Cultivator’s Highs & Lows: From Championship Honors to Threat of Eviction

In 2023, Neil, a DC resident and seasoned cultivator, was awarded the National Cannabis Championship top honors for his strain, Monkey Berries. His entry nearly swept all categories taking home the D.C. title, the Terpene Title, and the Cannabinoid Title.

Keep reading to learn more about the 2023 NCC Champion

NCC: How did you originally hear about the National Cannabis Championship and why did you decide to enter?

Neil: The guys at Capital City Organics told me about it. They, along with some other folks, told me my flower was better than anything else in town, and that convinced me to enter. 

What is your cultivating background and how long have you been growing cannabis specifically?

My first little closet grow was back in 1978.  Throughout the ’80s, I was fascinated by the science behind plant growth, and read up on all the current research, applying as much of it as I could to my grows. I became involved in other things, and taught friends to grow, with me managing the operations. Over the years, the grows got larger, leading to me eventually managing a 100 light operation in the Czech Republic. 

Are you self taught or did you have assistance from other seasoned growers?

Self-taught.

Do you have one or two points of advice for growers who are looking to enter this year’s National Cannabis Championship?

Read up on the biology behind what makes a plant healthy on a cellular level. To take it to a higher level, be meticulous about every aspect. 

What growing projects have you been working on since winning your titles at NCC this year, any breeding or pheno hunting of specific traits or genetics?

I recently started some new strains to bring them into the mix for breeding, but it’s time consuming; and recent events have made things difficult. 

Tell us about your current challenging situation?

The new strains were just about to flower when my landlord unexpectedly inspected my house and found the grow operation. He is now evicting me. 

What are you hoping and/or looking for in lieu of having to end or move your grow right now? 

I’m hoping to find a situation where I can teach others how to do what I do, and to spread the goodness of organics. I would like to make a living supervising a well-funded legal grow, or if possible, just teaching. To be honest, I’m getting too old to do all the manual labor involved. 

Anything else you’d like to share?

Probably yes, but I’m out of time for now; and my head is a bit foggy with everything that I’m having to deal with. Please ask me again, later. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m also going to need a place to live!

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Sadly, Neil’s story is not uncommon. Even as home cultivation laws expand, folks looking to grow their own medicine are at the mercy of landlords who may not be open to allowing such activities despite the advancements in the law.

We wish Neil all the best in finding a new home for his cultivation endeavors and look forward to checking back in with him this Spring as he prepares to join our panel of experts as a Finals Judge for the 2024 National Cannabis Championship.