June 2016 (Denver/Boulder)

06.2016T H E N E W N O R M A L

The Best Outdoor Dining Around How CBD Oil Heals Cooking with Cannabis

SPECIAL REPORT

PESTICIDES& PESTICIDES&& PESTICIDES& PESTICIDESyou{ NOT A LOVE STORY}

Celebrity-Branded

CANNABIS WH Y ? BECAUSE THEY CAN.

red ROCKS tales from

DENVER // BOULDER

FESTIVALTHE 2016 FIELD GUIDE TO COLORADO SUMMER F ESTI VA LS

4 www.sensimag.com JUNE 2016

FOLLOW

US

sensimediagroup

sensimagazine

sensimag

EX ECUTI V E

Ron Kolb, CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUPRON.KOLB @SENSIMAG.COM

Tae Darnell, PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA [email protected]

Alex Martinez, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER [email protected]

E DI T O R I AL

Rob Feeman, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER/[email protected]

Stephanie Wilson, MANAGING [email protected]

Leland Rucker, SENIOR [email protected]

John Lehndorff, FOOD [email protected]

Randy RobinsonCONTRIBUTING EDITOR/[email protected]

DE S IG N &PHOTOGR A PH Y

Jennifer Tyson, DESIGN [email protected]

Stacey Jacobs, DESIGNER [email protected]

Kim Sidwell, CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER [email protected]

BUSINESS &A DM I N ISTRATIVE

Tyler Tarr, PUBLISHER [email protected]

Mark Basser, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER [email protected]

Alec Varipapa, BUSINESS ANALYST [email protected]

sensi magazine ISSUE 2 VOLUME 1 06.2016 masthead.

BACK IN THE summer of ’75, I VISITED RED ROCKS

FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SEE A CONCERT. MANY MEMORIES OF

THAT DAY ARE FUZZY, BUT A FEW THINGS STICK OUT IN MY MIND.

I REMEMBER THE TWIN TOWERING MONOLITHS, AND WATCHING

SOME ADVENTUROUS SOULS CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THEM TO

WATCH THE SHOW (NOW STRICTLY PROHIBITED, OF COURSE).

I REMEMBER WHERE I SAT, AND THE MOOD OF THE CROWD,

AND THE VIEWS OF DENVER. AND I REMEMBER THE MUSIC.

Such legendary performers as James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen

Stills, Judy Collins, and the Eagles played at Red Rocks that summer. But

I missed all of them. Instead, I saw the acoustic folk rock trio America, who

were fairly hot at the time. Their songs are still favorites, perhaps because

of that show, four decades ago.

As senior editor Leland Rucker points out in his article on the iconic

outdoor amphitheater, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this month,

“Everybody has a story about Red Rocks.” And it’s true, because no mat-

ter how many times you visit, no matter who you see, any trip there is a

memorable one. It always sticks in your mind.

More than 140 concerts and other events are taking place at Red Rocks this

year, with performers like Bob Dylan, Twenty One Pilots, Sublime with Rome,

Grace Potter, The String Cheese Incident, and local favorites Nathaniel Rateliff

and the Night Sweats putting in appearances. But that’s just the tip of the ice-

berg when it comes to summer entertainment options throughout Colorado.

In his article, contributor John Lehndorff provides a comprehensive list-

ing of festivals and concerts statewide this summer, and there’s something

for just about any musical taste and any area of interest. Pearl Jam, for in-

stance, will headline the Ride Festival in Telluride in July. Brad Paisley, Blake

Shelton, and the Zac Brown Band will perform at the Country Jam in Grand

Junction this month. Alabama Shakes and Trey Anastasio are among those

scheduled for Vertex in Buena Vista in early August, while soul legends

Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson will appear at the JAS June Experience

in Aspen. Bluegrass, jazz, swing, and folk fans have a number of options,

including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, featuring Emmylou Harris and

John Prine, and the Glenn Miller Band Swing Fest in Fort Morgan.

But there’s more. Summer festivals devoted to such topics as yoga, hot

air balloons, wildflowers, comics, mushrooms, cherry blossoms, barbecue,

Shakespeare, and even chalk art are all on tap. With all this going on, and so

much more, the summer of ’16, like the summer of ’75, promises to be one

to remember.

editor’sNOTE

Rob Feeman, EDITOR

Boss TubesCannabis CleanCannabis Patients AllianceCannabis InsuranceServicesConcentrateSupply Co. EndoCanna

Extract CraftExtracted ColoradoGreenHouse Payment SolutionsGreen Mountain Harvest High SocietyJett CannabisLab Society

Lucid MoodmarQaha Mighty Fast Herbal InfuserPathways Natural Wellness CenterSimply PureTerrapin Care StationWana Brands

ADV ISORY BOARD

National Cannabis Industry Association

Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Women Grow

MEDIA PA RT NERS

A SUMMER TO REMEMBER

KIM

SID

WE

LL

© C

AN

NA

BIS

CA

ME

RA

20 Tunes Take the Field Sensi’s singalong, yoga-fied, dance-a-long, scratch-n-sniff field guide to Colorado summer festivals.

30 Stories in the Stones It’s been 75 years since Red Rocks Park was dedicated. A new book examines the history of the world-famous sandstone formation/concert hall in the foothills west of Denver.

38 Stepping Up The Brice family makes some moves to get CBD oil to help their son D’Marus.

42

JUNE 2016 www.sensimag.com 7

FEATURES

20

FESTIVAL SEASON

FESTIVAL GUIDE

SPECIAL REPORT

Sensi Magazine

is published monthly

in Denver, CO, by Sensi

Media Group LLC,

6565 East Evans Ave.,

Denver, CO 80224. © 2016 SENSI MEDIA

GROUP LLC. ALL

RIGHTS RESERVED.

ISSUE 2 VOLUME 1 06.2016

contents.CANNA COOKING Sativa Onion Soup

48

30RED ROCKS TURNS

75

ChemiWiinduin cannabis cultiva

andpesticide useinainanninnncnncnnacaaaaabisabisnnbisnnbisa cua cubis cubis cultbislt cuiva cuivaltivation under control.

Chemical CannabisWith no federal guidance, th state and

industry struggle to get pesticide use

in cannabis cultivation under control.

ChemiChemiChemiChemicChemical CannabisChemial Cannabiscal Cannabiscal Cannabisal Cannabisal Cannabisal Cannabisal Cannabisguidance,al Cannabisguidance, tal Cannabisthal Cannabisheal Cannabise sal CannabissWinWinoWiotfederaltfederalhfederalhfederalnfederalnfederalofederalofederalfederalfederalfederalfederal guidance,federalguidance,

tofederalto guidance,

guidance,guidance,

guidance,gguidance,getguidance,et pesticideguidance,pesticidetpesticidetpesticidehpesticidehpesticideeuseeusesusesusetusetuse

l.tl.ateuseateuse

aindustindustrindury sinduy ssty ssty ststtrugstrugrugrrugy srugy sruggly sgltgltglrugerugelt

rugltiva

rugivatrugtgl

togl

to ggl

gtgltion glion eion eion toion toion utou gnder congnder conetnder conetnder conpesticidender conpesticidender contpesticidetrpesticideropesticideol.pesticidel. useinainanninnncnncnnacaaaaabisabisnnbisnnbis cua cubis cubis cultbislt culttltt

iva

Chemical CannabisWith no federal guidance, the state andindustry struggle to get pesticide use in cannabis cultivation under control.

whoops, SORRY NATURE!

4 Editor’s Note 8 Sensi Buzz 10 Ask Leland/Q&A 12 Perspectives THE CULT OF CELEBRITY

14 EdibleCritic FARE VIEW

48 LastWord FEEL-GOOD FOOD

ISSU

E

EVERY

BOOM

BOOMbastic Bacon Brittle

Did you know that bacon makes everything taste better? Quiches, salmon, salads, sandwiches, and yes, even honey-dipped cannabis. It all tastes better with bacon. MOUNTAIN MEDICINE’S BOOMBASTIC BACON BRITTLE combines everyone’s favorite flower with locally cultivated, cold-pressed nectar made by Boulder’s very own Highland Honey. Each square-inch brittle chunk contains bits of bacon, pecans, and a dash of sea salt. The first bite produced a crunch that shattered the brittle into several sugary pieces. Suc-cessive bites churned my mouthful of cracked confection into a gooey mess of smoky, sticky sweetness that glued the Bacon Brittle to the little crevices in my teeth. From start to finish, I couldn’t taste or smell any cannabis, so rookies might want to try these as their introduction to edibles. Each brittle chunk contains about 10 mg THC, but just one didn’t do much for me. After I chewed through a second brittle, I shot straight skyward a couple of hours later. Luckily, I cleared my schedule that day. If you’re going to partake in these porcine morsels, I’d advise you do the same.

