Meet Michael Caron: Plant Science Manager

1. How did you get involved with cannabis cultivation?

Since I was a kid I have always been drawn to nature. I am a huge discovery channel nerd to this day. I remember my grandmother showing me different flowers and plants in her garden. This sparked a green thumb in me, I started to appreciate all plants and how they have evolved with the world around them. At the end of high school, I decided I was going out to the west coast to learn everything I could about cultivating cannabis. My parents however had no faith that cannabis would be legal and would never be a career opportunity. They wanted me as their oldest child to set a good example for my younger siblings and get a college education. Though I saw the wave of legalization coming, I respected their wishes and was accepted to go to Umass Amherst. I knew I wasn’t going to learn about cannabis in college so I chose my majors and tailored my classes to what I thought would help me most in the future. It was at this point I started cultivating cannabis indoors. I graduated college with an Bachelors degree in biology with a concentration in plant science, associates in biotechnology, and minor in chemistry. My final undergrad project was a proposal of a indoor “hemp” breeding project and cultivation facility. I now have been cultivating indoors for ten years.

2. What attracted you to Garden Remedies?

 I grew up in the Leominster/Fitchburg area. My whole family pretty much lives in central Massachusetts. I went to Leominster schools and made lifelong friends I still hang out with to this day. When I saw an opportunity to do exactly what I wanted, so close to the people I love, it was a no brainer!

3. What is something unique about Garden Remedies cultivation practices? 

To my knowledge we are one of few companies growing cannabis in soil. I have nothing against hydroponics but there is something to be said about soil grown cannabis. It’s what I personally grow in outside of work.

4. What do you think is people’s biggest misconception about quality cannabis and why?

It’s a number’s game out here, everyone is chasing those extreme THC percentages. The problem is there is so much more to cannabis than just THC. Terpenes and other cannabinoids have just as much of a role as THC. It really should be about the individuals experience. How its tastes, smells, and looks is what matters to me personally. I am a sucker for pretty flower. If we did a blind study a guarantee people would never be able to pick a 25% flower out of a group of 20% flowers. Forget about the numbers and just enjoy it.

5. What do you see as the most critical factor in cultivating quality cannabis? 

Genetics is the building blocks of all cannabis. It’s what separates an ordinary flower from the extraordinary. Dial in your environment with the right genetics and you should see some amazing flower. With so many breeders and access to seeds I really can’t stress this enough to people who want to grow quality cannabis. FIFO to me means fire in fire out!

6. What is your favorite strain of cannabis and why?

 I could never choose just one strain as a favorite. Cannabis is just too complex. Looking at it as a cultivator, every strain has its own desired characteristics. Terpenes and bag appeal are what draw me to certain strains. It’s what I look for in my Pheno-hunts before I even worry about final weights. That being said I do really enjoy 1:1 strains. CBD helped me recover from a condition that went undiagnosed. Probably some form of Inflammation in my digestive track. I was extremely thin and couldn’t keep any thing down. When I did eat I was in agony. When I discovered a high CBD variety it seemed to help immediately.