Banana Kush, Koko Puffs, Milk & Cookies ... CRACKER JACK - the list goes on and on.

If you are familiar with any of these classic Santa Cruz strains, that's all thanks to Farmer Max! For this month's local spotlight, we're going to get to know Farmer Max and learn how this Watsonville-located family farm began.

Even at a young age, Max had a gifted green thumb.

From working with his dad gardening to experimenting with an indoor grow in the ’90s, Max knew a thing or two about farming. However, Max had other dreams and went to college at UCSC for film. Then, after graduation, he moved to Los Angeles and began working in the film industry. 

Eventually, Max got burnt out in Hollywood and went back to his roots (quite literally).

Upon moving back to Santa Cruz, Max began to study horticulture at Cabrillo College. That’s where he met his wife Kristi and began the journey that would lead to his indoor-grown cannabis farm: "Farmer Max."   

Kristi grew up in Colorado before moving out to California, where she attended Cal Poly and earned a business degree. While enrolled in a few prerequisite classes at Cabrillo, Kristi met Max … and the rest is history. With Kristi's business background and Max's horticulture education, they had the perfect skill sets to start a successful cannabis farm.  

Working as a team, Max and Kristi were able to harness small-batch, indoor-grown, true to craft - boutique cannabis.

 They found that by using the latest technology and equipment within their restored 1950's barn, they could grow ultra-high-quality craft cannabis. From this consistently premium product, Farmer Max's connection to Santa Cruz Naturals flourished.

Cracker Jack @ Santa Cruz Naturals

Thanks to Max’s physical proximity to our dispensaries — and the high quality of his cannabis flower —  we enlisted Farmer Max to develop and grow our Santa Cruz Naturals "in-house" strain: Cracker Jack.  

Relationships like ours are why Farmer Max and wife Kristi love what they do. They are helping cannabis businesses while also providing medicine for people that need it within our community. That’s why Farmer Max also collaborates with other local cannabis companies, including Pure Plant Herbals.

 When we asked Farmer Max “Why he loves what he does?” he said: 

 "The ability to be able to grow and produce something that is beneficial to our community gives a certain sense of pride and meaning to the work that I do.

It is also extremely difficult to get your license to work in the cannabis industry so I am extremely thankful and determined to continue growing premium cannabis for our community." 

Farmer Max is enthusiastic to continue growing the strains that we have come to love. He and Kristi have enjoyed being a part of the cannabis movement. When asked why, Max reflected on how far society has come shifting its negative views of cannabis and realizing its potential as a medicine and healing agent.

Keep an eye out in the upcoming months as Farmer Max plans to drop multiple new strains of flower to both of our dispensaries!