Harvest Spotlight: Sunset Lake Cannabis of South Hero - Brattleboro Reformer

This article features Sam Bellavance, founder of Sunset Lake Cannabis in Vermont, discussing how this year's dry, cool summer has created ideal growing conditions for his cannabis operation.

Bellavance explains that while his 2,500 sun-grown cannabis plants are smaller than previous years, they're significantly healthier thanks to Vermont's drought conditions. The dry weather has been perfect for Kush strains, which evolved in the arid Hindu Kush mountains and thrive without the fungus and mildew pressure that comes with wet summers. Unlike the previous two years when tropical storms brought floods and strong winds that damaged larger but less healthy plants, this season has produced vibrant, robust crops ready for the six-week harvest season.

• Weather advantage: Dry conditions reduce fungus and mildew pressure, creating healthier cannabis plants despite smaller size
• New strain introductions: Four new varieties including Blueberry Muffin indica and Orange Creampop sativa-dominant hybrid
• Specialized harvesting tools: Use of trichome-repelling Sili Gloves that don't get gunked up with hash during the intensive harvest process
• Sustainable farming practices: Post-harvest plant material gets composted back into soil for next year's growing season