–RANDY ROBINSON

sensibuzzTHE NEW NORMAL

SIMON SAYS: PAX 2 IS AWESOME The super-sleek PAX 2 takes the cake when it comes to LOOSE-LEAF VAPORIZERS. Its design is reminiscent of an

iPod: clean lines, smooth brushed-metal materials, and only one button to boot. The discrete pocket-sized machine (retail:

$279, and worth every penny) works by heating leafy material (such as fine cannabis flower) instead of burning it, releasing

active ingredients and natural oils into a subtle vapor. By eliminating the combustion process, it nixes secondhand smoke as

well, making it the ultimate indoor-party pairing. It was designed by some Stanford grads, who imbued some extra fun easter

eggs into the device, as Silicon Valley geeks are wont to do. Next time you get your hands on one, try rolling it around 13 times.

Its indicator lights will flash white, and then you can play the classic Simon memory game on the LED interface, which typically

shows charge, heat setting, or party mode. Play by tipping the PAX in the direction of the colored light, and if you win 20 times

in a row, you’ll be rewarded by a rendition of "Funky Town" every time you turn it on with a touch of a button.–STEPHANIE WILSON


CL ASSIC{music} COMBO

IN THE SAME WAY THE CANNABIS PL ANT EMBODIES THE SOIL AND NUTRIENTS IN WHICH IT WAS CULTIVATED, ALLOWING

YOU TO EXPERIENCE ITS SUNLIGHT THROUGH YOUR LIGHTER, MUSIC CAPTURES

THE TIME AND PLACE OF ITS CREATOR. I INVITE YOU TO TAKE THESE FIRST FIVE

ADVENTURES INTO FAMILIAR AND EXOTIC WORLDS OF PAST AND PRESENT WITH

PAIRED STRAINS FOR YOUR PLEASURE. –SEAN COLEMAN

M U S I C I A N /C A N N A B I S LO B BY I S T

Ludwig Van BeethovenSymphony in #7 A-Major

{ Durban Poison }

Aaron Copland // Appalachian Spring { N YC Diesel }

Dmitri ShostakovichSymphony #10 in E-Major

{ Deathstar }

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov // Scheherazade { Lavender }

Antonın Dvorák //Cello Concerto in B-Minor

{ Dairy Queen }

˘ˇ


askLELAND

though there are saliva and hair-follicle tests, all designed to

detect THC in a person’s system. Unlike many other drugs,

which dissipate from the system fairly quickly, THC remains

in body fat, with the amount of time it hangs around for dependent on factors

like a person’s weight and their frequency and amount of use.

I’ve been lucky enough to never have had to submit to a company drug

test, but a lot of people will endure one at some point or another. And you

can be legally denied a job if THC is found in your system. Today, there are

many more ways to get cannabis into your system, and not always just to

become elevated. People are using lotions, balms, salves, and transdermal

patches for localized pain relief and moisturizing.

So will that lotion you’re using on your hands show up on drug tests?

Opinions vary. Some herbalists, arguing that the lotions have such a minute

amount of THC, say that applying it to your skin won’t result in a positive

drug test. Others argue that even though it’s a low dosage of THC, it could

enter your bloodstream in other ways, such as, for instance, getting it on

your finger and then putting that digit in your mouth.

Transdermal patches, which are designed to deliver a concentrated dose

of medication through the skin, are a different story. Everybody agrees that

these kinds of products, since they enter the bloodstream, could show up

positive on drug tests.

If you’re an occasional user and don’t inhale marijuana from a vaporizer

or water pipe, you’re probably not going to show up positive if you use a salve

or lotion occasionally. But all in all, if you really want that job, you might want

to stay away from any marijuana products, including topical medications, for

as long as you can before the test. The safest answer is that you should almost

always assume you might test positive for any cannabis product you use.

And if it’s any consolation, remember companies that try to exclude can-

didates simply by their marijuana use are spending lots of money eliminating

many of the “best and brightest” they are seeking.


Got a question about anything marijuana related? Email your query to:[email protected] and if we answer your question, you’ll get some cool Sensi merch.

ask it.

Our curious cannabis expert, LELAND RUCKER, answers your questions about all things pot related.

A LOT OF MY

FRIENDS AND I

HAVE BEEN USING

CANNABIS TOPICAL

MEDICATIONS FOR

PAIN RELIEF AND

AS HAND LOTION.

WILL TOPICAL POT

MEDICATIONS SHOW

UP ON WORKPLACE

DRUG TESTS? RANDY AURORA

RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL CANNABIS USE IS

LEGAL IN COLORADO, BUT BUSINESSES HERE ARE

ALSO ALLOWED TO DRUG TEST CITIZENS BEFORE

EMPLOYING THEM. Most companies use urine tests,

Lela

nd R

ucke

r

KIM

SID

WE

LL

© C

AN

NA

BIS

CA

ME

RA

Topical Troubles

In Colorado, sometimes it’s tricky to recall what it was like before all this cannabis craziness. It’s been a part of our lives for sixteen years.

Back in 2003, the Bush administration sentenced iconic comedian Tommy Chong to nine months in federal custody. The Up in Smoke actor

didn’t get busted for selling marijuana. It wasn’t even possession. Chong got busted for selling bongs. “Chong Bongs,” to be precise.

Mind you, these bongs were just regular bongs. For all purposes, they were no different than any other water pipe that you’d find in any corner smoke shop.

Today, Chong Bongs are a rare collector’s item. Not just because they’re no lon-ger made. They’re collectors’ items because they hit really, really well. As in, they were

some of the best bongs ever mass produced. I would know, because I used to have one. We expect celebrity-endorsed products such as the Chong Bong to be high qual-

ity. If we adore a particular celebrity, we trust them. If they’re willing to bank their name on this particular brand, then gosh darnit, we’re willing to give it a try. We might even become loyal customers.

It’s been thirteen long years since Chong went to jail for simply selling some pipes. A lot has happened in that time. Today, we’re seeing a deluge of celebri-

ty-branded weed: Willie Nelson, the Marley Family, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Whoopi Goldberg—they’re all in on it. There’s even Rihanna’s “Marihanna.”

THE CULT OF CELEBRITYWell, we finally lived to see it: full-blown

celebrity endorsements for legal marijuana.

{perspectives}by RANDY ROBINSON

© K

EV

IN W

INT

ER

PICTURED ABOVE:Leafs by Snoop chocolate bars, available in recreational and medical doses in a whole bunch of flavors, including Peaches N Cream and Blueberries N Cream.12 www.sensimag.com JUNE 2016


And Melissa Etheridge, a breast cancer survivor, is about tolaunch her line of infused booze.

Could you imagine? In the future, it’ll be possible to pop a Whoopi pot pill, grind up a mixed salad of some Willie, Wiz, and Snoop nugs, load it into a Chong Bong, and take a Holly-wood hit in between sips of Melissa’s weed wine.

That’s the future, folks. And it’s right around the corner. But will these celebrity-brand cannabis products live up to their names? Will they become mainstay faves like Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream ice cream? Or will they abscond like the Marilyn Monroe-inspired 6126 clothing line?

Chances are these celebrity-brand cannabis goods will be hit-and-miss, like any other star-brand product. We can re-turn to Tommy Chong as a great example. Despite his run-in with the feds years ago, he’s still in business.

Today, Chong’s got two items on the market. One is his hemp drink, ChongWater. Apparently, it’s supposed to cure cottonmouth, but it tastes kind of gross. The other is his ChongCone rolling papers, which are pretty awesome. There’s even an exclusive Tommy Chong™ rolling device designed specifically for his ChongCones.

Oh, and did I mention Chong’s finally selling marijuana, too? I’m talking the whole shebang when it comes to Chong’s Choice: edibles, vape cartridges, bags of buds. And good for him. Get it while it’s still hot, Tommy. Because an army of famous people are coming for a slice of that sativa pie you baked long, long ago.

Oh, and did I mention Chong’s finally selling marijuana, too? I’m talking the whole shebang when it comes to Chong’s Choice:

edibles, vape cartridges, bags of buds. And good for him.

Get it while it’s still hot, Tommy.

Oh,I’m ta

e

Get it while it’s still hot, Tommy

© R

ICK

TH

OM

PS

ON

Comedian, entrepreneur, and medicalmarijuana patient Tommy Chong speaks during Hash Bash 2016.ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN // APRIL 2, 2016

chong!

The new line of Whoopi Goldberg’s cannabis products, which includes bath soak and medicated rubs.

AT LEFT:Bob Marley’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, California

© N

IKO

LA

Y T

ZO

LO

V


We were winding our way up Flagstaff Road from Chau-tauqua Park on a summer evening when we rounded a corner and ran into a rainbow. Well, not literally, but it formed a perfect hued arch ahead of us that framed Boulder and beyond where the plains disappear into the horizon.

