Meet CAC Taunton's Cultivation Techncian Kait!
Name: Kait
Hometown: Bridgewater, MA
Years in Cannabis: 10 months
Role at CAC: Cultivation Technician
Nickname: Kellis
What is your cannabis origin story?
I have been a cannabis advocate for around 10 years now. About a year ago I decided to change the career path that I was on and jump into the cannabis industry to help people in a new way.
What did you do before this and how did it prepare you for your role today?
Before working at Commonwealth Alternative Care I was heavily involved in the special needs community. I worked as a Developmental Specialist helping the adult special needs population, heavily leaning towards adults with autism. This prepared me for my role today because I learned to be able to adapt to a constantly changing environment. I also was able to see first hand the benefits medicinal cannabis can have on people with epilepsy as well as anxiety in people with autism. It is truly an amazing plant.
What is your strain of choice?
Mimosa! Or anything with citrus notes.
What is your favorite edible?
Chroma Peppermints!!! America runs on Dunkin’ and I run on CHROMA. They're the bomb.
Favorite delivery method? e.g. smoke, dab, vape, eat, topical.
I love smoking flower, specifically blunts. I definitely do love a good edible though!
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about cannabis recently?
How do you ensure first time visitors are comfortable with their first dispensary experience?
Being a part of the cultivation team, I ensure our visitors are comfortable by always striving to grow the cleanest, best product.
What do you do for fun?
I am a HUGE gamer. I love video games. I also love to spend time in my garden (cannabis and vegetable) and I love spending as much time with my nephews as possible.
Do you have any hobbies or collections?
I have a huge crystal/rock collection, I have ever since I was a little kid. I also collect houseplants.
Where do you go to learn more about cannabis?
I go to my coworkers! They are all super knowledgeable and definitely know a lot of the answers. I also absolutely love reading books about cannabis.
What is the coolest new cannabis-related gadget you’ve seen recently?
A nectar collector! They are super cool and convenient. Great if you need to take your rig with you!
What’s your favorite CAC product right now?
NF1 ANYTHING!! Can’t get enough of it.
What do you like most about working at CAC?
My co-workers. They are some of the funniest, most interesting, knowledgeable people I’ve ever known.
Learn More About: The World’s Largest THCA Crystal!
We have received a number of questions from our patients and fans about our giant 221g THCA Crystal. We spoke with CAC’s Laboratory Director, Russ Draffen, to provide you with some answers! Russ led the lab in the growth of this Crystal, and the results speak for themselves.
Russ tells us that the Crystal has a purity of 99.99%. The benefit of isolating THC-A to such an extent is in the control that it gives the lab in creating subsequent formulations and products. The patients can know the exact percentage of THC-A in the products they get from our dispensary when the plant components are isolated with such specificity.
By the lab’s calculations, this crystal is equivalent to approximately 8,000 grams of flower, or 4,420 dabs - given that each dab is .05g of the crystal. However, in this state, it will not offer a high. THC-A must be heated in order to be converted to THC. Before that conversion, THC-A is non-psychoactive, so you can consume (or in one fan’s words, “lick”) this crystal, and you may experience the anti-inflammatory benefits of cannabinoids, but you will not experience a high. Many people who avoid psychoactive properties find this appealing, and they can consume THC-A by crushing crystals and dosing them into pills. Those who prefer a high may deliver it as a dab. Whichever way a patient chooses to deliver it, there is surely enough of this crystal to last a patient for a very long time.
The Crystal in its growing conditions. Source: Russ Draffen
It took two months for this Crystal to develop, and, according to Russ, our lab has the capability of putting it back under its growing conditions to allow it to continue growing if they so choose. (And perhaps they will...we will keep you posted.) At this size, the worth is difficult to put a ticket on. Each gram alone may be worth $90, so you would think that converts to about $20,000. However, a crystal grown to this size as one unified piece is worth a lot more than the sum of its parts.
Russ Draffen with the THCA Crystal, and his photos from the process. Source: Russ Draffen
So why did CAC’s lab decide to grow the world’s largest THC-A crystal? “When it started growing, I knew I was on to something, so I kept it going,” says Russ Draffen. The lab had the materials and the motivation to try something new, so why not give it a shot? “We knew that no one else was really doing it to this extent,” Russ adds.
We currently plan to display the THC-A Crystal in our dispensary in the coming months so that our patients may see it to believe it. Keep an eye on our social media for our Reveal Date Announcement!
Make Medicated Coconut Oil with Active8 Fills in Honor of National Coconut Day!
Here at Commonwealth Alternative Care Taunton, we take patient’s needs by the highest standards! A very versatile product we offer, is our Activ8 Fill’s!
We encourage patients to experiment with their fills! Yes, you can add it to your cartridge, but visit our Instagram if you need some tips for usage!
You can add it to your morning coffee, use it to making cooking oil, add it to your sauces, put it under your tongue before bed, and much more. However, in honor of the beloved National Coconut Day, we’re going to teach you how to make medicated coconut oil!
You will need:
A pot
A glass or heat-safe bowl
Coconut Oil
A distillate
A plastic bag
1) Prep the fill like you normally would.
Place it in a bag and submerge it in warm water for 5-10 minutes
2) While the fill is warming up, set up a double-boiler. (Placing your mixture in a double boiler rather than directly into the pot protects the distillate from overheating. The fill is already decarboxylated, so overheating it will cause it to lose terpenoids.)
Place your pot on the stove and heat up some water
Put a heat safe bowl on top of that so it is touching the water.
4) Put a half of a cup of coconut oil into the glass bowl, and heat that until it is liquefied.
5) Once that is ready, add your dosage of fill, which should be easier to get out of the plunger now that it is warm.
