Hi there, and welcome to The Dealers Diary - my musings on the cannabis industry, California, and building Halara.
If you missed past emails, I recommend checking out the Dealers page where you can see the past emails I sent.
In today's entry: a reader wrote this week's issue | why we'd rather be a community than a mailing list | the DEA hearing wrapped
The Dealers Desk
Hey Dealers,
We're gonna shake things up a notch this week. Something really cool happened: one of our community, a Dealer (S/O Natalie!!!) asked if she could write for us, and then she actually did it. I know a bunch of you have been asking about exactly this, wanting to contribute to the community we're building, so I'm super proud to show you the first of our dealer-written pieces.
Here's what makes this one cool. Natalie's not new around here. A couple weeks back she texted the number on the back of the bag about a strain she loved (she's actually behind one of our big reviews), and then, after reading one of these Desks, she wrote back and asked if she could write one herself.
I'm serious when I tell you, things like this make my day. When one of y'all reaches out, whether it's an idea (some of our best strains came straight from you) or an offer to write something, dude, that's what makes all of this worthwhile.
She wrote it from her garden, riffing on her new favorite (Cannalope Chronic, if you're keeping track) and the people she's crossed paths with because of this plant. It just warms my heart.
And Natalie isn't the only one who's reached out lately, which is exactly why I'm making a whole thing of it. We're turning our Reddit into somewhere our people actually connect, swap stories, and meet each other over this plant, and Natalie's is the first one up. Go read hers, and tell her what you think in the comments.
Seriously, if you've got two minutes today, this one's well spent. It's from the heart.
Onwards and upwards,
-Malcolm
P.S. Got a story of your own? Post it on the Reddit, or just DM me. Natalie did exactly that. Nick and I read every one.
What We're Seeing
The best recommendation you ever got came from a person, not an ad: Think about how you actually found the stuff you smoke now. Odds are it wasn't a billboard. It was a friend handing you something and saying try this. That is how cannabis has always moved, quietly, person to person, someone you trust vouching for it before you ever spend a dollar. Which is exactly why we're putting our energy into the Reddit hub instead of buying more ads. We could spend that money shouting louder and further. We'd rather give you a room to talk to each other in, because the realest proof this stuff is good was never going to be us saying so, it was always going to be one of you saying it to someone else. Ads rent attention. Word of mouth earns it, and it keeps paying you back long after the ad budget runs dry.
Coming Soon
Now that the hub is live, more reader features are coming down the line. Natalie's the first, she won't be the last, so keep an eye on this spot.
Dealers Choice
Two from the review pile, both on Cannalope Chronic, which feels about right for a week Natalie spent talking about it.
Tim from Livermore, who I think described the flavor better than our own packaging does:
I wasn't expecting both cantaloupe flavor, then dank. Then back. It's a journey.
And because it's not all glowing, Joel in Redwood City:
It tastes good. The packaging can be a little better though. I felt like I had to destroy it to get to the cartridge.
Fair, Joel. We've heard this one more than once and it's on the list.
Quick Hits
The DEA rescheduling hearing wrapped up: Last week I said there was more to come on this, so here's the more. The multi-day federal hearing on moving cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III closed on July 15, and it ended on a cautiously hopeful note. From here the DEA's judge writes up a recommendation once both sides file their post-hearing briefs, which are due August 17. Slow, but it's moving in the right direction. Here's the rundown.
Concentrates are going mainstream as prices drop: Falling prices are pulling a much wider crowd toward concentrates, and retailers are saying concentrate buyers are the most loyal customers they've got. Good sign for anyone paying attention to our resin and rosin side. More from MJBizDaily.
Refer a Friend
Know someone who's always got something to say about this plant? Send them here and tell them to post it. The hub gets better with every voice in it.
Weekly Munchies
I've been on the road more than at home lately, and the first thing that goes when you're traveling is eating anything fresh. What I keep coming back to in my head is a good dense bean salad, the kind that actually holds you over instead of leaving you hungry an hour later, and I'm making it the minute I'm back in my own kitchen. Here's the one I've got bookmarked:
P.S - My Weekly Bops
Two bops this week.
Yesterday I was at a podcast studio in New York and met the guy who sings this one, or his agent Charlie, I honestly wasn't totally sure which of them I was talking to. Either way, genuinely nice dude, and the song holds up on its own.
Also met a DJ named Vinny out of Long Island. If you like house and EDM mixed with country, which sounds like it has no business working and somehow does, this one's for you.
