Grower Stories #64: Devan Anthony and Sally Alworth

Checking Out the Numerous Luminous Benefits: An Interview With the Founders of Luminous Botanicals

AskGrowers sits down with Devan and Sally, co-owners of premium cannabis products brand Luminous Botanicals, about their top-notch CBD and THC-infused products, what sets them apart from the rest, and their next steps in growing their brand. #growerstories

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Hi! We are Devan and Sally, we started Luminous Botanicals together in Devan’s garage in 2014.

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Tia (AskGrowers) : What’s your brand story? How did you start?

Devan Anthony : When I injured my back in 2013, doctors said that there wasn’t much they could do except to prescribe painkillers and, even then it would take up to two years before I felt better. Not wanting to take pharmaceuticals long-term if I could help it, I got my medical cannabis card under Oregon’s medical marijuana program (OMMP) and started to orally consume a full-spectrum ethanol extract. It was life-changing! I only needed to take a tiny bit in the evening, and I could sleep through the night for the first time in months and my back felt much better during the day.

But the downside of the ethanol extract was that I had trouble taking a consistent dose - the extract was so concentrated that it was impossible to squeeze out the exact same amount every time, and some nights I would accidentally take too much and be too high to sleep. In those days, there wasn’t anything in the dispensaries that were standardized in potency, designed for precise oral dosing. I was sharing my experience with medical cannabis with my friend Sally, and she was quite intrigued. Eventually, she got her OMMP card too. We both enjoy math and science, and we started to explore making our own standardized potency oil infusions in my house. Over time, we built a small lab off of the back of my garage where we started Luminous Botanicals. In the fall of 2014, we started to sell our oils to medical dispensaries.

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Tia : How is your brand different from other ones similar to yours? What sets you apart?

Devan : A few things set us apart: our extraction process, the precision of our formulation, and our company values.

We use a lipid extraction process, also known as a direct-oil infusion, to make our products. This is a solvent-free process that is similar to what you might have done at home if you’ve ever made cannabutter or infused coconut oil. It is a traditional extraction process used by herbalists for thousands of years. Basically, we steep cannabis in a blend of organic almond and organic virgin coconut oils. The cannabinoids, being oil-soluble, naturally migrate into the base oil blend without needing to use any harsh chemicals. We then purify the oil through a multi-stage filtration process before blending our base oils together to reach target THC to CBD ratios and a standardized cannabinoid potency of 25 mg/ml. We use only whole plant oils in our edible products, not fractionated oils, which makes them more effective at lower doses because of superior bioavailability.

Our product ratios and potencies are exceptionally consistent from batch to batch. We know that every person has a different sensitivity to cannabinoids and it is important to us to make products our customers can trust to provide a consistent experience every time.

We are an independent small business, and back in 2019, we chose to become Sun+Earth Certified. In fact, Luminous Botanicals was the first product manufacturer to ever be Sun+Earth Certified! That means our products are made in a chemical-free environment, from regenerative organic cannabis and certified organic oils, by people who make a living wage with benefits, inside a company that is working for cannabis legalization and spreading the gospel of regenerative agriculture. And we aren’t trying to take over the world or pump up the company value for a quick sale. We are focused on building a right-sized regional brand that enriches the quality of life for people in our community.

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Tia : Why do you think people would choose Luminous Botanicals over any other brands?

Devan & Sally : People who choose Luminous want effective, whole-plant medicine that puts them in control of their cannabis experience. They want to buy from a company that they can feel good about supporting. And it doesn’t hurt that our products are multi-use: our Tonics are edible, topical, and sensual. One bottle does it all!

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Tia : Do you have your own delivery system or are you working with third-party delivery services?

Devan & Sally : We do most of our deliveries ourselves. We find that deliveries are valuable opportunities to connect with our retail partners. We do use a delivery service called Dreamfield to service some accounts that aren’t in the Portland metro region.

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Tia : How do Luminous Botanicals maintain transparency in their product line from seed to sale?

