Episode 47 Shaping Fire LIVE! - The Future will Autoflower with guests Jeff Lowenfels and Seth Crawford

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Episode 47 Shaping Fire LIVE! - The Future will Autoflower with guests Jeff Lowenfels and Seth Crawford

Autoflowering cannabis plants offer revolutionary new options for home, medical and commercial cannabis cultivators. This episode of Shaping Fire was recorded live on the main stage at Cultivation Classic in Portland. Join host Shango Los as he talks with Jeff Lowenfels and Seth Crawford about the new wave of autoflower genetics and the extraordinary cultivation strategies they allow. Available as an audio-only podcast episode below and as a video on our YouTube channel.

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Episode 46 - Exercise and Cannabis with guest Greg Gerdeman, PhD

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Episode 46 - Exercise and Cannabis with guest Greg Gerdeman, PhD

The idea that cannabis enthusiasts are forever couchlocked is myth. We all know people who get high and get active. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with neurophysiologist Greg Gerdeman, PhD about the interplay between our endocannabinoid system and exercise, cannabis's ability to focus our efforts to reach training goals, and the possibility that the endocannabinoid system evolved, in part, as a response to long distant running of our ancestors.

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Episode 45 - A Look at Global Cannabis Growing Culture with Colin Bell

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Episode 45 - A Look at Global Cannabis Growing Culture with Colin Bell

As cannabis freedoms expand across the globe, more and more cannabis enthusiasts are getting the opportunity to meet each other and learn each others' cultures and traditions around cannabis. Because access to technology, information and fertilizers vary greatly, cannabis culture is unique everywhere you go. In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Colin Bell, co-founder of Mammoth Microbes about what he has seen traveling the world in search of cannabis growers everywhere.

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Episode 44 - Cannabis Seeds, Sharing and Public Patents with Alan from Strainly

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Episode 44 - Cannabis Seeds, Sharing and Public Patents with Alan from Strainly

Sharing cannabis seeds is essential to the preservation of the plant and our access to it. Forces are gathering to make legal challenges to many of the present over-broad cannabis patents. While others are looking at ways the cannabis community can agree to informal, yet legally enforceable public patents to help defend heritage chemovars. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Alan from Strainly about cannabis seed sharing, alternatives to USPTO plant patents and a new online community of seed traders.

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Episode 43 - Indoor Cannabis Polyculture with guest Joshua Steensland

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Episode 43 - Indoor Cannabis Polyculture with guest Joshua Steensland

Historically, indoor cannabis growers relied on bottled nutrients and often hydroponics, but there is a new wave of indoor growers who are bringing the insights of living soil and polyculture to indoor cannabis. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with cultivator Joshua Steensland about using robust microbe communities, wildcrafted nutrients and companion planting when growing cannabis indoors under lights.

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Episode 42 - Licensing Your Cannabis Brand with Guest Kris Krane

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Episode 42 - Licensing Your Cannabis Brand with Guest Kris Krane

As new states begin to normalize cannabis, the latest phase of the cannabis industry is rapid brand expansion. There are many ways to crash your cannabis brand as you attempt to expand into other states, and perhaps new product categories, by working with corporate partners. Too many entrepreneurs take action based on their hunches and not factual knowledge. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Kris Krane of 4Front Advisors about the intricacies of cannabis brand licensing, some best practices for moving into new states, and some common pitfalls to avoid on your way to becoming a national brand.

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Episode 41 - Cannabis Greenhouse Rescue with guest Eric Brandstad

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Episode 41 - Cannabis Greenhouse Rescue with guest Eric Brandstad

Growing cannabis in greenhouses offers the best attributes of both indoor and outdoor operations. However, because it is a combined solution, it can suffer from the challenges of both growing methods too. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with cannabis greenhouse expert Eric Brandstad about crop-saving techniques to rescue your greenhouse operation when it takes a turn for the worse and preventative techniques to stop it from ever getting that bad.

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Episode 40 - CO2 Extraction and Mods Today with guest Jeff Wilhoit

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Episode 40 - CO2 Extraction and Mods Today with guest Jeff Wilhoit

Extracting cannabinoids with carbon dioxide has matured a lot over the last few years. Professional extraction teams have become far more versatile with the technology resulting in a much improved product. On today's episode of Shaping Fire, extractor Jeff Wilhoit talks with Shaping Fire host Shango Los about the evolution of CO2 extraction in the last five years, why CO2 dabs tastes so much better now and some of his favorite modifications for extraction machines.

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Episode 39 - Deep Sh!t: Biodynamic Compost and Bioregional Microbes with guest Colum Riley

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Episode 39 - Deep Sh!t: Biodynamic Compost and Bioregional Microbes with guest Colum Riley

Cannabis plants thrive on biological diversity that can meet all its nutritional needs. Well-made compost is not only alive with microbial and fungal activity, but it can be personalized to your growing region as well. In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Colum Riley of Malibu Compost about the complex biology of compost, why using local microbes is so very important and how compost-thinking may be what we need to save the world.

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Episode 38 - The Cannabis Seed Game with guest Eric Wimber

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Episode 38 - The Cannabis Seed Game with guest Eric Wimber

Selling cannabis seeds is a serious hustle. Like the fine artist painters of old, today's cannabis breeders are creating extraordinary cannabis strains, and at the same time being ingenious with their marketing and outreach. They have to be visionary with the genetics and still know how to crush social media in their own way. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Eric Wimber of Dungeons Vault Genetics about the challenges and rewards of breeding and selling championship cannabis seeds.

