Running One of The World's Premier Cannabis Competitions

If you want to know if you're smoking the best flower out there, don't stop at just the strain name. Go further into the rabbit hole and explore where it's grown, how it's made, where it comes from. Better yet, choose a product featured at The Emerald Cup—the ground zero for cannabis competitions built to judge the best weed on the market.

On this week's episode of The Plant Lady, Jackie chats with founder Tim Blake and his daughter Taylor about the upcoming award show, which will take place in Northern California in May. The 19th annual competition brings together the top cannabis producers from all over California to show off their product in over 50 judgeable categories. The categories range from flower, cartridges, pre-rolls, solventless and BHO concentrates, and edibles to alternative cannabinoids, innovative products, photo, and dispensaries.

The Emerald Cup started out as a small competition between friends when Tim and his grower pals would try each other's weed and pick which one really hit the spot. Before legalization, that's really all they could do as both producers and consumers feared prosecution. But since those more low-key, informal days, the loud and proud community expands each year alongside the cup, always priding themselves on authenticity and keeping genuine cannabis culture thriving.

As of 2021, the cup began hosting a festival-style celebration since their one off competition wasn't enough time for producers to share space and talk shop. With the legal industry growing as each year passes, the latest developments in plant genetics and infusions needed a place for exposure. And so, the Emerald Cup Harvest Ball was born, running each December before the May awards show.

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