that will go for everybody involved, from the cultivators (now over 200 in the state!) to us dispensaries to our guests.  Products are getting better but prices are dropping, who doesn’t love that?  Also food trucks, classic car shows, vendor pop-ups, free swag, raffles and that’s just to name a few.  I cannot say enough though about how this industry is changing daily.  Cannot tell you how many times I have heard that somebody went over to the West Coast and observed how they were doing this, that or the other thing and brought it back to the East Coast.  Now whether they actually implemented the idea in their company or not, I have always heard that it either was changed/improved from the original or scrapped because it did not work for us on the East Coast.  Now do not get me wrong, Cresco, out of Colorado, has been doing an amazing job with their Liquid Live Resin cartridges, cannot tell you how much I enjoy them over the traditional cartridge.  If you enjoy smoking flower/carts occasionally and you haven’t yet tried a LLR cartridge, please do, it will change your opinion on cartridges. 

I know I might be a month early on it so you will hear me blabber on about a similar subject next month but I wanted to give away one secret.  There is this day in mid to late April, I think it’s April 20th this year, not sure if you have heard of it, but it’s called 420… it’s kind of a big day in the cannabis world lol.  We are going to make Wednesday April 20th, not your average Wednesday.  At the store, we are going to have bundles offered all day, small to large and everything in between.  We are going to have a food truck, Smoke & Squeal BBQ food truck owned by Millville resident, Adam B. (crazy good BBQ, like holy shit good).  We are going to have prizes being raffled away (starting on April 1st you can enter) like gift cards to local restaurants/stores and swag prizes from our cultivators with all proceeds of the raffle going to the Millville Fire Dept.  Honestly, I hope that is just the start and only hope that it becomes more like an event than just your ‘average Wednesday’.

As always, I hope to see everybody at the store someday soon.  On our birthday, March 5th, we will be having some cool bundles available from Cultivate so come on by, wish us a happy birthday and see what we have to offer. But remember the best is yet to come, I am very excited for our second year with everybody, stay tuned for more exciting things around the store and the industry. “A wait till the warm-up's underway…And wait till you see that sunshine day. You ain't seen nothing yet.”

Steve

“Eat, Drink, and Be Merry.”

Blue Gorilla’s Dream of Glue

Hey all,

Hope everybody had a good holiday season and are staying as warm as possible in these cold months.  I wanted to possibly highlight a couple of strains that we normally carry and are popular in the cannabis world.  These will be two strains that most everybody has smoked before, are the staples among smokers and a lot of the strains around come from one of these two.  These strains are Gorilla Glue #4 and Blue Dream, two that are some of the most iconic in the industry.  I want to start by giving you an abbreviated description from Allbud.com for both and then go into a little about them both.

“Gorilla Glue, also known as “Gorilla Glue #1” is an indica dominant hybrid (60% indica/40% sativa) strain created through crossing the classic Chocolate Diesel X Sour Diesel strains. This bud packs a crazy powerful high that leaves you feeling like your mind is filled with glue. The high starts with a cerebral rush that leaves you feeling happy yet totally hazy, with no hope of focusing on anything any time soon. As your head high build and builds, your body will be washed over with a deep body buzz, leaving you feeling completely stoned and immovable. Because of these effects, Gorilla Glue is said to be perfect for treating conditions such as chronic pain, depression, insomnia, nausea, and muscle spasms. This bud has a super sour diesel chemical flavor that's incredibly harsh and sticks to your tongue long after you finish toking.” (Allbud.com, Gorilla Glue)

