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Published on July 2, 2025

MT’s Elevation of Cultivation

The living soil, sungrown revolution is taking over Montana one farm at a time.

Thanks to leaders in the space like Adam Arnold from Collective Elevation, who is running the most awarded grow operation in Montana as well as helping to start the Living Soil Alliance and hosting the Cannabis Cultivation and Science Conference in Bozeman in September.

The Living Soil Alliance features esteemed award‑winning grow operations as members on their site: Holistic Releaf by Design, Bighorn Buds, NinePipe Organics, Sacred Sun Farms, Borealis Natural Gardens, Cannabis Counter, Lionheart and Sensi Care.

Early this summer, we caught up with Arnold to ask him about his grow operation and what sets it apart as he aims to lead the way in growing in a way that is “better for the planet, better for the people and a better product.”

Jesse Barney: How did you get started growing with soil and sun?

Adam Arnold: We started with hoop houses and simple processes on my farm in Clarkston.

JB: I remember that, I didnt realize that you started in the sun way back then, more than ten years ago!

AA: Yep, I’ve always been an outdoor or hoop house guy and I only came to indoor light and started a shop in Four Corners as a way to support my veg and clones and moms so that I could have access to better mom’s year round. Basically what I did was I started out off grid and realized that the terpenes you get from natural sunshine and living soil really actually are some of the best flavors you can find.So I kind of stumbled upon something just based on the style of my grow, and it was confirmed by the first round of cannabis cups when my first farm’s entries just cleaned house.

JB: That’s why you kicked so much ass!

AA: Yup, so you very rarely in business get win‑win scenarios… So we have something that’s better for the planet, cheaper to produce, and therefore can be sold for cheaper and also is a better product overall. So we just kind of naturally stumbled into something that almost never happens. Usually you have to choose between quality or quantity or style, but it turns out you get the best terps from the sun.
There’s a lot to be said by trying to mimic nature and re‑create the way these plants are growing for millions of years. That is, roots in the soil, leaves facing the sun. Then you just supplement when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate. That’s what the premise was—mimicking nature.

Then, of course we started the Living Soil Alliance, which is to celebrate all the living‑soil people in Montana cause we’ve got a sweet little scene of of living‑soil people and that’s been a great way to educate consumers.

They just had the Big Sky Hempfest in Bozeman. I didn’t enter the competition, but living soil [grows] essentially won every single category. And not only that, but Collective Elevation is the most awarded cannabis in Montana… So what I’m saying is living soil takes the Pepsi challenge every single time. You grow the same strains with living soil and it’s hard to beat.