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AK Joint’s Daniel Ramirez

It takes a soft hand in the woodshop, and it takes a soft hand at the counter.

Originally from New Mexico, Daniel Ramirez arrived in Alaska in 2013 with two daughters, three pieces of luggage, and a box of frozen green chiles. He has been growing flower for over 10 years and loves to fish, hunt and hike when he’s not serving up the smiles.

Congrats on being our Budtender of the Month. Now you’re enshrined for life.

That’s awesome! Is that for all the pot shops in town?

No, this is for the entire state of Alaska.

Oh, the entire state? That’s amazing!

How do you keep yourself busy during the winter?

I’m usually working in my woodshop making backs for taxidermy. I’ve also got an operation that I started making t-shirts, decals, and stuff. It’s called Cricket and it’s spreading by word of mouth.

Has your wood carving taken you into any other creative realms?

Absolutely, I usually have a lot of fun making cutting boards and other charcuterie items. 

Does Cannabis aid in that work and what’s the stoniest item you’ve made so far?

No question about it, 100% – Cannabis fuels my creativity. It doesn’t take much to make a pipe with a drill press. I’ve got some exotic woods that I’ve used to make some pieces for friends, but I mostly use walnut. 

You should sell your goods at the shop!

That’s not a bad idea, I’ve never thought about it. They sell pieces from other companies, but I think we’re running low – so there might be an open door for an opportunity. 

How does whittling wood make you a better budtender?

Having patience makes me a better budtender. It takes a soft hand in the woodshop, and it takes a soft hand at the counter. 

Photos by @shipeshots

About Mike Ricker

The first time Ricker smoked weed was at a Santana concert at the age of 12. He then followed in his footsteps as an award-winning radio personality who became notorious for offering a stage for bong toking listeners in 9 different markets over 20 years. In 2016, the Cannabis industry came calling and the rest is history.

This article was originally published in the November 2021 issue of Alaska Leaf.

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