High Five Farms sits in arguably the best place to grow hops, a plant very closely related to Cannabis, in the entire Western Hemisphere. This is no joke; it is literally the epicenter of hops production. About 75% of the U.S. hops supply comes from the Yakima Valley, and around 30% of the entire world’s hops production takes place there, too. This is where Prosser-based High Five Farms got its start in 2014, and this team can confidently boast that their Cannabis is also some of the best sun-grown in the country.
What do you get when you mix 30 years of cultivation experience, dedication to sustainability and a strain collection that ranges from some of the most sought-after old-school flavors to the latest and greatest hybrids? Stunning flowers and solid concentrate products that are happy to take The Pepsi Challenge with any indoor-grown Cannabis. Light up, and enjoy a little chat we had with High Five Farms owner Jason Zucker.
When did you get your start in Cannabis?
I’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1993, when I was a senior in high school, my father caught me trying to grow a Cannabis plant in the drop ceiling of our basement. I told him, “But Dad, you can’t say it’s bad for me — I’m on the honor roll.” He replied that he was upset that it’s illegal and that I attempted to do this in his house. But he never told me to stop doing it, and here I am 33 years later still doing the damn thing.
What are you preferred light sources and soil composition?
The ideal light source for Cannabis cultivation is a combined mix of natural sunlight and supplementary artificial lighting. We call this mixed light. We are primarily a sun-grown farm but have a portion of our canopy allocated to mixed-light application, which we sell in our TOPS flower brand. At High Five, we use a custom grow medium composed primarily of peat, organic dry fertilizer amendments and biostimulants. The other primary input that we use is a 100% carbon-based and salt-free nutrient line called Rooted Leaf. They are a local Washington state company, and I highly recommend their products if a cultivator is looking to increase their overall flavor and terpene levels in their Cannabis flower.
Are there any new stains or products you’d like to let Leaf readers know about?
Every season, we are testing out new strains, moving on from older flavors that no longer serve us and entering into production with new successful cultivars that we prototyped the season prior. This year, I would recommend trying out the Pure Michigan, Orange Cream Pop and Zooyaki strains.
What are some of the future goals for High Five Farms?
Our vision for the future is to continue expanding our ability to produce exceptional, sustainably grown Cannabis at an affordable price for consumers who appreciate the quality of premium sun-grown flower. We’re investing in additional light-deprivation and mixed-light infrastructure to further elevate the quality, consistency and volume of our harvests. With the recent approval of our federal application to manufacture and distribute Schedule III Cannabis, we’re also excited to explore opportunities beyond Washington state and bring our products to new markets nationwide.
High Five Farms can be found in most retail Cannabis stores in our state. Ask your budtender next time you are in, and give this brand a try — you’ll definitely enjoy it. From the flowers to the rosin, this farm has brought us nothing but smiles and giggles.
highfivefarms.com | @highfivefarms | info@highfivefarms.com