“Blue Dream is a slightly sativa dominant hybrid (60% sativa/40% indica) strain that is a potent cross between the hugely popular Blueberry X Haze strains. This infamous bud has users describe the Blue Dream high as having an immediate onset of an uplifting cerebral head high that leaves you completely motivated and focused with waves of creative energy that hit quickly and hard. This is accompanied by a mellow relaxing body high that leaves you warmed, numb, and completely pain free. Due to these potent combination effects, Blue Dream is said to be an ideal strain for treating patients suffering from conditions such as chronic stress, chronic pain due to injury or illness, mild to moderate cases of depression, and sleep disorders, including insomnia. Blue Dream has a delicious aroma of sweet blueberry pie and a taste of sugary sweet blueberries that stays on your tongue long after smoking.” (Allbud.com, Blue Dream)

Now while the two strains are technically different, one sativa leaning and the other indica leaning but they can both help the smoker in similar ways.  Blue Dream and Gorilla Glue are great for helping with Chronic Pain, Depression and Nausea.  Blue Dream is known for giving you energy, a creative mindset and is overall an uplifting high.  Gorilla Glue will be more of the cerebral and body high versus the euphoric high of Blue Dream.  After smoking Blue Dream, normally you will not feel like you are “ripped” but instead will hit you like a cup of coffee with your mind wanting to be productive.  Personally, it is one of my favorite, because as you have heard me say here or at the store, that I am a all day smoker and need the extra energy/motivation that something like Gorilla Glue may not provide.  As I have also said before, there is a time and a place for everything and sometimes GG4 hits the spot perfectly.  Sometimes you really want to be ‘couch locked’ and GG will do it with a smile on your face the entire time.  Make sure you have a movie and a good snack (Extra Toasty Cheez-its lol) to keep you occupied for the long term high that GG has to offer. 

It would be too optimistic to say that whenever you smoke a particular strain you will experience the same effects and high as the other times/people but everybody experiences things differently.  One flower/strain/batch from one company may be completely different than another’s of the same strain.  Conditions on which the plant was grown vary from place to place, as do growing methods (and everybody seems to know the best way to grow the best pot, yet they are always different) so therefore the end-product will be different every time.  It is one of the best and worst things about cannabis, and one thing that people have to understand that just because you felt a particular effect/way one time from a particular strain does not mean you will have that same high the next time you smoke it. 

Sorry for the different type of post than normal but I just wanted to go over something quickly.  I may be doing this a little more often because it always good to know more about the strains you are smoking.  On a different note, please stay healthy and safe in coming months.  I hope that everybody keeps a positive attitude, treat all with respect and please do not let petty differences get in the way of us being our best. Finally, I hope to see everybody in the store soon.

Thank you all.

See you soon.

Steve

“Eat, Drink and Be Merry.”

It’s the most WONDERful time of the year

I would say this is the most wonderful time of the year, but I would be lying; I am a spring/summer person through and though.  At the same time, I cannot say that I do not love the holidays that are coming up in the next few months.  I love everything that comes with these massive family dinners that consume the whole week basically between preparing, making plans, and consuming.  Personally, I love to cook and to be an integral part of the cooking process for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. 

Now, of course, every stoner knows they need to be ready for Thanksgiving.  It can be one of the biggest meals of the year and sometimes you need a little extra motivation so you can get through the second plate and not feel bad when you unbutton the top of your pants after the meal lol.  My family… we are a bunch of stoners… so we always make sure we have ample time for smoke breaks, even if that means in between courses.  A quick joint always opens more room somehow and when it is 5 of us all going out for a quick puff, it all seems normalized instead of 2 cousins sneaking off and then coming back sketchily. 

As stated above, I am celebrating with my family, but I just want to give a shout out to all the people who may not be able to celebrate with loved ones in the coming months.  I feel bad that not all have the luxury to be with family during the holidays but here at Garden Wonders, we hope to make you feel like a part of our family whenever you walk in our doors.  Over the next month, (until November 19th) we will be running a canned food drive in the store, all contributions will be donated to local food banks in the area.  We have boxes set up in both the reception area and near the registers.  Likewise, from November 20th to December 20th, we will be taking gifts for local families.  If you know of a family that is in need in the area, please let us know and maybe we can sponsor the family this Christmas.  Any contributions would be greatly appreciated.  We are also doing a raffle, for every 5 cans or any type of gift donated we will be giving you a raffle ticket to win a beverage cooler, winner will be chosen on December 21st.

