By Samantha Simmons
Campus News
Facing a slow roll out of dispensary licenses from the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, farmers have been struggling to sell cannabis products which has a shelf life between six months to a year.
Upstate New York’s Old Saratoga Mercantile, a farm and general store in Schuylerville that offers organic vegetables, meat, baked goods and more, has taken on the role of hosting farmers selling cannabis products through the state’s Cannabis Growers Showcase. The temporary program, which is open to Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licensee or an Adult-Use Conditional Cultivator, runs through January 1st, 2024.
According to OCM, product offerings may include cannabis products, cannabinoid hemp products, and cannabis paraphernalia. However, alcohol, tobacco or nicotine products, food or beverages that do not contain cannabis, except water, and items marketed toward children are prohibited.
Christina and Tim Myers, owners of Old Saratoga Mercantile, got involved because they saw an opportunity to bring tax dollars to the community as most products sold in their store are not tax eligible.
Christina Myers said while some may not agree with the legalization of cannabis use in New York State, the impact can be positive for everyone: “This product, whether you use this or not, you’re going to benefit from it because that money is staying in your community.”
Myers said she was afraid of how the community would receive “The Potting Shed.” “What I have discovered was I didn’t need to be worried about anything. Everybody got it,” Myers said.
“You know, they, they were really excited about it. They were most people actually already using it, and just really excited that they didn’t need to drive to Massachusetts anymore.”
She said while there is stigma attached, she views cannabis the same way she views other plants. Myers, a non-smoker, said she understands the benefits cannabis offers.
“When we say food is medicine, we mean the same thing,” Myers said. “You know, with this, there’s a lot of, there’s a lot of good uses for it.”
Since opening on August 23, Myers said she has seen repeat customers. “I was really surprised by how many of my customers actually were already smoking well before it came legal,” Myers said.
Myers said like farmers taking risks on growing new products or not having ideal weather, cannabis growers took other risks.
“In the end, the biggest risk was the state,” Myers said. “And that’s unfair that the state not opening the dispensaries, like they said they were, should never have been the risk.”
She said OCM’s showcase did a great job emphasizing a focus on famers rather than shelf-stable products like gummies and other edible products. For every three farms at a showcase, one processor, someone who sells edibles or vapes, can participate. This helps ensure farmers can move through their product before the next crop comes in later this year.
For safety, no product is allowed to be consumed on the grounds of showcases. A typical joint there is $7, which includes tax.
“The Potting Shed” is currently open Monday through Saturday, subject to change. If interested, follow Old Saratoga Mercantile on Instagram or Facebook to stay up to date.
Woman-owned Windy Hill CBD in Greenwich, NY, and Glens Falls is working on obtaining a license to sell cannabis. Owner Holly Harris has hired a regulatory firm to handle the application process which begins a few weeks following a finalization of state regulations.
Currently, Windy Hill CBD operate as wellness boutiques offering hemp-based CBD products, salves, crystals, and skincare. But if approved, the business would likely be converted to two different LLCs to comply with state laws which state cannabis and CBD products cannot be carried in the same store; but cannabis products may contain CBD.
“The beauty of the Greenwich location is I own the building,” Harris said. “So, I would be able to, you know, move Windy Hill to a different part of this building. So, we would still carry the Windy Hill product line. It would just be in a different area. Glens Falls is a little different. I don’t own that building. I rent it, and it’s just one space. I do have options in Greenwich, where there’s different areas that I could put it into that have outside entrances,” Harris said, effectively making them two separate businesses.
Harris said CBD products have seen their peak. “People still like CBD products but we’re finding adding that little bit of THC in there really helps to increase the medicinal effects of it,” Harris said, “You’re really limited with the hemp products as far as how much THC you can get. We’re finding more and more that THC based products help with overall wellness when you do it in the right way.”
All licensed dispensaries are required to only carry cannabis products from New York suppliers to ensure quality and promote business. Buyers must be over the age of 21 years old.
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