“Wow,” I said. “Wow,” said my visiting friend. “Thanks for arranging that.” I took no credit as we pulled into the Flagstaff House for drinks and a softshell crab appetizer on the patio. Showers came and went, and we didn’t mind. Most of us feed ourselves a thousand or more meals a year but only a few produce a cinematic food memory. Colorado is good for that.

There are some things about the state that outlanders do not get until they visit. Like if you sit outside deep in the mountains on a clear night eating pie à la mode, you are en-veloped by billions of stars, swirling constellations, and colors … and it’s not the sativa talking. It sounds sappy, but it’s ex-actly like John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” (which actu-ally wasn’t primarily about enjoying cannabis at altitude).

Every eating establishment from Greeley to Grand Junc-tion brags about its “outdoor dining.” Here is our curated col-lection of “wow”-worthy al fresco dining and rooftop sipping spots, by the water, on mountain tops, and out on the farm.

Up on the Roof {In and Out of Town}

The Olinger Mortuary sign casts a friendly glow on a bar that includes a 1975 RV camper on LINGER’s rooftop with a view of downtown Denver. This is a very popular summer happy-hour hotspot, so arrive early for cocktails, cheese curds and shisito peppers, and Chinese takeout-style ribs. LINGER // 2030 W. 30TH AVE., DENVER303-993-3120 // WWW.LINGERDENVER.COM

Any outdoor seat in OURAY tends to have a pretty view, what with the canyon walls and steaming hot springs. The scenery from Ouray Brewery’s roof is downright psychedelic on a crisp Colorado evening when one of those lipstick sunsets sets in. Contemplate it over a grilled shrimp remoulade-stuffed avocado and a house-brewed Desperado Imperial Red. OURAY BREWERY // 607 MAIN STREET, OURAY970-325-7388 // WWW.OURAYBREWERY.COM

If you walk down the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, almost all of the strange people you encounter are from out of town. One place you will find the strange locals (in a good way) is on the roof patio at the venerable WEST END TAVERN. The pub fare, the beer selection, and the views are nice, but there’s a vibe in this old building that feels like home. WEST END TAVERN // 926 PEARL ST., BOULDER303-444-3535 // WWW.THEWESTENDTAVERN.COM

20 Ales in the GardenHere’s how we do suburban al fresco noshing here: A platter of meats, cheeses, pickles, and bread and a nitro ale chosen from the 20 taps enjoyed at a picnic table in the sun. The re-cently opened FARM HOUSE AT BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY is our idea of a super-comfy backyard with first-class brews. FARM HOUSE AT BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY2990 BREWERY LANE, LIT TLETON303-803-1380 // WWW.BRECKBREWFARMHOUSE.COM

FARE VIEWAcquire a taste for stellar al fresco dining on rooftops,by the water, on mountain tops, and out on the farm.

{ediblecritic}by JOHN LEHNDORFF

OURAYBREWERY


Burger and Jam by the RiverThe Mish is a must-experience Colorado eating and listen-ing venue. For instance, on June 30, you can enjoy an Odell Easy Street Wheat and a blackened tuna salad while the Dark Star Orchestra recreates an historic Grateful Dead show. We’re partial to Red Rocks, 1978. MISHIWAKA’S deckby the rushing water of the Poudre River is also an excep-tional brunch spot. On the menu: Rocky Mountain “oysters.” MISHAWAKA AMPHITHEATRE13714 POUDRE CANYON ROAD, BELLVUE303-803-1380 // WWW.THEMISHAWAKA.COM

Down on the Farm-to-Table For some souls, eating outside requires getting away from it all first. That’s why they set the tables on the lawn for a sunset repast at the LYONS FARMET TE , a pretty working organic farm north of Boulder. Genuine farm-to-farm table fare is prepared and served by guest chefs such as Top Chef winner Hosea Rosenberg of Blackbelly Market. LYONS FARMET TE // 4121 UTE HIGHWAY, LYONS303-746-6266 // WWW.LYONSFARMETTE.COM/DINNERS/

A Secret Urban Oasis ”POTAGER” means “kitchen garden” but at Terri Rippetto’sbistro gem, the garden is actually in the alley. The pleasant shaded porch, set with worn wooden furniture and barrelsof herbs and flowers, spells relief on a hot night. Constantly changing dishes might include Red Wagon Farm arugula withcharred lemon peel, Ugly Goat Farm chèvre, lemon oil, and pistachio crumble. Note: No reservations taken, so arrive early.POTAGER // 1109 OGDEN ST., DENVER303-832-5788 // WWW.POTAGERRESTAURANT.COM

Four-Star Patio Dining, Mountain-StyleThe FLAGSTAFF HOUSE has always been a fine-dining placewhere well-dressed folks celebrated life’s big events. How-ever, there’s room on the restaurant’s gorgeous patio for shorts and Hawaiian shirts. Everyone sips from the same 15,000-bottle cellar. Coffee delivered with a platter of sweetsand whipped cream is so worth the drive. FLAGSTAFF HOUSE // 1138 FLAGSTAFF ROAD, BOULDER303-442-4640 // WWW.FLAGSTAFFHOUSE.COM

Drinking with the DogsTraffic is tough, parking’s near impossible, but when you settle into the “wooded” patio outside FOREST ROOM 5, you understand. You can sip an old-fashioned and nibble an elk slider while sitting on a tree stump next to a roaring fire. You probably won’t be able to see the stars, but you may bring along your very well-behaved canine for company. FOREST ROOM 5 // 2532 15TH ST., DENVER303-433-7001 // WWW.FORESTROOM5.COM

JOHN LEHNDORFF is the former dining critic of the Rocky Mountain News. He hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU (8:25 am each Thursday, 88.5 FM, 1390 AM, WWW.KGNU.ORG). Podcasts are available at: NEWS.KGNU.ORG/CATEGORY/R ADIO-NIBBLES/

TARA POLLY © LINGER RESTAURANT

LINGER RESTAURANT MISHIWAKA

LYONS FARMET TE

16 www.sensimag.com MAY 2016

Grow Your Cannabis Cleanby STEVEN MCMORROW // Cannabis Clean

In most industries, companies love to use terms such as “organic,” “free-range,” and “non-GMO”—phrases that let the consumer know the product is tested, reg-ulated, and free from harmful pesticides and chemicals. These terms convey a sense of safety, translating into a sense of well-being in the consumer, who can feel betterabout what they choose to ingest.

In the cannabis industry, those terms don’t apply, largely because our main prod-uct—cannabis—is still federally illegal and therefore unregulated by the federal gov-ernment, whose agencies such as the FDA govern the use of terms such as “organic.”

That doesn’t mean that some cannabis companies don’t follow the same strin-gent guidelines while growing their products. Those companies are showing not only concern for the well-being of the consumer, but also incredible foresight, because it is only a matter of time before the FDA steps in and gets involved in the regulation of the cannabis industry. In my mind, it can’t happen soon enough.

When a company is growing or producing anything for public consumption, let alone medicine, cleanliness is of the utmost importance, and it’s one of the most underestimated issues.

Right now, recreational cannabis is already tested for E. coli, salmonella, mold, and mildew. Starting July 1, medical cannabis will be subject to testing as well. For those in the growing industry, I recommend being proactive rather than reactive, and begin preparing your grow now.

If your grow space is sterile and clean, you won’t have to deal with pesticides. You’ll also have less crop loss due to cross contamination. Don’t use bleach or other harsh chemicals that could harm your staff and your plants. Keep in mind while you are growing that some of the people who consume your products use it as medi-cine, and they may have compromised immune systems. It is your duty to make cleanliness and safety a huge factor in your business model.

AS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY GROWS, SO DO THE NUMBER OF NICHE

EXPERTS WITHIN IT. CONCENTRATES. EXTRACTION. EDIBLES. DISPEN-

SARIES. AND SO MUCH MORE. SENSI MAG ASKED THE TOP LEADERS

IN EACH OF THESE SECTORS TO JOIN WHAT WE’RE CALLING THE SENSI

SPECIAL ADVISORY BOARD. THESE MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO IMPART

SOME OF THEIR INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE TO OUR READERS IN THIS

SPECIAL ADVISORY BOARD SECTION, WHICH WILL APPEAR IN EACH

EDITION. FOR OUR INAUGURAL RUN, WE’VE ASKED THE LEADERS OF

ENDOCANNA AND CANNABIS CLEAN TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE TRICKS

OF THEIR TRADES. FOR A FULL LIST OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS,

TURN TO OUR MASTHEAD ON PAGE 6.

S P E C IA L A DV I S ORY B OA R D S E C T ION

Keep in mind while you are growing that some of the people who consume your products use it as medicine, and they may have compro-mised immune systems.

How do we make the medicine? Cannabis contains hun-dreds of compounds that typically comprise 15-40 percent of the plant’s biological makeup. CBD, THC, and beta caryo-phyllene are only a few of the known medicinal components of the cannabis plant. Extraction of these compounds is necessary to create effective medicine for patients.