Here at Garden Wonders, you may have heard me say this now-and-again, we are a “mom and pop store” and a family run store.  On Thanksgiving this year, we will be open but with a limited staff and limited hours.  We will be opening from 8am – 2pm on Thanksgiving Day so that the staff can spend Thanksgiving dinner with their family/friends. 

So please come in beforehand, tell us how you might be celebrating the coming holidays, bring a few cans/a gift, and make sure you stock up before the big meal! Thank you all again for the support over the past months; you, as the customer, is just as much part of the family as the staff!  We really appreciate everything and we are always happy to see you, always happy to help.

Steve

“Eat, Drink, and Be Merry.”

You do not know what you do not know.

Hey everyone,

Hope you are all doing well since my last post in August.  I just returned from an amazing vacation out west.  Starting in wine country and then driving up the coast then driving east to go to a 3-day concert; it was like having 3 different vacations altogether.  If anybody has an opportunity to drive the Oregon coast, I recommend it 100%.  Cannot tell you how beautiful it was driving on winding roads through the forest and then coming out to see the ocean from on top of a cliff.  Simply put, it was INCREDIBLE. While in Oregon though, we stopped at a winery (Gran Moraine) and had a tasting.  Gran Moraine has a really good selection of Pinot Noirs that they are known for producing. 

A few years ago when I was working at The Capital Grille, we had one of their varietals on the menu and I thought I knew/remembered a lot about the wine but I found myself learning a ton about the one I ‘knew so well’ and sold very easily to many of my customers.  I found myself asking numerous questions with the answer surprising me most of the time.  When it comes to wine, it seems the more you know about wine/grapes/wineries, you realize that there is infinitely more that you will never know or understand about it as well.  So I sat there listening intently to what the wine connoisseur was explaining to us. 

While at the tasting, there was a couple sitting next to us; a little ahead of us in the tasting, but we started to chat with them.  Turns out they have smoked before but have not the best experience smoking in the past.  I, of course, go into dispensary manager mode and start asking them questions you may have heard me ask you in the past.  “What effect are you trying to achieve after smoking?” “How do you want to consume/smoke?” “Are you normally looking for sativa or indica?” “Is there any reason you want to start using cannabis?”  Turns out, when they did smoke it was always from a buddy and did not know the strain they were smoking, or it was a wicked strong edible. Both instances, it made them feel uncomfortable and it really made them shy away from smoking but they did admit that they have heard it helping with some issues that they have been having (tough time staying asleep, inflammation, and anxiety).  A very common misconception with cannabis is that if you are anxiety prone, smoking will increase that anxiety to an all new level.  That is not always the case because it really depends on the type of cannabinoid and the strain you are smoking.  I recommended to this couple that they try a sativa strain like Jack Herer or an indica strain like Grand Daddy Purple, both great for countering anxiety.  I then mentioned looking into and possibly using Delta-8.  Another cannabinoid that is being looked more into because of its medicinal benefits and a great introduction to cannabis.  We carry a Mandarin Cookies cartridge from Northeast Alternatives, in fact.  The Mandarin Cookies strain which helps with anxiety and stress but it is also a 1:1:1; inside there is some Delta-8 (weed lite), Delta-9 (weed), and CBD forming an awesome ‘cocktail’. 

This long about way of saying that when you come into our store, ask questions because there is something to always learn, no matter how long or how much you have been smoking.  Every time you learn something new, different avenues of smoking will come to the forefront.  I enjoy teaching people more about cannabis and I love learning something new about it myself.  My employees will all roll their eyes at me when I learn something new because it’s like my flavor of the week.  I will go off on a particular facet or different product, especially if I think some of you will enjoy it.  So, again, please come in the store, ask a question, let us help you.  I look forward to seeing everyone soon. Thank you all for letting be rant.