Devan & Sally : As part of being Sun+Earth Certified, we only use cannabis that is also Sun+Earth Certified. That means the cannabis is grown under the sun, in the soil of mother earth, without chemicals, by fairly-paid farmers. As part of our commitment to the standard, we use only third-party certified organic ingredients in all our products. Another way that we maintain transparency is by posting the laboratory Certificates of Analysis for every batch of every product to our website.

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Tia : How do cannabis consumers benefit from using naturally-grown, pesticide-free cannabis products?

Devan & Sally : So many ways! But besides the obvious benefits to our personal health, choosing natural, pesticide-free cannabis is better for the health of our planet, which actually makes the experience of consuming that cannabis feel so much better!

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Tia : Where do you get cannabis for your products? Do you grow weed yourselves?

Devan & Sally : We don’t grow anymore. When we first started Luminous Botanicals, CBD flower was almost unheard of (hard to imagine, now). We had a 12-plant medical grow where we grew only AC/DC (a CBD-dominant strain) for our extraction purposes.

Today we source all of our cannabis flower from two family-owned and operated farms in Southern Oregon. East Fork Cultivars provides our CBD flower, and Phoenix Rising Farm provides our THC flower.

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Tia : How do you extract oil from the flower? Do you have your own specific approach?

Devan & Sally : See above for more information about our lipid extraction process. Our approach is to maximize the diversity of minor cannabinoids and terpenes by blending together many strains in each batch, usually at least 10, so that we are making the fullest-of-full spectrum products.

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Tia : How should customers consume your Cannabis Tonics? Can we get a step-by-step guide for our readers?

Devan & Sally : Our Universal Cannabis Tonic is a versatile multi-use tincture that can be used for precise oral dosing, topical relief, or as a sensual enhancer in the bedroom. The tonic is available in three blends: Sky is a THC-dominant, 9-to-1 ratio of THC to CBD. Meadow is a balanced 1-to-1 ratio, and Earth is a CBD dominant 1-to-9 ratio of THC to CBD.

For oral use, we always recommend starting with a small amount and gradually working your way up to an effective dose level. Because our products are so carefully formulated, they are a perfect choice for new cannabis consumers who aren’t interested in smoking, and those who want to explore the benefits of cannabis without the risk of taking too much and having a negative or uncomfortable experience. We recommend starting with ¼ dropper, or a .2ml (5mg) dose of any blend, and then waiting until the next day before trying a larger dose.

For topical use, there isn’t much concern about overdoing it, so just rub it into sore muscles. For a great night’s sleep, try a hot foot bath followed by a foot massage using Sky Blend.

For sensual use, apply liberally as a sensual lubricant. THC seems to be what enhances feeling and makes orgasm feel stronger, while CBD can be useful for delaying orgasm or for reducing discomfort for anyone who experiences pain during or after sex.

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Tia : What are your personal favorite strains to smoke?

Devan: I am so so fond of Fatso. It makes me feel clear and serene. Perfect for a bedtime drift.

Sally Alworth : I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I rarely smoke. Since we started Luminous, I mainly use our products! When I do smoke, I’m a fan of Wesley’s Wish from East Fork Cultivars – CBD strains make my body glow.

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Tia : Are there any brands/growers you appreciate and follow?

Devan & Sally : We appreciate the other small Oregon-owned and operated companies that were started under the medical program that is still standing today. And all of the Sun+Earth Certified farms in both Oregon and Washington are an inspiration to us.

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Tia : If you could smoke with anyone on this planet, living or dead, who’d that be and why?

Devan : [tooltip title="Timothy Francis Leary" content="US psychologist and writer, known as an advocate of psychedelic drugs. He was arrested several times for possession of marijuana."]Tim Leary[/tooltip]. I want to hear him laugh in person.

Sally : My French Canadian grandfather. He passed away when I was very young, and I don’t remember him very well. The family legend says he met my grandmother when he and his brothers were running liquor through the Green Mountains of Vermont during Prohibition. You know he’d have some stories to tell.

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You can follow Luminous Botanicals at:

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Thank you so much, Luminous Botanicals team, for taking the time to do the interview. To learn more about them, head on over to their website.