Colorado approved multiple extraction techniques for commercial production. Most methods involve a solvent,

be it polar (water-soluble) or nonpolar (non-water-soluble). Nonpolar solvents are desirable because the medicinal com-ponents we seek to extract are oils. Most of the undesirable compounds are water-soluble. Solvents, such as butane, propane, and heptane, along with CO2, are the approved nonpolar solvents. Hydrocarbons can be used together or separately (BHO, PHO) to perform extremely high-potency, high-quality extractions that, when purged properly, provide the highest medicinal compound purity. CO2, an inert, non-toxic, nonflammable gas, is considered a close second on the purity scale. These extractions create a purity level that al-lows patients to ingest, vape, or apply the medicine topically.

Ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, and water are the approvedpolar solvents in Colorado. Nonpolar solvents pull 50-80 per-cent of the medicinal material while polar solvents pull 90-plus percent. Ethanol, isopropanol, and acetone dissolve theplant walls and remove everything including undesirable im-purities such as chlorophyll, plant waxes, fats, and lipids. This extract will typically be used for edible or topical products.

Water is a polar solvent that repels desirable oils rather

than absorbing them. In “bubble hash” production, extractors use water, ice, and agitation to harden the trichomes and sheer them from the plant material. The trichomes fall to the bottom of the agitation machine, where they are pumped through a series of mesh bags to further separate them from any residual plant material. This extract will typically be used to smoke, vape, ingest, or make topicals.

The dry sift is a solventless technique that involves beating

the plant material against a mesh screen to separate the tri-chomes from the plant material. The trichomes are collected through a series of increasingly smaller micron screens. Theend product is typically smoked or refined in a heat press.

Heat press extraction is a solventless method of removing compounds from cannabis. Heating up the plant material cre-ates viscous oil that is pressed through a screen, separating it from the plant matter. These oils are highly concentrated me-dicinal compounds, commonly referred to as rosin, that allow patients to ingest, vape, or apply the medicine topically.

Any edible oil with a fat content (e.g. butter, hemp seed) can be heated with dried cannabis to extract compounds. This is a nonpolar solvent process known as hot oil extraction.The heated oil is combined with dried cannabis to extract thecompounds and infuse them into the oil fats. Once the oil hasbeen strained from the plant matter, the infused oil will be usedfor edible and topical products.

These extraction methods lead to the separation of can-nabinoids from the cannabis plant to create concentrated, easily dosed, and effective medicinal products.


S P E C IA L A DV I S ORY B OA R D S E C T ION

Making Medicine from Cannabisby DUSTIN MAHON // EndoCanna

Explaining the highly technical process of extracting thecompounds from the cannabis plant to create high-quality medicine.

used to smoke, vape, ingest, or make topicals.The dry sift is a solventless technique that involves beating

the plant material against a mesh screen to chomes from the plant material. The trichomes are collected

bubblehashspin


by J O H N L E H N D O R F F

SUMMER FESTIVALS


hey, june!

Campout for the CauseJune 2-5 // Rancho Del RioWWW.CAMPOUTFORTHECAUSE.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Yoga classes, standup paddleboard races, music, and camping on the banks of the Colorado River. LINEUP: Paper Bird, Head for the Hills, Trout Steak Revival, The California Honeydrops, Bonfire Dub, Drunken Hearts

Colorado Shakespeare FestivalJune 3-August 7 // University of Colorado, BoulderWWW.COLORADOSHAKES.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Acclaimed Shakespeare company performs under the stars at the University of Colorado. Bring (or rent) a seat cushion or chair. LINEUP: The Comedy of Errors, Troilus and Cressida, Cymbeline, and Henry VI, Part 2.

Pagosa Folk & Bluegrass FestivalJune 3-5 // Pagosa SpringsWWW. FOLKWEST.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Listen to great music all day, and relax afterward in the town’s famous hot springs. LINEUP: Aoife O’Donovan, Rob Ickes, Tony Furtado, Finnders & Youngberg, The Railsplitters.

Denver Chalk Art FestivalJune 4-5 // DenverWWW.LARIMERARTS.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Astonishing temporary art on the streets and sidewalks of Larimer Square.LINEUP: More than 200 professional, amateur, and student chalk artists from around the country descend upon the historic square, and for two days, draw intricate, colorful works as crowds look on. All it takes to wash away artistic effort is a good hard spring rain, so get out to see the creation while it’s happening.

PO ND ER ING THE GLU T OF must-go SUMMER GATHERINGS THIS SE ASON A C R O S S T H E S TAT E A N D T RY I N G T O S C H E D U L E A C A L E N D A R A N D I T I N E R A RY C O U L D REQUIRE AN APP, NOT TO MENTION A CALCULATOR. FROM MUSIC FESTIVALS THAT INCLUDEPADDLEBOARDING TO BARBECUE COMPETITIONS AND SHAKESPEARE UNDER THE STARS,THERE SEEMS TO BE A DESTINATION RIGHT FOR HIPSTERS, FAMILIES, CRAFT BREW FANS,SIDEWALK ART GEEKS, AND COUNTRY MUSIC LOVERS ALIKE.

TO HELP YOU CHOOSE, WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A GUIDE TO COLORADO’S TOP FESTIVALS,CIRCA SUMMER 2016. THE LIST FOCUSES MAINLY ON MULTIPLE-DAY HAPPENINGS, SO WELEFT OUT A WEALTH OF CONCERTS AT SUCH EPIC VENUES AS RED ROCKS AND CHAUTAU-QUA AUD ITORIUM. HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES FOR 2016.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

F E S T I V A L G U I D ET

HIE

VE

RY

CO

RP

OR

AT

ION

, JA

ME

S P

ET

RA

LL

I A

ND

JO

AN

OS

BO

UR

NE

© B

ES

T O

F T

HE

RID

E 2

014

©

KE

YS

TO

NE

BL

UE

GR

AS

S &

BE

ER

FE

ST

IVA

L


Hanuman FestivalJune 9-12 // BoulderWWW.HANUMANFESTIVAL.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : World-class yoga instructors, inspirational talks, YogaSlackers, Cacao Ceremony, hiking, music, vegetarian fare, dancing. LINEUP: Saul David Raye, Elijah Ray, Magic Giant, David Newman (Durga Das).

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots FestivalJune 10-12 // Riverbend Park, PalisadeWWW.PALISADEMUSIC.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : A three-day hoedown along the banks of the Colorado River in Colorado’s wine and peach country, including yoga sessions, jamming workshops, guided hikes, and bike rides.LINEUP: David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, Wood & Wire, Colorado’s Caribou Mountain Collective, and The HillBenders doing The Who’s rock opera “Tommy”.

Sonic BloomJune 16-19 // Near WalsenburgSONICBLOOMFESTIVAL.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Yoga, visual artists, performance art, speakers, and workshops.LINEUP: Tipper, Bonobo, Opiuo Band, EOTO, Michal Menert, Nightmares On Wax, Justin Martin, Giraffage, SunSquabi, Com Truise.

Colorado BBQ ChallengeJune 16-19 // FriscoWWW.TOWNOFFRISCO.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : This long-running competition, celebrating its 23rd year in the picturesque mountain town, draws some 30,000 people each year to get a taste of the fun. That includes the Breckenridge Whiskey “Rub It, Smoke It, Sip It” BBQ Tour; the Bacon Burner 6k, plus bands, pig races, kids activities, food sampling and demos, and the crowd-favorite Fire Fighter Cook Off. LINEUP: 70-plus serious barbecue masters vie in pork, ribs, chicken, and brisket for the Grand Champion title.

Country JamJune 16-19 // Grand JunctionWWW.COUNTRYJAM.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Top country artist meet and greets, personal port-a-potty campsite rental available.LINEUP: Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Zac Brown Band, Lee Brice, Trace Adkins, Big & Rich, and more.

The 43rd Annual Telluride Bluegrass FestivalJune 16-19 // Town Park, Telluride WWW.BLUEGRASS.COM/TELLURIDE WHY IT’S COOL : Colorado’s most famous music festival with a stunning mountain setting, bluegrass, rock, jam, and folk stars, a well-run family tent, free workshops in Elks Park. Festival streams live on: WWW.KOTO.ORG LINEUP: Sam Bush, Greensky Bluegrass, Bela Fleck, Ryan Adams, The Oh Hellos, Chris Thile, Sierra Hull, Neil Finn, Emmylou Harris, John Prine.

DY

LA

N L

AN

GU

ILL

E ©

TE

LL

UR

IDE

BL

UE

GR

AS

S F

ES

T

Telluride Bluegrass FestivalThe mountains provide the perfect

backdrop for the summer gathering.

Denver Comic ConJune 17-19 // Colorado Convention Center, Denver WWW.DENVERCOMICCON.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Dress like a Romulan and be among your own kind.LINEUP: Hayley Atwell (“Agent Carter”), Stan Lee, Ralph Macchio, Jenna Coleman and Alex Kingston (Doctor Who), Karl Urban (Star Trek ), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride ).