Thanks.

Steve

“Eat, Drink, and Be Merry.”

Groove To The Music

Hope everyone is doing well since my last post.  It is now the middle of the summer, and it is once again time for concerts!  We are able to go to concerts again this year and I, for one, cannot be more excited for my first concert in 2 years.  I have been a Dave Matthews Band fan for as long as I can remember.   Going to one of their concerts is basically like heaven on earth for me.  From the tailgating before to every song with all of the Davespeak to the post tailgating party; Dave concerts are my favorite time of the year.  At the end of the month, I will be going to Labor Dave Weekend out at the Gorge Amphitheater in Quincy, Washington.  A 3-night concert and camp-out with 30,000 of my friends.

What goes best with concerts? Joints, blunts, weed, that smell lol.  Maybe a little more conservative with passing joints around but everyone can still enjoy their own.  I would recommend a mixture of strains when you are at a concert, with varying effects.  Before going I will peruse our menu and pick out some solid smokes.  Probably start off with the Trop Juice (by Middlesex Integrative Medicine) during tailgating, a great active and social strain.  While in the concert, everybody always waits for that first right song and when they play it, it’s crazy how many different smells surround you.  All the gassy, fruity, cheesy, sour smells that bring you right home.  At some point, a blunt needs to be sparked because well… it’s a Dave concert.  I will probably buy an eighth of Lilac Diesel (by Smyth Cannabis Co., coming back to the store in a few days!!!).  The Silver Lemon Haze and Cherry Pie cross is a great for that lackadaisical feeling you want during a concert.  Then at end the night with a night cake strain.  Spark up a Wedding Cake (by Bask), crack a Levia, eat a sandwich and relax during the second tailgate while the line of cars trying to get out of the lot do not move for an hour. 

Yes, I had to shout-out a few of my cultivators during the process but they grow some amazing products.  Why did I explain what my typical concert experience?  I wanted to portray how awesome DMB concerts are but more importantly wanted to explain, in a roundabout way, that there is a time and place for everything.  For the habitual smoker, you need to be aware of what you are smoking so that you do not fade or become unproductive.  For a person that gets anxiety, a high testing Sativa may not be what you need.  Right place, right time.  Something everyone needs to be reminded of from time to time. 

But please come to the store, we have some solid products from all our cultivators.  We have an amazing staff to educate or learn with you if you have any questions.  We want to hear your stories, your experiences, your favorite music.

Thank you all. Hope to see everyone soon. Stay safe and healthy.

Steve

Well… That was an interesting way to get HIGH…

How is it going all?!? I wanted to check back in and possibly get to know everyone a little better.  This month we wanted to go over where/how I like to smoke and hope if you read this you might come in the store and tell us how you like to enjoy your high.

I know there are all types of users out there and everyone consumes in a different way, but this might be a good way to learn about all methods of smoking, sometimes however bizarre they seem.

For myself, I like to smoke all day when I can.  The right weed is legit like a cup of coffee for me; lucky for me I also do not drink coffee... I will smoke a sativa in the morning.  As I mentioned in the previous post, I label all my cannabis with their effects and make sure I smoke the right thing at the right time.  It is always good to have a variety; it will let you keep a consistent high always and not to build too much of a tolerance to one strain.  So, even if you bank account takes a hit to start because you bought 4 different strains, it will be worth it in the end, and you won’t have to keep on having a $3.50 fee for using your card every week lol.

While I am reading a book (just started The Godfather), I love smoking a sativa like Blue Dream.  It really gets your brain going with a beautiful full body relaxation feeling.  If I am trying to unwind at the end of the night, smoking a joint of the Panama OG hit the spot.  Currently, I am smoking the Tangerine Haze cartridge from Garden Remedies and it is an amazing sativa, keeps me going all day, whether I am on the golf course or on a hike with my dog. 

