Regenerative agriculture exhibit space doubles as a learning, socializing, and networking hub for farmers of all sizes interested in earth-friendly techniques.
The Emerald Cup Awards enthusiastically maintains its commitment to sustainable agricultural practices with the 5th Annual Regenerative Agriculture Garden Exhibit (RAGE) Lounge, hosted in partnership with Regenerative Cannabis Farming, at The Harvest Ball, December 11 to 12, 2021, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, Calif. The RAGE Lounge is an educational, interactive living exhibit space highlighting farming practices which reverse climate climate and build soil diversity, yielding grape and cannabis harvests internationally acclaimed for their superior terroir and terpene profiles. With a farmers market-like atmosphere, the RAGE Lounge offers consumers an opportunity to meet and mingle directly with the region’s top cannabis growers, attend classes highlighting regenerative growing techniques, and learn, share and connect with farms of all types of size and crops.
“We have a responsibility to our community, to our planet, and to the cannabis plant itself,” says ECA founder Tim Blake. “The RAGE Lounge represents the very best that we can offer in terms of honoring the earth and creating a network of growers and land stewards. It’s a unique opportunity to not only build on our efforts to support small farmers, but to spread these healthy growing techniques across the country and around the world.”
As a result of this commitment, in 2016 The Emerald Cup established the Regenerative Cannabis Farm Award (RCFA) to honor those farms that set the bar for cultivating in a manner that promotes the highest level of ecological health and healing. The following year, the RAGE Lounge was established to bring a living focus to outdoor, sun-grown, and organic farming techniques that serve in sharp contrast to industrial and corporate cannabis operations, and has quickly become a destination event within The Emerald Cup.
“The economic and environmental impacts of the cannabis industry are staggering by any stretch of the imagination,” explains RCF founder Jesse Dodd. “This event and exhibit offer the opportunity to promote farming practices and responsible cultivation methods that can start a ripple effect across the industry, serving as a catalyst for a tidal wave of change that will permeate all farming industries.”
Beyond demonstrations and classes on topics such as making your own plant ferments or building a hugelkultur bed, the RAGE Lounge becomes a congenial, social space where growers meet fellow growers to swap tips, techniques, and technologies. The area itself is transformed into a relaxing oasis of living plants, water features, and interactive exhibits, with plenty of room to grab a seat (or hay bale) and strike up a conversation.
With a focus on the interconnectedness of soil, air, water, and plants, 2021 exhibits include cover cropping and carbon sequestration, hugelkultur, Korean Natural Farming techniques, fermented plant extracts, Biodynamic composting and preparations, rainwater harvesting, Integrated Pest Management solutions, flow forms and vortex brewers, vermiculture and more. This year’s exhibit would not be possible without the generous sponsorship and support of Oara Chocolate, Solful Dispensary, DabLogic, WildSeed Oil, and Moon Valley Organics.
For additional information on The Emerald Cup 2022, Harvest Ball or to speak with founder Tim Blake, Colum Riley, or Jesse Dodd, please contact Kenneth Loo, Chapter 2, [email protected].
Parties interested in exhibiting, sponsoring, or supporting the RAGE Lounge, please contact Gina Gallo at [email protected].
ABOUT THE EMERALD CUP
The Emerald Cup is the world’s premier virtual cannabis destination and iconic live event. While advancing the concept of sustainable, sun-grown farming, the 17-year old organization’s reputation is firmly solidified as the largest, most-respected cannabis competition in the world. As a group, The Emerald Cup prides itself in bringing together leading experts in the cannabis industry to educate and inspire our fellow farmers, patients, and patrons each year. The community celebration has grown to become a global movement honoring the year’s finest organic and sun-grown, cannabis harvest as well as the finest cannabis products available. The Cup has stood as a celebration of excellence and over the years, has seen founder Tim Blake recognized as a guardian of the ever-changing cannabis industry. www.theemeraldcup.com
