Cannabis News
Ohio grower shifts from speed to execution as capacity catches up
When Klutch Cannabis built its cultivation footprint in Ohio, speed was a priority. Today, their perspective has completely changed. The newest facility is no longer about racing to market, but about execution, consistency and meeting demand. “We’re happy with the production,” says Klutch’s Mike Lentz. “We started the demo in April 2024 and were fully operational by March 2025, which was a big milestone for us.”
From the first plants in the building so far, the cultivation team has already harvested 16 this year, and plans to produce 25+ per year. “A big shout out to the construction teams and partners like Pipp and the design team,” added Mike.
© Clutch Cannabis
More guns, more consistency
The latest expansion doubled Klutch’s footprint, allowing the company to support multiple brands under one roof, including Klutch, Josh D and Cookies. For Klutch’s Pete Nischt, that extra footprint was essential. “This gives us the ability to meet demand.” he says “We’ve been very happy with how he’s been playing.”
The facility runs Pipp double-level warehouses in conjunction with the second generation of the Vertical Air system. For Mike, the new Vertical Air system was immediately noticeable. “The vertical air system allowed us to build large rooms and maintain consistent air distribution.” There’s a lot of consistency in the room, and as a producer, that’s one of the biggest wins,” he says. Consistent airflow, properly sized HVAC, irrigation and environmental controls allow the team to achieve tight parameters in every room. That makes for predictable results and a product the team can support. “It helps with performance. “And at the end of the day, Mike has consistency.”
© Clutch Cannabis
Pete says that even in Klutch’s oldest rooms, vertical storage was a game-changer. “The Pipp rack gave us more than twice the fat in less space,” he says. “That’s huge in a square footage market like Ohio.”
Engineering for producers, not spreadsheets
The new facility was built with redundancy and airflow in mind. The rooms have dual HVAC systems that support about three hundred lights, with airflow capacity that exceeds what the HVAC fans themselves can provide. “There’s no bottleneck airflow. We’re always pushing air through the bucket, which is key.” He pointed out that the plants themselves act to condition the room through transpiration, which only works when the air flow is sufficient. “When the plants are working, they cool the space, essentially creating a natural swamp cooler. If the airflow is low, you’ll get less of the swamp cooling effect, which can create inconsistencies or hot spots in your grow space.” he says “Sufficient air disturbance really helps with energy demand as well.”
Operationally, Klutch doesn’t look for huge performance jumps between installations. Profits come from efficiency. “The design is similar, but the way it works is tighter,” says Mike. “We are working more efficiently.”
© Clutch Cannabis
Quality over trends
Despite pricing pressure and changing consumer behavior, Pete says Klutch’s philosophy hasn’t changed. “There will always be a market for quality cannabis,” he says. “You have to understand the consumer and how they shop.”
That mindset dates back to the company’s early days in the Ohio medical market. “In our first year, we had no marketing, no Instagram, no nothing,” Pete recalls. “It was all word of mouth. People were telling their friends that we had the best cannabis.”
That vision still guides decisions today, from farming to retail. Budtender training focuses on meeting customers where they are, whether they are long-time customers or feeling intimidated at the counter for the first time. “That link from seed to sale is everything to us,” says Pete.
© Clutch Cannabis
Not after THC
Product development follows the same logic. Klutch listens to the market, but doesn’t capture power on its own. “We’ve only had increased THC potency, but that’s far from the whole picture for us,” Pete says. “We rely on quality inputs that represent the flavor, the terpene, the right hardware for consumption, and the experiences of the plant.” He pointed out that our life concentrates are made from whole plants frozen fresh, not cut. Pre-rolls are also made with whole flowers. “A 90% THC product doesn’t always taste good,” adds Pete. “That’s not what we’re looking for.”
Mike agrees, noting that some of the band’s favorite strains are set at lower power. “We have dozens of lower THC strains that we don’t want to get rid of because they’re amazing,” he says. “There is also a request for that.”
In extracts, terpene content often tells the real story. Klutch’s live resin carts regularly hit 15% terpenes or more. Even at lower THC levels, “the effects are incredible,” says Mike. “We can’t keep them in stock.”
© Clutch Cannabis
Pete added that recent regulatory changes to remove THC caps allowed the company to simplify formulations. “We no longer add CBD just to dilute the potency,” he says. “For us, it’s a question of the purity of the product.” Klutch brand products do not include external terpenes, as Klutch relies on the flavor of its own plants. “We stabilize pure, purified terpenes from our material,” says Mike. “They are soft, expressive and faithful to the plant.”
A genetic engine running
One of the biggest quiet upgrades is the significantly expanded mother’s room. Klutch has doubled in size, building a deep genetic library that supports flowers and solvent-free production. “We’re working with 130 different genetics,” says Mike. “At any given time, we’d be running 25 to 50, then spinning.”
Lately the focus has been on strains that clear well for solvent-free extraction, an area where a small percentage of genetics really shines. “That flavor expression you get without solvents is hard to compare,” says Mike. “It’s literally like tasting the garden.”