As I said earlier... bizarre.  I have been around the block in the cannabis world.  I have made homemade bowls from a Coke can to a bong out of water bottle to a 'waterfall' out of a Crystal Head vodka bottle.  I have smoked out of a gasmask and smoked a cross joint before.  One of the best aspects about cannabis is that everyone experiences it differently.  There are infinite ways to ingest cannabis and we would love to know how you like to consume.  So come in and tell us about your craziest bong/bowl/piece/smoke sesh/etc!

Lastly, we just had an event on the property last Saturday.  It was a blast overall! For those who came by, thank you for the support.  We are having another, bigger, event at the end of July (7/31) put on by the Food Trucks of America.  We are planning on having several food trucks/beer and wine vendors, radio stations, and our cannabis vendors.  Swing by the store and ask for more information or follow us on social media, we will be keeping everyone updated that way as well.  Hope to see everyone soon!

Thanks.

Steve

"Eat, Drink, and Be Merry."

Don’t Be a High TAChole.

Hope you all enjoyed the last blog post; this one has a different feel to it.

Massachusetts customers, as a whole, are known to be after strains with high TAC.  We just wanted to let you know that a high TAC does not always mean a better high.  I’d like to do a shoutout to one of our cultivators, Garden Remedies.  Out of Newton, their Deadhead OG (barely testing over 20%) is by far one of the "dopest dope I have ever smoked." Leafly described it as a physically stimulating but mentally relaxing.  I took that as you will want to be productive after smoking but will be dumb as sh*t doing it.

Likewise for cartridges, the pure distillate cartridges are amazing for getting you stoned but sometimes that is not always the desired outcome.  Recently, I have been trying my hand at the full-spectrum cartridges.  Full-spectrums maintain the entire profile of the cannabis plant. They contain a variety of cannabinoids, including THC, THCa, CBD, CBDa, CBG, and CBN, as well as terpenes and other compounds such as flavonoids, proteins, phenols, sterols, and esters (yes that came from Leafly).  There is so much more to the cannabis plant than just THC.

Here, at Garden Wonders, we want to know why you are using the product.  It will help us recommend the right products for you.  Sometimes the high TAC is the way to go, sometimes a nice mellow 14% sativa is the perfect high at the end of the day.  Perfect to not make you overly tired and pass out but might help you do some long overdue chores or read a chapter from the book you are reading.  Believe me, I like to have several different strains on me and with varying effects.  I have them all labeled with their profiles so I can always be in the right mindset depending on my intentions.  Try the Blood Orange from In Good Health, roughly 13% but it has an amazing flavor profile, you will enjoy the smoke, I guarantee it.  

One example that I like to refer to is when I had a high testing flower, 29.4%.  We had one elderly customer come back to us claiming that the weed was moldy.  Our assumption on why he felt this way was because he was not used to the very high testing flower but came in because he wanted "the biggest bang for his buck".  Sometimes it can be too much, and some adverse effects could happen. 

All we are asking is to walk into our store with an OPEN MIND, the highest testing cannabis is rarely the best.  You may be pleasantly surprised and find a different reason/way to enjoy cannabis. 

Last but not least, on Saturday, June 26th there will be a Jeep Life Event held on the property!  There are plans to have several food trucks lined up, a beer garden sponsored by a couple of local breweries, as well as all of our cultivators.  Oh... and when we say Jeep Life... there should be a few HUNDRED Jeeps here, all tricked out with all the bells and whistles.  It should be one amazing event.

We hope to see everyone here over the next month and especially at the event!

Thank you all.

Steve

"Eat, Drink and Be Merry."

We are Garden Wonders.

Thank you all for another great month at Garden Wonders Cannabis! Now that we have been open for a little over two months, I wanted to take a second and go over who we are at GWC.

