Yesterday I spent a few hours at the San Jose Hemp Con. As I made the short drive to San Jose I let my imagination run wild. I envisioned row upon row of cannabis industry entrepreneurs displaying the latest and greatest. Having never been to anything like this, I didn’t have a clue what to expect. Security at the door was light but they did make me take my video camera back to the car. Of course upon entering I discovered video cameras everywhere.
The front half was open to everyone who paid the $20 dollar entrance fee. I found everything from posters, shirts, tools, and a wide variety of smoking pipes, vaporizers, bongs and various bric-a-brac. The back half was reserved for those who had a valid doctor’s recommendations. Most of the back area was dispensaries from the south bay area who offered their wares at discounted prices. I found scantily clad temptresses and pink haired women with huge snakes as well as a solid selection of Nor Cal’s finest. Granny Purps was front and center with their logo wrapped and lifted Ford Excursion. Their wrap around counter with dozens of smiling faces was definitely a hit with the crowd.
While it’s always fun to say hi to industry friends, I was really there to meet new people and see products just hitting the market. Here is what I found.
I met Steven the President of TrimPro who had a very professional display. He brought along a fairly good selection of their trimmers as well as some bottle jack design hash presses that looked very well made. Steven hinted at a new model of trimming machine for smaller scale jobs at entry level prices. He wouldn’t give me more details just yet, but I’ll be looking for UPS to drop one at my door for an upcoming product review.
I also met Alex from Speedee Trim who was showing off his hand held electric bud trimming shears. With two blade designs for wet or dry trimming, these sharp little suckers looked like they could chew through leaf in no time. While he says they work like magic in experienced hands. The jury is still out until I try them myself.
I met Dennis of GeoPots who has his own version of the cloth designed planting containers similar but possibly better than Smart Pots. A few improvements include better stitching, handles, and a Velcro seam on one side to make transplanting a breeze.
I met beautiful Suzy from Cool Jarz who showed me their colorful line of “earthwise†cannabis packaging. They offer some great options for joints, grams, 1/8th and 1/4’s. Their containers seal so tight they can go through the wash with a load of cloths and still keep your medicine dry. I’m sure that comes in handy from time to time.
I checked out The Da Vinci pocket vaporizers that look a lot like an old school cell phone with the pull out antenna. I played with one for a minute but it seemed like it may be a bit difficult to clean on the fly.
The guys at Mama P’s Wholesome Grinding Company were fun to chat with. They make a great cannabis grinder with multiple sections. They let you grind your medicine while you capture any kief that is knocked loose in a lower compartment. A refillable lighter with a magnetic inlay is imbedded in the top of the lid for convenient storage. Their grinders are definitely a nice product for a very fare price. Did I mention they are made right here in the USA?
The Got Vape crew was there in force with a full display of their cannabis vaporizers. I took the opportunity to pick up a Father’s Day gift for Pops. He’s trying out his new Hot Box Vapors in the garage as we speak.
I picked up a few product fliers from Sohum Seeds and SoCal Seed Co but I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to them. Could be that with my fresh haircut and no dirt under my nails I looked a little out of place.
Last but not least I talked to Brendan Hallinan Attorney at Law. He specializes in medical cannabis counsel in the San Francisco area but plans to open an office in San Jose this year. He was a very approachable and was happy to answer a few of my nagging questions. Look him up if you ever need advice.
So that was San Jose Hemp Con. It was a nice chance to put faces with names and check out some talent. Too bad they wouldn’t let the video camera in.
San Jose Hemp Con 2012,
Thank you for the update on San Jose Hemp Con. I could not make it. I am glade you could and review the best of what is happen around here in the south bay.