Grower Stories #103: Terry Sardinas

We Are Happy to Interview Terry Sardinas, Bird Valley Organics

AskGrowrs chat with Terry Sardinas, CEO & co-founder of Bird Valley Organics brand. We learn more about the company's unique whole plant full-spectrum oils. In addition, there are some stories worth hearing on how it all started, what makes the brand's products different, and the owners' mission to help the people and the planet feel better by producing whole plant medicine and practicing regenerative agriculture. #growerstories

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Terry Sardinas : I'm a third-generation farmer and a first-generation American. I grew up helping my dad with his guava farm, growing it from a local produce farm to the nation's only supplier of guavas. While that was an incredible time and an exceptional experience with my family, it also showed me the dark side of agriculture. I was exposed to the dangers that conventional cultivation presents to the health of our planet and the health of the folks who grow and consume traditional produce. That led me to look for another way as my partner, Manny, and I set out to establish our farm.

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Tia (AskGrowers) : Tell us how you started Bird Valley Organics?

Terry : In 2011, I moved across the country from Florida to Oakland with my partner, Manny. We set out to become cannabis cultivators, so we packed up a Penske truck with our belongings, our ferrets, and our dogs and drove to California. The day after we arrived, we started classes at Oaksterdam University.

Fast-forward a few years. We were growing Cannabis and making cannabis oils that were way more popular than we anticipated. We initially set out to make great oils for dabbing but soon learned that people were so excited about how our cannabis oil made them feel and helped them heal.

We decided to pivot our company to focus exclusively on helping to heal our planet and the people throughout our state (and hopefully someday throughout our country). It was the start of Bird Valley Organics. We're a regenerative farm, and we produce a line of whole plant full spectrum cannabis oils that address a wide range of ailments.

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Tia : How does your brand differ from others similar to yours?

Terry : In the cannabis industry today, there aren't as many farmers with their brands as there used to be or their farms. With the rise of white labeling, there's a growing disconnect between nature's medicine (Cannabis) and nature. We believe the best cannabis medicine comes from working with nature, not against her. That starts with an appreciation for every step in the regenerative cultivation process. We grow Cannabis alongside our vegetables in a unique way with a pro planet focus.

Additionally, so many farms in the industry today feel the only way to succeed is to farm conventionally, with lab-created inputs that shortcut the natural cultivation process. We've found this to hurt more than it helps. We cultivate regeneratively with a technique called hügelkultur that allows us to grow our plants in a nutrient-rich environment. We don't have to pay for any inputs because they all come from our farm.

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Tia : What's the size of your farm? How many people work in the field to cover all the work?

Terry : We are a 20-acre farm. The field labor fluctuates during the season.

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Tia : Do you use any chemicals while growing your weed?

Terry : We don't use any lab-created chemicals on the farm. We make our plant food using what other people would consider yard trash. The only additive to our farm is a compost tea we create from our farm's compost materials, worm castings, and water.

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Tia : What are the specifics of your cannabis oils? How long can you preserve them?

Terry : From the regenerative Cannabis we cultivate, we produce a line of healing whole plant full spectrum cannabis oils. With a wide range of ratios from our 45 CBD:1 THC High CBD to our 1 CBD:85 THC Rest Relief, our full spectrum oils offer a formula for folx facing a wide range of ailments or with a wide range of wellness goals.

Full Spectrum Oils are a unique cannabis product in the flexibility they give patients. Folx can eat their dose directly, cook/bake with it, add it to a cream or salve for topical relief, or even dab it with immediate, acute relief. Similar to the staples you keep in your medicine cabinet, FSO is just a great product to keep on hand. We like to call it nature's antiseptic.

Transparency to the folx who rely on our products is essential to us. Our full spectrum oils are produced using slow-purge food-grade butane extraction to ensure no solvents remain in the oil after processing. We publish our COAs online at www.birdvalleyorganics.com, so anyone can see the full breakdown of cannabinoids and terpenes in every full-spectrum oil we offer.

