Grower Stories #148: Nathaniel Pape

Aerosourceh Develops Various CBD Medicinal Products

The AskGrowers team talks to Nathaniel Pape from AerosourceH about the company’s origins and its focus. Nathaniel Pape sheds light on the brand’s strong focus on CBD’s medical uses, its commitment to aeroponic and sustainable cultivation, as well as what makes for a successful strain. He also talks about what consumers should look for and even names some of his favorite strains to smoke!

---

We are Southern Illinois natives who have a passion for cannabis medicine and the benefits it can bring. Our founder Nathaniel Pape has over 20 years of cultivation experience and has been a pioneer in aeroponic cultivation. He has overseen multi-site operations in Michigan and started large commercial cultivations in Illinois and Arizona.

---

Tia (AskGrowers) : What or who inspired you to get into the cannabis industry?

Nathaniel Pape : Personal experience of relief from pain led to a desire to grow and further access to cannabis for others.

---

Tia : How did you start the AerosourceH? Tell us your origin story!

Nathaniel : We were working as cannabis consultants, and the opportunity arose to get a CBD processing license in Kentucky. The company was started in 2018 by Nathaniel Pape and Dr. Deborah Pape with a group of investors. By 2019, we met our goal of becoming cGMP certified after only a year of operations, which is a very rare accomplishment.

---

Tia : What’s the ethos behind your brand?

Nathaniel : Our mission is to make people’s lives better through our products and by providing a good work environment for our staff.

---

---

Tia : What do you offer in your edibles except for CBD?

Nathaniel : We offer CBD-only and full spectrum cannabinoid profiles on our gummies, but we keep them just cannabinoids -- no other inclusions of herbals or supplements.

---

Tia : What do you think defines the success of the strain?

Nathaniel : Cannabinoid content, terpene content, growth profile. Strains with dense buds and an efficient structure for the space they are grown in.

---

Tia : How can we improve social equity in the Industry?

Nathaniel : Real change has to start with the people. Every effort to induce equity from the top-down has ended with power players scamming the system and has resulted in more concentration of ownership in large, big-money conglomerates instead of empowering people to take control of their own success.

---

Tia : What do you do to maintain sustainability in the company? How do you utilize the wastes? How much electricity do you spend on a daily basis? / Do you use IoT to reduce the spendings on sustainability? / Packaging issues / soil/ water etc?

Nathaniel : Because our aeroponic setup is the most efficient type of grow system, we use less water and fewer nutrients than other facilities. Our non-plant waste is minimal and amounts to net pots, which can be reused or recycled, and clay pellets which are environmentally friendly. On our extraction side, we recapture and re-use ethanol as much as possible. We also source our hemp within our local region to reduce the need for transport.

---

Tia : How do you think your brand is different from the wide range of others similar to yours?

Nathaniel : We are involved in both the aeroponics and CBD segments of the hemp industry. We use our own aeroponic system to produce our smokable flower, rather than growing outdoor, so we have an extremely clean, high-quality finished product.

Our CBD extraction lab is cGMP certified and is a licensed food-grade facility. We produce a range of product types, including niche product forms of CBD, such as nanoemulsions and water-soluble powder, which are less common in the market. Also, our products tend to be formulated with a higher potency than many we see.

---

---

Tia : In your professional opinion, how do you think the customer can be sure he’s getting the toxic-free product?

Nathaniel : Customers should look for a link to a full panel COA on their products. Potency results are great, but without the full panel to show mycotoxins, microbials, metals, pesticides, or other toxins, there is still a risk of contamination or inaccurate potency. Also, choosing a company that is cGMP certified gives assurance that they are observing proper protocols in their production.

---

Tia : What’s your personal consumption routine? What are the top three products that you’re using?

Nathaniel : CBD nano at night, flower, and vape cartridges.

---

Tia : Your top strains to smoke? Why?

Nathaniel : Alien Rock Candy, Milk & Cookies, and Mystery Mountain - each has a balanced effect, and great growth and production.

---

Tia : If you could smoke with anyone in this world, dead or alive, who would that be and why?

Nathaniel : Jesus, cause he probably had the best stuff.

---

Tia : Are there any cannabis brands in your state (or in the USA) you appreciate and follow? Name them.

Nathaniel : Delta 8 Oils in Arizona.

---

---

Tia : What industry would you choose to work in, if not the cannabis one? Why?

Nathaniel : Stock trading or currency markets - both are interesting and potentially lucrative.

---

Tia : Do you work under any affiliate programs to spread your products to dispensaries/delivery services?

Nathaniel : Not at this time.

---

Tia : What’s the number 1 rule when you’re in the cannabis business?

Nathaniel : To paraphrase Craig Ferguson, do what you love and you’re bulletproof.

---

You can follow AerosourceH at:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

LinkedIn: 

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