THE ORANGE WAVE: A FEMALE GROWER'S STORY

Story and Photos by MzJill

Many people, male and female, share a love for marijuana. And while male growers dominate the current cannabis-cultivation community, the ladies are taking a new interest in growing the herb.

My name is MzJill. I’m the first lady of TGA seeds and Subcool’s better half. Recently, we added a new female member, ToB, to our team. Together, we provide the feminine touch that’s become an important part of our cultivation technique. It’s our belief that breeding top-quality strains isn’t only a matter of great genetics, but also depends on the quality of the breeder. Upbeat, laidback growers seem to produce upbeat, laidback cannabis, whereas sinister growers seem to produce sinister cannabis. Hey, you really do reap what you sow!

Our cannabis is grown legally under state guidelines for medical marijuana. Subcool and I are currently caregivers for two patients. One of the patients has been with me for about six years and only consumes medicine through baked goods. He suffers from spinal damage resulting from a vehicle accident. Prior to the treatment we provide, he took painkilling drugs like OxyContin. Needless to say, we find it very rewarding to help others discover the healing power of marijuana—particularly when it replaces the kind of “medicine” provided by unethical pharmaceutical companies.

With the help of my partner, I recently created my first strain, Jilly Bean. A combination of my notorious Orange Velvet and our popular Space Queen male (created by Vic High), Jilly Bean is becoming a favorite among many growers.

The story of my notorious Orange Velvet begins about six years ago, when I inquired about volunteering at a local medical club. I began teaching a cultivation class for new medical members that included delivering clones and helping members set up their gardens to run more efficiently.

Despite some unpleasantness involving the people in charge of the med club, I found my time there to be incredibly gratifying. I met and trained many kind people who have gone on to become self-sufficient growers and, in turn, were able to help others.

During this time, I met a wonderful lady—her husband and I remain close to this day. About two and a half years ago, they gave me a clone that they had named Melvin. They’d received Melvin from some local hippie friends of theirs, who had grown the strain for over 20 years.

At first, Subcool and I were skeptical of this strain, but we decided to give her a try. We put the little clones through our normal quarantine routine and, after they were determined to be clean, replanted them in larger pots filled with Subcool’s Organic Super Soil and placed them in the vegetation room.