Cherry Blossom FestivalJune 18-19 // Sakura Square, Denver WWW.CHERRYBLOSSOMDENVER.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Taikō drumming, vintage Japanese textiles, martial arts, ikebana, and bonsai. LINEUP: Menu features traditional teriyaki chicken, sushi, mochi, chilled somen noodles, Denver-brewed Sakura Matsuri ale, and Oregon-brewed sake.

Bravo VailJune 23-August 6 // VailWWW.BRAVOVAIL.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : One of the top classical music festivals in Colorado with masterworks, jazz, pops, and chamber music performances. LINEUP: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic.

JAS June ExperienceJune 24-July 2 // Benedict Music Tent, Aspen WWW.JAZZASPENSNOWMASS.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Chill in the mountains with great hotels, restaurants, and shops nearby.LINEUP: Diana Ross, Sheryl Crow, Marcus Miller, Booker T., and Smokey Robinson.

Clear Creek RapidGrass Music FestivalJune 26-28 // Shelly/Quinn Baseball Fields, Idaho SpringsWWW.CLEARCREEKRAPIDGRASS.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Instrument Petting Zoo and Slip-n-Slide for kids, craft beer, local food, banjo workshop. LINEUP: Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Jeff Austin, Rapidgrass Quintet, Finnders and Youngberg, Caribou Mountain Collective.

Glenn Miller Swing FestJune 28-30 // Fort MorganWWW.GLENNMILLERSWINGFEST.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Native son bandleader Glenn Miller is feted with concerts, tours, talks, and lots of swing dancingLINEUP: United States Air Force Falconaires, Platte Valley Band, Juke Box Saturday Night Street Dance, Lions Club Pancake Brunch, Glenn Miller Family Cemetery Tour and Museum.

july, july, july!

Cherry Creek Arts FestivalJuly 2-4 // Cherry Creek North, DenverWWW.CHERRYCREEKARTSFESTIVAL.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Cool kids’ art activities, food booths, and live music in the streets of Cherry Creek North. LINEUP: 260 juried exhibitors and emerging artists and a huge collaborative mural.

Rocky Mountain Old Time Music FestivalJuly 6-10 // Parrish Ranch, BerthoudWWW.THECROMA.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Historic farm barn hosts square dancing and workshops on being a square-dance caller. LINEUP: Foghorn Stringband, Red Squirrel Chasers, Bootlickers.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\


Denver Comic ConBilled as a three-day pop-culture extravanganza of fun.

Denver Comic ConBilled as a three-day pop-culture extravanganza of fun.

www.sensimag.com


High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass FestivalJuly 7-10 // Bluff and Summit Park, WestcliffeWWW.HIGHMOUNTAINHAYFEVER.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Intimate crowd, onsite mountain camping, four days of progressive bluegrass jamming. LINEUP: Claire Lynch, David Grier, Keith Little, Helen Highwater Stringband, Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore, Steel Pennies.

Rocky Mountain Regional Gay RodeoJuly 8-10 // Jefferson County Fairgrounds, GoldenWWW.CGRA .US WHY IT’S COOL : The hippest, most fun rodeo event of the summer in Colorado. LINEUP: All day rodeo including riding steers with a Grand Entry of competitors at noon each day.

The Ride Festival July 9-10 // Telluride Town ParkWWW.RIDEFESTIVAL.COM

WHY IT’S COOL : Camping, hiking, fishing, biking, a roaring river, and restaurants in a box canyon surrounded by San Juan Mountains peaks. Not to mention the lineup of rock bands taking the stage in the Telluride Town Park during this music-filled weekend of beautiful fun in one of the most incredible concert settings in the country. LINEUP: Pearl Jam, Cage the Elephant, The Dirty Knobs (with Mike Campbell), The Temperance Movement, Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons, Radio Moscow, Band of Heathens.

Crested Butte Wildflower FestivalJuly 11-23 // Crested ButteWWW.CRESTEDBUTTEWILDFLOWERFESTIVAL.COM

WHY IT’S COOL: Hike down one of Colorado’s most eye-popping valleys painted with wildflowers, then learn to capture and portray those flowers during art workshops and photo classes. There are over 200 events on offer during this unique, sophisticated gathering. LINEUP: Botany in Half a Day; Stalking the Wild Edible; Folk Remedies; Birding Among the Upper Loop.

The DivideJuly 22-24 // Winter Park WWW.DIVIDEMUSICFESTIVAL.COM WHY IT’S COOL : Coachella-inspired festival includes mountain biking tours, trail running, yoga, camping, and food trucks. LINEUP: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Passion Pit, Kid Cudi, Blondie, Cake, Foxfield Four, Gipsy Moon, Splyt, The Fray.

Bass Center 2016July 29-30 // Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce CityWWW.BASSNECTAR.NET

WHY IT’S COOL : Multiple official after-parties offsite and camping villages (The Shire & Narnia); nitrous oxide prohibited. LINEUP: Bassnectar, Flux Pavilion, Wu-Tang Clan, Flying Lotus, Porter Robinson, Lupe Fiasco, AlunaGeorge, Minnesota, G Jones, Dabin & Thriftworks.

RockyGrass FestivalJuly 29-31 // Planet Bluegrass, LyonsWWW.BLUEGRASS.COM/ROCKYGRASS/

WHY IT’S COOL : Eye-candy location, small audience, great food, concert-side creek, Colorado state bluegrass championships, family tent.LINEUP: Steep Canyon Rangers, Tim O’Brien, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Abigail Washburn, Mark O’Connor, Rhonda Vincent.

BE

NK

O P

HO

TO

GR

AP

HIC

S ©

TE

LL

UR

IDE

BL

UE

GR

AS

S F

ES

T

This rock star took the stage at Ride in 2015.


august

VertexAugust 5-7 // Buena VistaWWW.VERTEXFESTIVAL.COM WHY IT’S COOL : From the home base on a revitalized working ranch just outside of Buena Vista, music, art, and adventure collide. Raft the Arkansas, paddleboard, or hike or bike the trails winding up the 14,000-foot peaks of the Collegiate Range. Those peaks serve as a backdrop for the festival itself, which offers a mishmash of VIP tents, dancing, and organic options. LINEUP: Odesza, Alabama Shakes, Trey Anastasio Band, Dawes, Fruition, Graham Nash, Houndmouth, The Claypool Lennon Delirium.

Telluride Jazz FestivalAugust 5-7 // Telluride WWW.TELLURIDEJAZZ.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : It’s in Telluride. Plus: Free Colorado craft liquor tasting on Friday.LINEUP: Jon Cleary, Marcus Miller, Galactic, John Scofield, Jeff Coffin, Rebirth Jazz Band.

ARISE Music FestivalAugust 5-7 // Sunrise Ranch, LovelandWWW.ARISEFESTIVAL.COM/2016

WHY IT’S COOL : Seven stages, yoga, theme camps, art gallery installations, children’s village, speakers, films and camping on 100 acres.LINEUP: Ziggy Marley, Jurassic 5, The New Master-sounds, Phutureprimitive, Jeff Austin, Travelin’ McCourys, Fortunate Youth, Everyone Orchestra.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Telluride Jazz Fest The gathering is put on

by the nonprofit Telluride Society for Jazz.


\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

JOHN LEHNDORFF has written about music in Colorado for the Boulder Daily Camera, Rocky Mountain News and Bluegrass Unlimited.

20th Annual Bluegrass & Beer FestivalAugust 6-7 // Keystone WWW.KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM WHY IT’S COOL : Craft breweries, live bluegrass in an exceptionally cushy environment for a bluegrass festival. LINEUP: Larry Keel Experience, Peter Rowan, Tim O’Brien, Mandolin Orange.

Telluride Mushroom Festival August 18-21 // TellurideWWW.TELLURIDEMUSHROOMFEST.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : 36th annual fungi-centered gathering features the famous Mushroom Parade.LINEUP: Forays, mushroom identification sessions, demos, dinners, screenings and discussions about culinary, medical and mind-altering aspects of fungi.

Rocky Mountain Folks FestivalAugust 19-21 // LyonsWWW.BLUEGRASS.COM/FOLKS

WHY IT’S COOL : This is an audience that actually listens to lyrics.LINEUP: The Decemberists, Lucinda Williams, Passenger, Darrell Scott, Dougie MacLean, Kathy Mattea, The Lone Bellow, Cheryl Wheeler.

NedfestAugust 26-28 // Barker Reservoir, NederlandWWW.NEDFEST.ORG

WHY IT’S COOL : Jam-centric season ender is blocks from the hand-carved Carousel of Happiness and a few miles from Caribou Ranch Open Space, site of the legendary Caribou studio where John Lennon and Elton John recorded. WWW.BOULDERCOUNTY.ORG/CARIBOURANCH

LINEUP: Taj Mahal, Kyle Hollingsworth, Roosevelt Collier, Melvin Seals and JGB, Paper Bird.