6) Whisk quickly to get everything together. You want to keep everything moving so it does not settle on the heat.
7) Once you really see it come together, pour the contents of the bowl into a container, cover it, and put it in the fridge to set.
Now you have your coconut oil! Enjoy, and be sure to tag us in your creations if you want to be featured on our Instagram!
Meet CAC Taunton's Inventory Manager, Andy!
Name: Andy
Hometown: Norton, MA
Years in Cannabis: 1+
Role at CAC: Inventory Manager
Nickname: Andy
What is your cannabis origin story?
I discovered cannabis about half a lifetime ago and while that was for fun, in recent years I have found the medicinal properties to be of great benefit as I get older, and have learned how to use those properties properly to achieve relief given the situation at hand.
What did you do before this and how did it prepare you for your role today?
I have spent the better part of the last decade managing inventory and overseeing international shipping for a car wash soap manufacturer/distributor in Connecticut.
What is your strain of choice?
I’m a big fan of our Candyland Animal Cookies cross at the moment, it really covers the Goldilocks checklist of effects for me personally.
What is your favorite edible?
Peanut Butter Cups all day long! I was also very pleasantly surprised by the Cake Pops we did last year.
Favorite delivery method? e.g. smoke, dab, vape, eat, topical
Fresh flower in glass, or a flavor packed cold start dab.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about cannabis recently?
I’ve been learning about the cornucopia of things that can be done with topicals, from using balms and oils straight out of the box to making your own at home recipes with distillate.
How do you ensure first time visitors are comfortable with their first dispensary experience?
Our inventory team works hard alongside our cultivation and production teams to make sure that whoever comes in the dispensary door has a product there for them to meet their needs when they are greeted by one of our awesome PSA’s.
What do you do for fun?
I recently started playing some guitar again, I also spend a lot of time just learning about new and sometimes random subjects.
Do you have any hobbies or collections?
I have a solid hot sauce collection going at home. We also have a good rubber band ball going in the vault.
Where do you go to learn more about cannabis?
My peers - rarely if ever does a day go by where I don’t learn something new about cannabis. Our facility is staffed by extremely passionate, knowledgeable people and if you’ve got a question, you’re going to get a well educated answer.
What is the coolest new cannabis-related gadget you’ve seen recently?
I tried a Puffco Peak for the first time recently and it was the best torch free device I have used to date.
What’s your favorite CAC product right now?
Flower: LA Kush Cake
Concentrate: Platinum Alien Sugar
Edible: Peanut Butter Cups
Topical: Wonder Balm
And who could forget that monster 221g diamond in the lab!!
What do you like most about working at CAC?
My colleagues. Day in and day out I’m amazed at the level of professionalism, knowledge, and overall fantastical attitude everyone consistently brings to the workplace. Spending the day in a room quite literally surrounded by some of the best cannabis products in Massachusetts isn’t so bad either.
What is the most difficult part of your job?
The dispensary can’t dispense if the inventory isn’t in check. We live in the details, and being a highly scrutinized, and state regulated industry, we cannot afford to skimp on those details. There are a lot of moving parts in medicinal cannabis, and it’s up to us to make sure they all fit together. It is fast paced and challenging, but worth every bit of that effort when a patient walks out the door with a big smile on their face.
Meets CAC Taunton's Flower Manager , James!
Name: James
Hometown: Mansfield MA
Years in Cannabis: 1, professional, 7 years personal experience
Role at CAC: Flower Manager
Nickname: Jimmy
Interesting fact: I went to school for criminal justice and ended up in commercial cannabis.
What is your cannabis origin story?: I first started cultivating cannabis in college because I didn't want to spend money on flower anymore. As soon as I harvested my first crop I grew a passion for cultivating cannabis and I knew it was going to be something I did for the rest of my life.
What did you do before this and how did it prepare you for your role today?: Before this I worked in events for conference center and ballroom. We had to task employees daily in order to complete event set-ups in a timely manner. This related directly to the flower department because I need to task a team of employees daily in order to ensure that all maintenance is completed at the proper time.
What is your strain of choice? : NF1
What is your favorite edible?: Low dose mints. I don't handle edibles well so a low dose is perfect for me.
Favorite delivery method? e.g. smoke, dab, vape, eat, topical: Smoking flower
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about cannabis recently?: With under canopy lighting you can limit the stretch on plants when they enter the flower cycle. This can be extremely useful if you are growing in limited space and are challenged with height.
What do you do for fun, and do you have any hobbies or collections?: I like to spend most free time outdoors and enjoy activities like playing guitar and archery. My hobby is cultivating craft cannabis for personal use. I am always trying different methods and I am constantly learning.
Where do you go to learn more about cannabis?: I learn about cannabis at work quite a bit. There are a lot of techniques I have learned here that I had previously not used.
What is the coolest new cannabis-related gadget you’ve seen recently?: An Electronic nail for a dab rig. This ensures that you are ALWAYS ready to take a dab.
What’s your favorite CAC product right now?: My favorite product right now is the NF1 flower.
What do you like most about working at CAC?: My favorite thing about working at CAC is that my work is my passion and I have the privilege of working with like minded people daily.
What is the most difficult part of your job?: Watching rooms getting harvested. After working the rooms for 50 plus days trying to get the highest quality flower we can possible, it is somewhat difficult to watch them getting harvested.
What is the most rewarding part of working for CAC?: Knowing that we are growing flower to help people with numerous issues. Whether the flower is used as is or extracted into one of our various forms, it is rewarding to know that I am actually helping people daily. My grandmother uses our Slate cream daily and it helps her vastly with her severe arthritis in her hands. This is something no prescription or pill was able to help her with.