Premium Outdoor Herb Celebrated at Emerald Cup

Sample No. 187, Very Berry White, exposes its blueberry notes on the exhale, but its cultivator is still not satisfied. Steve has grown the hybrid for years and is crossing the DJ Short Blueberry back into his outdoor, organic crop to achieve perfection. His Blueberry/White Widow cross is one of nearly 700 entries in the 2014 Emerald Cup and the Lake County resident is just hoping to place in the top 20.

“It’s got the flavor, but it’s not what I want yet,” he says while looking at a glass display case stacked with premium buds.

Held at the county fairgrounds in Santa Rosa this past weekend, the 11th annual Emerald Cup represented a true celebration of the 2014 fall harvest. What was formerly an underground gathering for growers in the Emerald Triangle opened to the public in 2013 and brought out an estimated crowd of 10,000 this year. The two-day event included panels, music, vendors and an immeasurable amount of choice chronic.

Those verified to enter the event’s Proposition 215 zone could meet with the seed companies and cultivators who keep creativity in cannabis alive and purchase strains and concentrates. In this way, the event was much like a farmers’ market, with cannabis enthusiasts given the chance to socialize and speak with the growers who produce the finest sungrown strains in the Golden State.

This year’s cup included a solventless concentrate competition as well as an edibles judging. The winner of the best flower went to Joe Peinado for his Sweet Serenade. The award-winning strain was described by the judges as having “solid bug buds packed with crystals,” redolent of “cardamom and eggnog, zabaglione and cherry turpentine.”

While Steve didn’t place for his Very Berry White, he’s sure to keep tweaking his creation until he achieves what he wants.

“I have time,” he says. “You don’t get the same product if you rush it.”

What was the best strain you smoked at the Emerald Cup? Tell us in the comments below.