RY

AN

BO

NN

EA

U ©

TE

LL

UR

IDE

JA

ZZ

FE

ST

Everybody I KNOW H AS A STORY ABOUT RED ROCKS. BLOOD RED SKY. L IGHTNING CRACKLING OVER DENVER AND THE PLAINS. T H E LO N G S LO G J U S T TO G E T UP T HE H I L L TO 6,450 F E E T A B OV E S E A L E V E L . CROSSING THAT STAGE TO PICK UP YOUR H IGH- SCHOOL DIPLOMA. THE SUN RISING ABOVE THE EASTERN H O RIZON ON EASTER SUNDAY.



Given the last half-century of amplified music con-certs at the fabled venue north of Morrison, it’s diffi-cult, perhaps, to remember why John Brisben Walker,who purchased and tried to develop the area in the first years of the 20th century, was attracted to what was then called the Garden of the Angels.

Of course, there was the natural beauty of the place where the Great Plains begin to rise to the Rocky Moun-tains. But the lure of the enormous natural sandstone amphitheater was that a person could stand at the bot-tom, speak in a normal tone of voice, and anyone, even at the top of the rim, would be able to hear her.

by LEL AND RUCKER

It’s been 75 years since RED ROCKS

was dedicated. A new book examines

the history of the WORLD-FAMOUS SANDSTONE FORMATION and CONCERT HALL in the foothills west of Denver.

STORIESIN THESTONES

That’s among the many points that music histo-rian and author G. Brown makes in Red Rocks—The Concert Years, a new book being published this month through the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, which Brown founded and directs. He spent more than 12 years por-ing over newspaper clippings, historical society ma-terials, and private collections, and working with photographers to accrue materials for what he callsa reference book that lends itself to pictures.

“Now that we have the modern era using ampli-fication on the stage, it’s a circus, a rock show coming to town in the most beautiful place on earth,” says Brown. “Back then, the sound

carried all the way up there, and that’s what made it one of the natural wonders of the world.”

An entrepreneur who gave Denver its first amuse-ment park, Walker donated the land that became Re-gis University and helped create the Mount Morrison Incline Railroad, a funicular track up to Creation Rock near the park that offered spectacular views eastward.“You can still see the scars from it up there,” Brown explains. “He also wanted to build a summer White House, a Camp David of the West, if you will, for presi-dents,” a dream that never reached fruition.

Walker changed the name to the Garden of the Titans, constructed a small stage, cleared areas and pathways, and hosted live performances from 1906-1910. The city of Denver purchased the land in 1927 and created the 640-acre Red Rocks Park we know today.

Denver architect Burnham Hoyt’s designs for the amphitheater were completed by 1936. The Civilian Conservation Corps, part of Franklin Roosevelt’s NewDeal to put Americans to work, was enlisted to do theactual construction. “Another remarkable chapter inRed Rocks history is that they built it with no motor-ized equipment,” Brown explains. “They had dyna-mite, wheelbarrows, picks and shovels. They might have had a truck with a motor in it, but that was it.”

The new park was dedicated 75 years ago, on June15, 1941, and the first Easter Sunrise Service held in 1947. “The World War II years were kind of fallow, butwhen they started ramping it up, a lot of opera stars, like Metropolitan Opera star Robert Merrill, visited,” Brown says. “It was very much a showcase for the Denver elite. They didn’t want to be perceived as a dusty old cow town. That’s where all that started—showing the world we had something going on that nobody else did.”

Popular folk acts like the Kingston Trio headlined the Rocks in the early 1960s. But then came the Beat-les. “I think the tipping point was the Beatles’ perfor-mance in 1964. There was the great Folk Scare going on, and there was a transition to youth culture being made where the adults who frequented Red Rocks started seeing their kids spending their allowances to see the Kingston Trio.”

Though known in Beatles’ lore as the only show in their American tours not to sell out— only 7,000 of 9,000 tickets were purchased—Brown found that didn’t stop more people from seeing the show. “At the time, it was ascribed to Red Rocks being out of the way,” Brown says. “If you couldn’t get your parents to take you, there was just no way to go. There was no public


“ It was a mountain park. CONCERT SEC U RIT Y AS W E K NOW IT H A DN ’ T BEE N IN V E NTE D

YET. TICKET TAKERS, SEC URIT Y? THERE WASN ’T ANY. EV ERYONE

KNE W YOU COULD JUST STAND OUTSIDE THE ROCKS, AND AS

SOON AS THE MUSIC START E D, YOU JUST BOLTED IN. ”

E N IN V E NTE D

U2 Live at Red RocksThe companion concert film

to the band’s 1983 album put both U2 and Red Rocks

on the global live music map.


transportation. There wasn’t the web of interstateexchanges surrounding it. Alameda Avenue was the only road into the park. And it was $6.60 to see the Beatles, and Igor Stravinsky, considered the world’s leading composer at the time, had just played for three dollars a ticket. So who are these long hairs coming in and taking our money? It was considered an affront.”

Photographs of the Beatles performance show teenagers spilling out everywhere. Back then, high school kids knew that you could get into Red Rocks without a ticket. “It was a mountain park. Concert security as we know it hadn’t been invented yet. Tick-et takers, security? There wasn’t any. Everyone knew you could just stand outside the Rocks, and as soon as the music started, you just bolted in. That’s exact-ly what happened: The lights go down, 7,000 girls start screaming. The cops go, ‘huh?’ and 2,000 people come running in while the cops are trying to see what the commotion is about,” Brown explains. “Yes, to the letter, the show did not sell out, but it wasn’t because

we’re a bunch of rubes. It’s because we were a littlemore creative in our thinking.”

The Beatles’ show helped inaugurate the modernrock era, which grew into a multibillion-dollar busi-ness by the 1980s. A video, “Under the Red Sky”, of U2’sappearance at the venue despite severe November weather in 1983, helped that band find an even largeraudience. “The U2 show definitely introduced the worldto Red Rocks. When INXS played at Red Rocks three years later, in 1986, they asked the city where all the bonfires and that stuff was,” Brown laughs. “ They thought they were paying for that. You gotta bring your own bonfires.”

Brown alludes to the degrees of difficulty in put-ting on any show at this challenging location. “Red Rocks is hailed as the greatest place to do a concert, but if you’re a roadie, it’s a day of hell on earth,” Brown says. “Because it takes three times as long to get the gear up on that stage. Semis are at the bottom downby the Trading Post. Then the gear is loaded onto flat-bed trucks that have to navigate that steep narrow

backstage road. When they get up to the top, they have to back into that last 200 feet or so with two inches of clearance on each side. Then they have to unload the gear from the flatbeds and shove it up yet another level onto the stage. It’s remarkable. But everyone does it.”

And, of course, there is the weather. Besides the in-famous U2 performance during a major downpour, a Joni Mitchell show was actually snowed out, and Earth Wind & Fire’s gear melted one sum-mer afternoon, forcing them to cancel. “One of my memories is a Jackson Browne/Steve Earle/Keb Mo concert about 10 years ago,” Brown says. “You got that ozone smell in the air of a storm coming in, which is just unparal-leled. And then it knocked the power out—the entire grid—and this torrential rain was just a waterfall going down the stairs. And there was no amplification to let the crowd know it was cancelled—they were just screaming from the stage, ‘Go home.’ That was the only



time I saw a show actually shut down.”For decades, only the elite played Red Rocks, but

today anyone who can pay the rent can book it. “The city of Denver has learned to exploit it, in the best of ways,” Brown, who has attended hundreds of shows there, explains. “It’s well used. There will be more than 140 shows up there this summer, counting Film on the Rocks and high school graduations. That’s probably a good thing, but I miss the old model a bit, when it was just a little more special.”

Not to be forgotten is that performers love the place as much as the audiences. “It’s a change of pace on the touring cycle,” Brown says. “In most cit-ies, you’re not sure where you are; the arenas all look the same backstage. You play a place like Red Rocks and you’re in nature, breathing fresh air. It’s a great thing for musicians to be able to soak up a different vibe from that cycle.”

The Colorado Music Hall of Fame is located at 17900 Trading Post Rd., inside Red Rocks Park, Morrison, CO 80465. 303-697-6910.

film ON THE ROCKSBesides the music, the Denver Film Society

has been programming and producing Film on the Rocks for the City and County of Denver since its inception in 2000. The evening screen-ings include a live concert and local comedian before the film—a lineup that attracted some 57,000 people to the Rocks last year alone. At the start of the 17th season, the society’s Brit-ta Erickson talked about this year’s line-up.

Sensi: HOW DO YOU SELECT THE FILMS?