As soon as you drive up, I hope you notice a difference in your experience at our dispensary than you might find at others. We can guarantee that your experience here at GWC will not be like other dispensaries. We want you to feel like you are catered from the time you walk in to the time you leave. I always say the average ‘pot shop’ looks like a mix between an Apple store and a pharmacy. Not here at Garden Wonders. From the front desk to the counter tops to the barn door, everything in the store was built by yours truly; and as all of my employees will tell you, I am quite proud of the outcome.

Before working at Garden Wonders, I used to work at Capital Grille. I am going to quote my manager at the time- “We have the same steaks as Longhorns; we sell them for 3x the price and theirs comes with two sides but why do people keep on coming back to us? They come back to see you, to have a great experience with you. They pay the $100+ a plate for you.” That meeting really hit home with me and I have brought it here to GWC. We want to be able to treat you like family, educate you like a teacher, and be friends with you like your smoking buddy.

Down to my bones I am a local guy and always will be. You will see that reflected in everything in the store. Our menu, in particular, is different than most other dispensaries. We have a large variety of small cultivators represented on our menu and the quality of their products really shine. We try to highlight all of these cultivators and really let their story be told as well.

Earlier, I mentioned customer education. I cannot stress how much we strive to give our guests the best customer service. Any question you have will be answered and if not, we will take the time to find the answer online so we can better serve you or the next customer. Every person uses marijuana for a different reason, and we want to know that reason so we can better curate your session. We will not push unwanted products on you and will never just push you along in the line and out the store.

That is enough of me blabbering. Please come in the store and see for yourself how different of a store we really are. Ask me anything about the store, ask my budtenders anything about the menu, just do not be afraid to ask. That is what we are here for.

Thank you all so much and I hope to everyone soon.

Steve

The countdown to 4/20

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – when we get to count down to 4/20!

As the smokiest day of the year approaches, we’re stocking our shelves with the highest-quality Cannabis that you’ll find in New England, and adding new smoke devices by the day. When you think – What’s a Cannabis store near me? Remember- We’re only 20 minutes from Providence and 25 from Worcester, so you know we’ll be nearby with everything you want to smoke, and every implement that you want to smoke it with.

But we all know that what we love is not enjoying Cannabis, but the environment in which we do it. That’s why we’re celebrating the days leading up to 4/20 by sharing the way we do it, and why.

What’s your favorite strain? Do you mix? Are you more of a blunt smoker, or do you prefer a Bong or Vape? Do you smoke solo, or with a bunch of friends?

We all know music is a key factor in the Cannabis experience. Do you go with classic Rock? Let us know!

Maybe you love to watch certain movies – tell us what they are.

While we’re still socially distanced, let’s get together online and share the best ways we enjoy our favorite hobby on 4/20– post your answers in the comment sections of our Instagram or facebook pages. We’ll publish some of the best answers on our upcoming blogs and in our next newsletter, so make sure you comment what you think, and sign up for the newsletter to see if your answer makes it.

Enjoy your 4/20!

Starting your Cannabis Experience

When you browse our cannabis selection, you’ll notice that there are specific designations for cannabis types: Indica, Sativa, and Hybrid. These are important to understand for consumers who want to achieve particular effects.

Sativa plants tend to be taller in stature, with longer, thinner leaves with larger spreads. They have longer flowering cycles and are grown in warm climates with long growing seasons. Sativa strains are uplifting, perfect for using before creative activity or at parties.

Indica plants tend to be shorter, with thicker leaves. They have a shorter flowering cycle and are grown in cold climates with short growing seasons. Indica strains tend to yield sedating effects, ideal for time on the couch or right before going to sleep.

Hybrids are designed to create unique blends of these two effects and different varieties span the spectrum in between.

Our budtenders will usually start to determine strain recommendations by asking you which you prefer. They have access to a wide variety of strains and will be able to find you the perfect solution to achieve your goals.

Start shopping today.