Rebecca Easley
Administrative assistant
Oregon SunGrowers Guild
Grants Pass, OR
On March 16, a couple hundred cannabis connoisseurs gathered at the beautiful Pacifica Gardens for the Oregon SunGrowers Guild’s 2019 Terpene Cup, the ultimate celebration of cannabis in Southern Oregon. This consumption-allowed event did not disappoint.
Cannabis entries from recreational, medical and personal growers were judged for smell, flavor and smokability by seven cannabis industry experts: Angela Panks, Madeline Martinez, Sheba Love, Andy Lamb, Sandy Diesel, Brad Bogus and Andy Yashar.Those results were combined with lab test results provided by Green Leaf Labs, targeting six popular terpenes: caryophyllene, limonene, linalool, myrcene, pinene and terpineol. With a total of 14 strains entered in the competition, the expert judges were treated to a gourmet selection of cannabis, as were the people’s choice judges. They were all given entries to sample, one at a time, ranking each strain on a scale of 0-5 to select the winners.
A number of special guests helped make the Terpene Cup enjoyable for everyone. Professional announcer Kiwi Ras, from Los Angeles, kept it fresh with good vibes and comic relief. Attendees were also treated to a demonstration of sign language from one of the judges, the charming Angela Panks, with her husband, Jared, interpreting announcements and presentations. Judge Madeline Martinez, a national board member of NORML, spoke passionately about the importance of getting involved with organizations like NORML and the Oregon SunGrowers Guild. Other attractions at the day-long event included acoustic performances from Alcyon Massive and Diane Patterson, industry merchandise from several local vendors, a joint-rolling contest, great food, good people and, of course, the opportunity to smoke — and vote for — the best buds from local farmers.