Erickson: We look to bring a balance of programming to every season with something for (almost) everyone—we don’t consider the program to be like so many other family-friendly outdoor summer series. We always in-clude one or two proven FOTRocker’s (what we call our fans) favorite films (i.e. The Big Lebowski ). We look to sig-nificant anniversaries of great cult classics ( i.e. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off 30th anniversary). And, we always like to incorporate newer films that we think will become great cult classics (i.e. Deadpool ).

Sensi: ANYTHING SPECIAL YOU CAN SAY ABOUT THIS YEAR’S SELECTIONS?

Erickson: Red Rocks is celebrating the 75th anniver-sary, and we’ve programmed Citizen Kane, arguably the greatest film of 1941 and considered by many critics, film-makers, and fans to be the greatest film of all time. It is the centerpiece of an evening that will include a re-dedication of the venue. We are also looking forward to celebrating the late, great David Bowie with Labyrinth and a tribute concert by the very talented kids from School of Rock. And Grease should be a lot of fun, having not screened in the program for many years, and this time we screen the sing-a-long version. And Lissie headlines the show!

FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE OF THE FILM ON THE ROCKS 2016 SEASON, VISIT WWW.FILM.REDROCKSONLINE.COM.

G. Brown’s musical history books include Colorado Rocks : A Half Century of Music

in Colorado, and Telluride Bluegrass Festival : The First Forty Years. Red Rocks

—The Concert Years (suggested retail price $40) is available at the Trading Post at Red

Rocks, Twist & Shout, Tattered Cover and other independent book stores in Colorado.

ually shut down ”

y books includey of Music

elluride BluegrassRed RocksRed RocksRed Rock

ted retail price the Trading Post at Red

tered Cover and other independent book stores in Colorado.


steppingsteppingby RANDY ROBINSON

The BRICE FAMILY makes some moves

to get CBD OIL to help their son, D’Marus.

understanding

CBDCBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a component of the marijuana plant. CBD stim-

ulates CB receptors on living cells, whereas THC fully activates these receptors. For

this reason, CBD alone is not responsible for marijuana’s signature “high,” but it

still confers the medicinal properties of THC. These properties include reducing in-

flammation and regulating neural signals, which a growing number of research-

ers believe are the keys to cannabis’s success at treating epilepsy patients.

“ IT ’S MORE THAN JUST POTHEADS. WE’RE NOT FLOW E R CHILDREN. WE’RE NOT HIPPIES .” –TESA BRICE

PH

OT

OG

RA

PH

BY

RA

ND

Y R

OB

INS

ON


AT A B O UT THIS T IME LAST YEAR, D’Marus Brice’s D O C TO R S INFORMED HIS MOTHER THAT THEY RAN OUT OF OPTIONS. D’MARUS, KNOWN AS MURSY TO H I S F A M I LY, H A S H Y D R O C E P H A L U S . H I S C O N D I T I O N , C A U S E D B Y A N E X C E S S I V E B U I L D U P O F F LU I D I N T H E B RA I N C AV I T Y, C A N L E A D TO A N U M B E R O F N E U R O LO G I C A L D I S O R D E R S . I N M U R S Y ’S C A S E , T H O S E D I S O R D E R S I N C L U D E C E R E B R A L P A L S Y A N D EPILEPTIC SEIZURES. AT 12 YEARS OLD, HE’S BEEN UNABLE TO WALK, SPEAK, OR FEED H IMSELF FOR MOST OF HIS L IFE.

The most pressing issue, however, wasn’t Mursy’s day-to-day care. It was his seizures. On any given day, he’d have more than a dozen. Modern medicine controlled the seizures for a while, but as time went on, the medicines became less and less effective. Doctors feared an inevitable escalation of epileptic episodes would soon cut young Mursy’s life short.

Since conventional medicine couldn’t help Mursy, his mother, Tesa, sought out something unconven-tional. While watching CNN one day, she learned about Charlotte Figi. Charlotte is a child epilepsy patient who now lives a relatively healthy life because of cannabis oil. At first, Tesa remained skeptical. After all, she taught her children to avoid cannabis, just as she was taught when she was growing up. Yet Charlotte’s story offered a glimpse at a new way of life for the Brices.

“She had the same symptoms,” Tesa says. “She looked just like D’Marus. After I researched it, I real-ized this oil could potentially save my child’s life.”

Tesa eventually registered Mursy as a medical mar-ijuana patient in Colorado. Although she could cover

the costs to get licensed, she hit a hurdle when it came to obtaining the actual oil itself. Cannabis oil—even the low-frills, high-CBD brand Mursy requires—can be expensive. A 100 milliliter bottle typically goes for $300 to $600, which would strain anyone’s budget.

That’s when Domini’Q, Mursy’s twin brother, stepped up. At 7, Domini’Q taught himself “popping,” a style of 1970’s funk-era dancing that’s popular in the hip hop and EDM communities. He credits the Step Up films for showing him how to pull off his first moves. With his mother’s guidance, Domini’Q figured he could showcase his skills at Denver’s 16th

Street Mall. And he was right: in no time, he’d raised enough donations from his impromptu street danc-ing to afford Mursy’s first bottle of CBD oil.

Once Tesa got the oil to Mursy, the improvement was significant—and immediate, too. One of the first improvements that the Brices noticed was that Mursy had calmed considerably from the CBD oil. Prior to can-nabinoid therapy, Mursy would experience tantrums, tantrums so loud he’d keep his family awake through the night. As Mursy’s medicine took effect, he became more relaxed. In turn, the Brices got more rest as well.

It’s been nearly six months since Mursy began tak-ing CBD oil. Today, his former 10-plus seizures a day have tapered down to one or two. Tesa also reduced his regimen of clobazam, an anticonvulsant that can be toxic to the liver or kidneys in some patients. Most surprisingly, Mursy is regaining abilities his family hasn’t seen in years.

“He’s starting to talk. He’s starting to walk, too,” says Domini’Q. “He’s gotten better with his eye contact. And he tries to reach out to us more often.”

Mursy’s dramatic change inspired Domini’Q and

Tesa to do more than cover their own costs for CBD oil. Domini’Q witnessed the kindness of strangers at the 16th Street Mall, and now he wants to share that same kindness with others. Through the Brice fam-ily’s Mursy Foundation, they hope to raise funds and awareness for other families that need—but cannot afford—cannabis oil.

“Marijuana is a true-life miracle for D’Marus,” says Tesa. “We’re living testaments to what’s going on. We can go out there and literally talk to these people, just helping people understand the benefits of med-ical marijuana. This is saving people’s lives.”

“H E’S S TA RT I N G TO TA L K. H E ’S S TA R T I N G TO WA L K , TOO .” –DOMINI ’Q BRICE




by LEL AND RUCKER

S P E C I A LR E P O R T

cannabischemi

THE HE ADLINES HAVE BEEN UNSETTLING: CANNABIS PL ANTS AND PRODUCTS RECALLEDAND QUARANTINED. STATE OFFICIALS ISSUING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISORIES.PL ANTS QUARANTINED AND DESTROYED; OTHERS RETURNED AFTER FURTHER TESTINGOR LEGA L CHALLENGES.

IF YOU’RE A CUSTOMER HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO FINALLY PURCHASE CANNABIS LEGALLY,YO U ’R E P R OB A B LY W O N D E R I N G what the hell is going on . E V E N T H O U G H T H E A D V I S O R I E S A N D R E C A L L S C O N S T I T U T E A T I N Y P E R C E N TA G E O F T H E C O L O R A D O C A N N A B I S M A R K E T, H O W C A N YO U K N O W YO U ’R E B U Y I N G A P R O D U C T T H AT H A S N ’ T B E E N G R O W N W I T H I L L E G A L P E S T I C I D E S ?

The cannabis industry in Colorado arose quicklyfrom a mature, illegal market into what is now a bil-lion-dollar-a-year business. “From a consumer per-spective, there is definitely a public safety and healthissue as the market matures,” says Mark Slaugh, ex-ecutive director of the Cannabis Business Alliance. “We need more scWe need more scW rutiny and product liability, andy, andycertainly our industry needs to have controls on pesticides. Our number-one priority is consumer safety and to make sure they are not used incorrect-ly or creating danger.”

Pesticides, which include herbicides, fungicides and other substances, have been regulated since 1910 under the Federal Insecticide Act. Originally assigned to the Department of Agriculture, pesticide research and management was moved to the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 1972, andthe EPA is sPA is sP till charged with registering and approv-ing language on labels of pesticides legally sold here.Pesticides are strictly regulated according to their labels, which contain lists of all ingredients, what plants they can be applied to, and in what situations they can be used.

calcannabiscalcannabis


With no FEDERAL GUIDANCE, the state

and industry struggle

to get PESTICIDE USE in CANNABIS

CULTIVATION

under control.

No, really ... what the hell is going on?


