California’s Emerald Triangle cannabis farms may remain shrouded in mystery, yet one photographer’s book offers a peek inside. Justin McIvor, better known by his moniker Justin Cannabis, celebrated outdoor cultivation through this publication: Sustainable Sun-Grown Cannabis
McIvor’s photographs and emphasis on sustainable cultivation make the book an indispensable visual guide to regenerative growing techniques like soil building, polyculture, solar panels and rainwater catchment systems.
“Ultimately I created this book to shed a spotlight on a handful of amazing cannabis cultivators from Southern Humboldt who are dedicated to safeguarding our vital natural resources while producing premium grade cannabis products,” McIvor said of Humboldt’s Finest Farms; an ensemble of farmers in the center of the Emerald Triangle whom he documented extensively during his travels throughout their region.
McIvor is hoping that by showing the benefits of biodiversity and raising awareness about healthy soil conditions as well as featuring cannabis plants which have been sun-ripened to perfection and nurtured to reach their maximum potential, his presentation can have the desired effects.
Book can provide readers with the insight into the potential beauty and variety of environmentally responsible practices within gardening practices, which may transform an otherwise dull garden into something quite beautiful and captivating.
This book is an artistic celebration of stacking functions – a term used in permaculture to refer to systems where every component serves multiple functions simultaneously. Polyculture for instance plays an essential part in developing diverse root networks beneath the soil while making landscapes aboveground more appealing and welcoming for pollinators insects.
Full-page color photographs depict flourishing gardens full of bright orange marigolds, vibrant red zinnias and yellow sunflowers that provide vibrant pops of color against an abundance of green foliage. In one photograph entitled “Conserving Water,” an eye-catching deep turquoise rainwater-filled pond leads the eye up the page toward rows of emerald-green grapevines, rolling golden hills and an elegant Japanese-style handcrafted greenhouse – each providing vibrant rays of brightness against its environment.
Another photo captures an unexpected surprise of an unexpected pop of yellow and golden amaranth growing unexpectedly out of a rusty old farm truck, glowing soft and golden under late afternoon sun light. Another shows long stringy clusters of yellow corn standing tall next to an array of pointy spears backlit by sunlight – as though taken right out of another world!
McIvor first fell in love with photography as a means of engaging and appreciating beauty around him. Graduating from Brooks Institute of Photography and working as a lab technician taking DNA blot photos were his introductions into professional photography – soon afterwards following this passion as his life goal.
Once hooked on skateboarding, he found employment as a photographer for Santa Cruz Skateboards to enhance their magazine ads and catalogs. From there he switched over to cannabis photography; covering High Times covers as well as many others since. Recently though he’s returned back into skateboarding photography.
As she transitions away from skateboarding photography and toward skateboarder photography, she now aims to investigate their relationship.
McIvor has long maintained an affinity for Humboldt County cannabis growers; these relatives had been growing cannabis since the ’80s; due to this familiarity he felt drawn towards Sungrown Craft Cannabis as it’s unique qualities were highlighted – including most importantly by sungrown craft cannabis’ powerful source: sunlight! His captions offer essential insight into this form of cultivation.
“Energy usage within the indoor cannabis industry has seen dramatic expansion, with giant warehouse producers using an incredible amount of electricity to power their grows,” according to experts. However, those who specialize in sungrown cannabis know it is the way forward.
For those familiar with cannabis as being grown solely under artificial light in a warehouse, this book presents an eye-opening perspective: that grown through diversity on farms with greater biodiversity working alongside nature to produce cannabis of unsurpassed quality. A tribute to legendary Humboldt craft farmers.