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Episode 37 - The Nexus of Medical Cannabis and Hemp with guest Seth Crawford

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Episode 37 - The Nexus of Medical Cannabis and Hemp with guest Seth Crawford

Patients often try to save money or stay legal by using CBD from industrial fiber hemp but there is little scientific support for its efficacy when used alone. Now though, a new generation of plants exist that are closer genetically to traditional medical cannabis plants but are also legally hemp plants. These plants will remake the current CBD hemp market. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with agricultural-scale cannabis breeder Seth Crawford about these new cultivars of cannabis and why their difference is so meaningful.

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Episode 36 - Breathing and Cannabis with guest Robert Litman

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Episode 36 - Breathing and Cannabis with guest Robert Litman

Breathing is an essential part of enjoying cannabis and yet we rarely think about it. And for the most part, most of us trade partial truths and full-on myths when talking about how cannabis interacts with the lungs. On today's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Robert Litman of The Breathable Body about the mechanics of breathing, what happens when we inhale cannabis, and best practices for keeping our lungs healthy.

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Episode 35 - The Rise of Korean Natural Farming with guest Chris Trump

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Episode 35 - The Rise of Korean Natural Farming with guest Chris Trump

Korean Natural Farming is so hot right now. Probiotic farmers everywhere are learning KNF's exotic fermentation techniques to create their most thriving and potent plants ever. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Korean Natural Farming educator Chris Trump about KNF fermentation recipes, the importance of abundant indigenous microbe communities in the soil and working with the life-force in plants.

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Episode 34 - Our Chaotic, Entwined Cannabis Markets with guest Dominic Corva PhD

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Episode 34 - Our Chaotic, Entwined Cannabis Markets with guest Dominic Corva PhD

To a casual observer, the licensed cannabis market may seem risky but essentially orderly. Of course, this is a fantasy because anyone actually involved in the process sees first hand the turbulent interplay of regulators, license holders, and the ever-present, ever-adaptable black market. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Dominic Corva, Director of the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy, about the persistence of the unlicensed markets, the industrialization of corporate cannabis and how the licensed and unlicensed markets may continue to interact over time.

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Episode 33 - Cannabis Patent Drama and Realities with guest Reggie Gaudino PhD

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Episode 33 - Cannabis Patent Drama and Realities with guest Reggie Gaudino PhD

Have no doubt that agricultural and pharmaceutical companies are coming for your cannabis genetics. And while these mega-corporations are well-funded and focused on their goals, heritage cannabis growers and enthusiasts are disorganized, unfunded and believe in a wide array of patent law myths. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks frankly with Reggie Gaudino PhD of Steep Hill Labs about the realities of cannabis genetics patenting today, the cannabis patents already awarded and the steps that must be taken today if the cannabis community is to defensively patent their cannabis cultivars.

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Episode 32 - Dead Bodies and Poop with guest Tad Hussey

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Episode 32 - Dead Bodies and Poop with guest Tad Hussey

As common as animal nutrients are for growing cannabis, many of them remain exotic to most growers. Worm castings are known to many but what about crab shell flour, soldier flies or sea bird guano. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with probiotic growing educator Tad Hussey about the usefulness and sustainability of a wide array of animal inputs.

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Episode 31 - Considering Cannabis Stock Market Opportunities with guest Alan Brochstein

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Episode 31 - Considering Cannabis Stock Market Opportunities with guest Alan Brochstein

The stock market is a moody beast. No matter how much insight you have or how many Fibonacci lines you draw on your charts, there are still innumerable pitfalls that can cross your path and ruin your trade. The risks involved skyrocket when you invest in a nascent industry like cannabis too. The rapidly changing market, lack of historical data and, of course, Federal cannabis prohibition all make investing in cannabis unlike investing in any other industry. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with Alan Brochstein of 420 Investor about opportunities in cannabis stocks, weighing the unique risks of the industry, and the cannabis hype machine.

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Episode 30 - Use Beneficial Insects and Leave Pesticides Behind with guest Shane Young

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Episode 30 - Use Beneficial Insects and Leave Pesticides Behind with guest Shane Young

Cannabis enthusiasts are waking up to the dangers associated with pesticides and both state regulatory agencies and consumers are looking for cleaner, pesticide-free products. At the same time, cannabis growers are migrating away from chemicals and instead are choosing beneficial insects to defend their cannabis crops. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Shane Young of Natural Enemies about transitioning from pesticides to beneficial insects and some of the key considerations when making that change

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Episode 29 - Repeatable Results! Cannabis Manufacturing Standards with guest Jahan Marcu, PhD

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Episode 29 - Repeatable Results! Cannabis Manufacturing Standards with guest Jahan Marcu, PhD

A key to enjoyable cannabis use is repeatable results. Whether you are a patient seeking relief or on your way to a party or the beach, knowing what effect taking cannabis will have on your human is exceptionally helpful. Potency testing and manufacturing standards have not been part of the prohibition-era cannabis market. As normalization widens and international cannabis trade begins, manufacturing standards are being developed that will impact the entire world. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los speaks with Jahan Marcu about how these standards are coming together and why they matter.

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Episode 28 - Botrytis & Powdery Mildew in Scientific Detail with guest Kevin McKernan

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Episode 28 - Botrytis & Powdery Mildew in Scientific Detail with guest Kevin McKernan

Molds threaten every cannabis crop. From small patient grows to large scale commercial growing operations, cannabis growers must remain vigilant to avoid crop loss and contamination. On this week's episode of Shaping Fire, podcast host Shango Los talks with Kevin McKernan of Medicinal Genomics about the biology of both Botrytis and Powdery Mildew, how it spreads, breeding for resistance and a new assay that detects it before it can be seen with the naked eye.

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