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Tia : What product of yours would you recommend for a person who often has headaches and troubles with sleep?

Terry : Our go-to for chronic pain and insomnia is our 1:30 Body Relief. The rich CBC, THC, and caryophyllene profile of this full-spectrum oil work together to reduce pain and inflammation while helping ease your body into relaxation. We often recommend Body Relief for the end of a long day or recovery after exertion.

For acute migraines and chronic insomnia, we recommend our 1:85 Rest Relief. It's our go-to for folx recovering from surgery or looking to offset opioid usage with equally strong cannabis medicine. We often hear from customers that they had their best nights' sleep after taking Rest Relief. It is pretty strong in THC, so we recommend starting with a smaller dose than you might otherwise.

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Tia : Are there any brands in your state you appreciate and follow? And in the USA in general?

Terry : We're very fortunate to be from a cannabis community here in Santa Cruz where the brands around us inspire us every day. The commitment Coastal Sun has to scale their regenerative farm, the passion for genetics and phenotyping cultivars you see from Santa Cruz Canna Farms, the compassion for the community expressed by [tooltip title="Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana" content="Not-for-profit medicinal marijuana collective of patients and caregivers."]WAMM[/tooltip], and the quality you get with Cali Stripe all make us so proud to be a part of a cannabis community holding onto the best aspects our industry's roots while forging a path for environmental excellence moving forward.

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Tia : What is your cannabis consumption routine? Does it affect your work/ life?

Terry : Of course, we're cannabis consumers. We're also cannabis patients. Personally, Cannabis is a part of my wellness routine that I started after a health scare a few years ago. I've seen evidence of the impact cannabis has on my health, so it's a part of my daily routine still today. As a CEO, my cannabis consumption only aids my ability to navigate our ever-changing industry with ease. It helps us to respond instead of reacting to the many difficulties of building a new company. I enjoy smoking and dabbing regularly.

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Tia : Your top strains to smoke? Why?

Terry : Lambs Bread helps me focus and giggle!

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Tia : What are the three main trends in the cannabis industry in 2021 for you now?

Terry : 

1. A move towards regenerative Cannabis: We see a bunch of buzz about regenerative practices. It is driven by consumers who recognize the environmental impact of their Cannabis and are also concerned about the quality/safety of their products. They recognize regenerative is all-around better for people and the planet. People want to know the farmer and cultivate it, so we give farm tours for those who wish to learn about regenerative farming and Cannabis.
2. Diversity in dosing: As consumers get more sophisticated in their reliance on cannabis medicine, they're finding a lack of options in the market to cater to microdosing. A lot of patients are looking to feel better, not just feel high. They recognize the unique wellness microdosing cannabis offers them.
3. Brand transparency: Consumers recognize a 'green rush' into the cannabis industry by brands that care more about the opportunity than they do the plant. More and more, consumers are rewarding brands that share their stories, practices, and values clearly on packaging and their website.

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Tia : If you could have a chance to smoke with anyone on this planet, who'd that be and why?

Terry : [tooltip title="Valerie Corral" content="Founded and ED of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana."]Valerie Corral[/tooltip], she's my hero and the work she's done for decades to make cannabis medicine accessible is an inspiration behind the work we do at Birds Valley Organics.

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Tia : Do you plan to expand your brand with time? If yes, what do you plan to add to your product line?

Terry : Our mission is to help people and our planet feel better with regenerative agriculture and whole plant medicine. We are currently seeking a cultivar for our next whole plant full-spectrum oil, our Day Relief. We plan to continue growing to pursue our mission, informed by the folks who rely on our cannabis medicine.

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Tia : What are your predictions on the cannabis industry for the next 5-10 years?

Terry : We're all going to face a lot of growing pains. From regulations that have unintended consequences to product innovation to building out transparent, reliable supply chains positioned for interstate trade, there's a lot of building that needs to occur between now and reaching a future where all Cannabis is accessible, affordable, and safe.

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