Since cannabis is illegal on a federal level, the EPAhas issued no such guidelines of approved or banned pesticides for the plant, nor has it tested, for instance, whether a pesticide that might be acceptable for an edible might also be applicable to a combustible prod-uct. Individual states that have legalized have been left to determine their own methods and rules.

In 2009-10, as medical marijuana took off in Colora-do, pesticides weren’t in the news at all. Medical mar-ijuana wasn’t tested for pesticides—and still isn’t. The word doesn’t appear in Amendment 64. The legisla-ture, under strict time deadlines, didn’t spend much time on the issue while devising the state’s original rules and regulations for recreational cannabis in 2013.“I think we were trying our best to get it out of the blackmarket by advertising that it was safer,” says House District 11 Representative Jonathan Singer. “We rampedup very quickly. Amendment 64 required that we get product to market. ”

Most legal cannabis in Colorado is grown indoors, which increases the possibility of spider mites, pow-dery mildew, and other bugs. Many growers use non-toxic products like neem, cinnamon, clove, or corian-der oils to control mites and aphids on cannabis plants, for instance.

Others are much more controversial. The EPA has set tolerance levels (the amount of pesticide residue allowed to remain on products) for myclobutanil,an ingredient in several pesticides, including Eagle 20EW, for use on grapes, apples, and spinach. But it hasn’t been approved for use on tobacco, and no stud-ies have been done on the effects of myclobutanil from smoking cannabis. It is not on the state’s list of acceptable pesticides for cannabis, yet it has turned up in tests on commercial product.

When your business depends on the next crop, there is always pressure to use stronger pesticides. Loss of even one cycle could be catastrophic to an operation. And since pesticide regulation here is on a complaint-based system, cheaters might feel they are

less likely to be caught. “The biggest problem contrib-uting to the pesticide issue was businesses trying to grow too big too fast,” Larisa Bolivar, executive director of the Cannabis Consumers Coalition, says, “and creat-ing growing environments that foster pests and diseas-es, as opposed to pest- and disease-resistant plants.”

The departments of agriculture and revenue have become more aggressive, especially after Gov. John Hickenlooper issued an executive order on Nov. 12 last year that said that, until science proves otherwise,

“marijuana contaminated by an Off-label Pesticide shall constitute a threat to the public safety,” and di-rected them to “utilize all existing investigatory and enforcement authorities established by law, including, but not limited to, placing contaminated marijuana on administrative hold and destroying contaminat-ed marijuana product pursuant to existing law.”

Singer thinks the governor set the right tone, but that it’s up to the legislature to dial it back and treat it reasonably. “There are certain acceptable amounts of hazardous materials in everything: arsenic in Coca- Cola, mercury in our air. It’s important to determine what level causes toxic or hazardous levels that cause problems, but we have to be thoughtful.”

But how pesticides are regulated and whether

“ I think we were trying

our best to get it out of the

black market by advertising

that it was safer. We ramped

up very quickly. Amendment

64 required that we get

product to market. ”

JONATHAN SINGER HOUSE DISTRIC T 11 REPRESENTATIVE


Denver or the state has the right to destroy plants or products are still touchy subjects. Lawsuits from businesses against the state for destroying producthave been successful, and state regulators and indus-try leaders continue to struggle to come up with a

workable solution. Given the litigation, recalls, and quarantines, many business owners I talked with wouldn’t speak on the record. But most say they just want clear rules, fair enforcement, and more testingfacilities to expedite the process.

One who did speak on the record was Dean Heizer,the chief legal strategist for LivWell, one of the larg-est operations in the state whose product was put onhold last year after testing positive for myclobutanil. The company worked with regulators and got most of it returned. “If five labs can test, and everybody

knows what the standards are, then the playing fieldis at least closer to level,” Heizer says. “There are stillsome who are still going to lie, cheat, and steal. Hope-fully most players have enough at risk not to do that.”

The state isn’t equipped to provide its own pesti-cide testing facility or monitor every plant. Still, Singer says the lack of a federal standard shouldn’t deter Colorado from creating good policy. “We don’t need to re-create the wheel. We haven’t had a feder-al standard for a lot of things, but we still tax them and give out licenses,” he says. “We have the FDA and Department of Agriculture standards. Instead of de-pending on federal regulators, we can depend on state regulators. We’re not moving mountains here.”

So are consumers getting cannabis products that are dangerous? “I think [cannabis products] are safer than they were this time last year,” Bolivar says, “but there is really no way for a consumer to know how safe, since individual consumers cannot have cannabis tested at a licensed lab. Hopefully that will change soon.”

Bolivar recommends consumers look into the grow-ing craft cannabis market. “For higher-quality canna-bis that is least likely to be contaminated, I recommend craft cannabis,” says Bolivar, “which is grown in small-er batches with much more attention, meaning less pests and therefore less pesticides.” Meanwhile, con-sumers should be vigilant and do their own research, both online and wherever they purchase cannabis. All legal recreational marijuana sold in Colorado in-cludes batch numbers on labels, which can be checked against recall numbers at the DOA website. When shop-ping, talk to budtenders, managers, and owners about how they deal with pests. “Once businesses are held to a higher production standard through the self-po-licing of the industry, consumers will see safer and more consistent products,” Bolivar says. “In the meantime, I recommend shopping recreational until medical mar-ijuana testing is up and running, which is more expen-sive, but at least you know the cannabis is being tested.”

One thing is certain: until the federal government puts cannabis in the same category as other agricul-tural products, this won’t be solved. “We’re trying to fix a problem in Colorado that needs to be fixed on thefederal level,” says Mike Elliott of the Marijuana In-dustry Group, which lobbies on behalf of cannabis busi-nesses. “We’re creating a state program to do what thefederal government should be doing. It’s possibly themost complicated issue we’ve had to deal with.”

{test your bud}Greg Duran recently opened GOOD L ABS, a

laboratory testing facility in Denver that allows consumers to be able to find out what’s in their cannabis. It utilizes a process called high-perfor-mance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to identify and separate components in a mixture. “We can get a profile of 10 cannabinoids,” Duran says, “in order to give patients, caregivers, and others a good idea what they’re consuming in ratios and percentages of the cannabinoids we can test for.”

Depending on what the consumer seeks, the service offers testing for profiles of five canna-binoids for $40, 10 for $60. Good Labs also offers consulting, Duran says, “where we will go over the results and tell you exactly what a trace means and what it looks like to help people understand what a lab report means.”

The laboratory is in a temporary location but hopes to have a permanent home soon. For more information, call the Good Labs or Cannabis Patients Alliance at 303-455-3801.

GOOD TO KNOW



For Robyn Griggs Lawrence, creating The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook was a jour-

ney that involved unexpected challenges. But through the years-long process, she

had a number of goals in mind that helped her see it through to the end. “The reason

I came up with the idea for the cookbook,” she says, “was because there wasn’t any-

thing out there for me. I’m a soccer mom, a volleyball mom. I didn’t want to eat sugar

food, and I didn’t want to make chicken wings. And there wasn’t anything out there.”

Lawrence’s idea was to create not only a cookbook

she could leave out on the counter if a neighbor or fam-

ily member stopped by, but also one deeply ingrained

with her passion for healthy and organic cooking. “That’s

been my soapbox for a long time,” says the former ed-

itor of such publications as The Herb Companion, Organ-

ic Spa, and Natural Home. In addition, she wanted the cookbook to be subtle, upscale, and educa-

tional, geared toward those who were interested in the subject but didn’t know how to get started.

Her agent loved the idea, and thought it would be an easy pitch. Instead, it took two years

to sell the concept to a publisher, in part because of the stigma attached to anything

cannabis-related at the time. The next challenge was finding recipes that fit the book’s

theme. “In the beginning it was hard to find chefs who were of the same mindset,”

Lawrence says. But she eventually assembled an impressive group of 12 chefs who

contributed recipes for the cookbook, including Scott Durrah of Jezebel’s Southern

Bistro and Bar, and the “Boulder Bakers” Grace Gutierrez, Lucienne Bercow

Lazarus, and Emily Sloat.

The cookbook includes recipes for a variety of cannabis-infused

oils and butters, which serve as the foundation for many of the

dishes, and provides details on how to create cannabis honey,

smoothies, waffles, pancakes, and muffins, as well as appetizers,

salads, entrées, desserts, cocktails, and vegan dishes.

Lawrence now cooks with cannabis about once a

week, and says anyone can get started with

as little as a quarter-ounce of flower. “I would

suggest a dispensary you trust,” she says.

Then it’s simply a matter of getting into the

kitchen and making some feel-good food,

with a final note from Lawrence: “Start slowly.”

FEEL-GOOD FOODWhen creating her new cannabis cookbook, Boulder-based authorRobyn Griggs Lawrence focused on healthy and organic recipes.

{lastword}by ROB F E E M A N

FIND A DISPENSARY YOU TRUST AND

START SLOWLY.


Documents

June 2016 (Denver/Boulder)