William Wallace Green III, known colloquially as William Braveheart Green, is a second-generation Cannabis grower based out of Kaiser. Born and raised in California, William’s long history of cultivation and consumption started in 1991. His first time smoking took the form of a sinsemilla strain with bright red hairs in an unassuming metal pipe given to him by his sister’s boyfriend. Just a couple short tokes later, he felt the sweet, stoney effect, instantly falling in love with the sensation and relief it provided.
One year later, at the age of 15, William was consuming on his own and selling smaller quantities of flower to close friends. He took the seeds he’d found in his bags and threw them in a gardening bed on the side of his house, quickly leading to his first experiences growing Cannabis plants.
In his sophomore year of high school, William saw a High Times magazine for the first time and was enthralled by the sheer quality of the plants and grow articles. The experience opened up his perspective to the potential of Cannabis cultivation, and shortly after, he sprouted his first plant under a grow light.
After living in Vermont for a short while, William returned to California, got a job at Kinko’s and moved into an apartment on his own, where he slept on a couch and utilized the rest of his floor plan for growing.
“I was a hardcore grower and lived by the grower’s code. I didn’t believe in taking photos. I wasn’t ever on the internet or the forums,” William explained. “I always looked clean. You don’t act all flashy. You turn the music down when you’re driving down the block. Most of the time, you had a cousin or a really good friend that you trusted to sell for you, but we never sold directly to avoid attention.”
William continued to work at Kinko’s and move up the ladder in sales while simultaneously running home grows in various houses and settings.
“If you were a really smart grower, you knew that was your backup, like you had to have a cover. I always thought that it helped keep me out of trouble,” he said.
Later on, William moved to Salinas, where he met his wife, known here as Mrs. Braveheart. For the first time in his life, he took a break from growing because he was worried about the impact it would have on his relationship, given the secrecy involved. Eventually, he told Mrs. Braveheart the truth about his Cannabis history.
“He always felt like it was a medicine for him,” Mrs. Braveheart explained. “It helped him deal with trauma and family stuff at a young age.”
With a newfound understanding, they got a house, and William started growing again. Eventually, Mr. and Mrs. Braveheart got married and paid for the wedding entirely with the profits from producing herb.
“I love saying that. I always tell my kids to always appreciate this plant because it’s done so much for us,” William noted.
A couple of years later, they had their first son (of three), William Wallace Green IV, who goes by William IV. William III had to choose between what he saw as the future of his family and the financial stability the current position afforded him. With a steadfast dedication and the idea of facilitating a better life for his family, he moved from California to Kaiser in 2004.
He took the mission seriously, showing up in the early days to Oregon Medical Marijuana Program clubs dressed in business clothes and carrying a leather briefcase full of jars with the finest flower — often one of the five different kinds of OG Kush he was quickly becoming known for, along with his authenticity and love of Cannabis.
In 2013, he entered his first competition, the Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards, and won with a cut of Starkiller OG bred by Rare Dankness. In 2014, he entered the same cultivar into the United States Cup held by High Times, and hosted by Leaf Magazine’s Bobby Black, winning against some of the biggest names in the industry and taking home a first-place award.
In 2016, William acquired and subsequently forfeited a recreational cultivation license, representing a colossal setback both financially and in terms of morale. Between 2016 and 2023, however, he taught classes, designed feed charts for nutrient companies and provided consultation services while continuing to manage his home grow, all the while saving up with his family. In 2023, he purchased another license and relaunched his brand on the recreational market with a humble, caringly crafted microgrow of 500 square feet.
“I tell my kids, ‘You see what I’ve been through and how I didn’t give up. I hope it inspires you to never give up,’” William said.
With a framework of cultivation for medicinal purposes, William strives for cleanliness and quality, harvesting only mature, full-term resin grown via organic methods.
“I’m very strict about it. If a plant has to go 70 days, I’m going to let it go 70 days. If it’s got to go longer, it’ll go longer,” he stated. “It has to be right because whatever I give to the consumer has to be worth its value. In order for me to keep feeding my family, I need to make sure that this is the high grade customers have come to expect.”
William doesn’t just identify as a grower; he also identifies heavily as a hash maker. Looking back as far as 1999, he remembers his friend Kev — the same one who introduced him to the High Times magazine almost a decade earlier — showing him how to use ice water to separate resin from flower. With this concept in mind, William utilized a Rubbermaid bucket in a sink with chiffon wedding dress material held in place with twine and hemp to wash and collect ice water hash well before most of the world knew what it was.
In recent years, William has included his son more in the business, with William IV evidencing the same reverence and attentiveness to growing that has been passed down through generations. From a young age, William IV pushed a toy lawn mower in the yard while his father worked nearby. As he grew, he helped in the garden by carrying water and mixing organic nutrients for the plants. And later, after William III experienced a hernia, William IV helped even more during the hash washing process. Now, he’s learned to clone, and he has his own batch of plants he’s running independently.
“I trust him so much with the plants, it’s such a blessing to have him,” William said, “My heart melts (watching him in the garden).”
Regarding his father’s mentorship, William IV shared, “Everything I’ve learned, I’ve seen him do, and he’s helped me each step through it.”
The business has evolved into a family affair. Mrs. Braveheart helps with tasks like dispensary communication and sales appointments, while William IV has taken on more hands-on garden work, community events and vendor days. One of their other sons, Cole, helps with screen printing and pressing some of the official Brave Hearts brand merchandise.
“We keep a tight circle,” Mrs. Braveheart said, “and send a special thanks to all our family and friends who have stuck with us through this incredible journey of love.”
“It’s because of this bond that our family thrives,” William explained.
“(Working together) has kept us closer as a family,” William IV confirmed.
A history of tenacity, passion and an unparalleled love for the plant defines the Brave Hearts brand. Unafraid to face adversity while pushing forward, William’s resilience is irrefutable,
impacting and influencing the very culture of Oregon Cannabis with every step. When you try Brave Hearts flower or hash, you share in years of tradition, experience and a true, family farm heritage.
