Video: Judging the Emerald Cup

This weekend, December 12 and 13, California’s cannabis community will gather at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa for the 12th annual Emerald Cup.

Caitlin Podiak

Published on December 11, 2015

Over the years, what began as a modest harvest celebration and friendly competition among a small community of Emerald Triangle cannabis farmers has grown into a massive event. With panels of industry experts, live music, DJs, and hundreds of vendors, there will be plenty to see and do, but the centerpiece of it all is still the competition itself.

Swami Chaitanya and Nikki Lastreto have been judging the Emerald Cup since its inception, and they approach this responsibility with utmost seriousness. As experienced cannabis cultivators themselves, they have a deep appreciation for the care and effort that goes into these flowers. Thoughtfully evaluating hundreds of entries in only a few weeks, however, requires an incredible amount of time, dedication, and organization. Nikki and Swami meet with the other judges several times in the lead-up to the Cup, but much of the work takes place at their home in Laytonville.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon, and the entire weekend will be a celebration of the outdoor cannabis harvest that no enthusiast will want to miss. The 2015 Emerald Cup is sure to sell out soon, so if you have yet to purchase tickets, get them while you can.