© Clutch Cannabis
Around 35 new strains are already being developed by 2026, including flowers and solvent-free releases. Pete says the solvent-free program is already pushing the envelope. “We can’t keep it in stock,” he says. “People are driving from store to store trying to collect them all. We’re limiting jars per customer for our small batch line.”
For Klutch, that request confirms the strategy. “That mother room is the engine,” Pete says. “It’s enabling the things we’ve talked about for years, and we’re really excited to show the market what we’re cooking up.”
For more information:
Clutch Cannabis
clutchcannabis.com
Pipp Horticulture
(email protected)
www.pipphorticulture.com
Nevada is one of the most competitive retail cannabis markets in the United States, and Deep Roots Harvest has been betting for years that the way to win is to control everything. 11 cultivation, processing, manufacturing, extraction and retail locations all under one roof, or pretty close to it. Chris O’Ferrell, Deep Roots Harvest’s Chief Cultivator, runs the growing side of that operation in two facilities totaling 30,000 square feet, pushing 500 pounds of harvested cannabis per week and 2,000 pounds of biomass per month.
“The Source and Deep Roots harvest retail team sells 75 kilos of cannabis daily, 500 kilos weekly, over a third of which is in-house to support the High Heads, Neon Moon and CAMP brands. We cultivate, extract, process, manufacture and work the retail locations,” says Chris. “We have one of the largest market shares in Nevada in terms of retail volume and gross sales.”
That volume is produced by 60 full-time employees at the two sites, and the crop program behind it is, by any reasonable measure, built for efficiency and quality. “Many of the genetics in our library consistently exceed 100 grams per square foot, which directly helps reduce our overall cost per gram,” explains Chris. “We operate with a consumer-first approach, focusing on cost consciousness while providing tasty and competitive offerings. We operate below 70 cents per gram, a benchmark that reflects careful cost management. Getting there and staying there has required compressing costs at all input levels while continuing to invest in technology that moves the needle on quality, cost efficiency and performance.”
© Deep Roots Harvest Chris O’Ferrell, Chief Cultivator at Deep Roots Harvest
Genetics as intended by the producer
The transition of light is a clear example of this, as is the case with cannabis. In the beginning, the company used your classic HPS lights. As LED technology advanced, Deep Roots made the switch. However, it wasn’t just about improving energy efficiency. Chris and the team understood that the more precisely the crop was targeted, the better the final product would be. Energy savings don’t necessarily show up on retail shelves, but crop control does, in the form of flowers that express their genetics the way the grower intended.
To achieve this level of control, the spectrum became a critical tool. “We start with the spring setting, using the blue light to regulate the spacing of the interiors and control the spacing,” he explains. “As the plants progress, we move to the summer spectrum until the end of week eight, switching to a broader spectrum light with balanced wavelengths. This increases the red light, along with other parts of the spectrum to more closely replicate sunlight. We also increase the light intensity during the flowering phase to improve the plant’s photosynthetic performance, accumulation and photosynthetic activity. The parameters support the initiation of flowering, accelerate maturation and allow the plant to reach its potential they allow him to fully express his genetics.”
Nothing is left to chance
At canopy level, plants from the two largest facilities are housed in two-gallon coco pots, chosen to accommodate longer growing periods and larger plant structures. The second facility operates stone wool. Both use substrate sensors in connection with fertigation control, and track performance at different growth stages. Dissolved oxygen is injected into the root zone to increase availability, and a chlorine injection system keeps the lines clear of pathogens with a relatively inexpensive cleanup compared to conventional cleaning programs. “A chlorine injection system is relatively inexpensive to implement, replacing approximately $40,000 in other cleaning and disinfection products annually,” says Chris. “It’s all about being ahead of the curve.”
Pest management is entirely biological, implemented in conjunction with mechanical and cultural controls. “We haven’t had any pest problems,” says Chris. “This was also a decision based on reducing inputs while maintaining, if not improving, the quality of the product.”
Genetics is the backbone of cannabis operations and the gas that drives the company’s engine. They receive the same systematic treatment as all other parts of the operation. A steering committee reviews the portfolio quarterly, withdrawing underperforming cultivars and acquiring replacements based on market data from multiple markets, cross-referenced with gaps in the current menu. The criteria are repeatable agronomic performance, yield, potency, distinctive flavor profile and the ability to wash well for extraction, ensuring strong yields for both rosin and resin production. “All genetics need to adapt to the program,” says Chris. “Unique production, potency and flavor expression that fills the void of what we don’t have on the menu. It’s about finding a commercial cultivar that works well and fits the existing infrastructure. All the cultivars we grow now have a similar and predictable growth structure. The difference is the color, the smell, the experience. They are very close agronomically.”
For more information:
Harvest deep roots
deeprootsharvest.com
The veto pen is one of the most powerful tools in the Mississippi Legislature, and Governor Tate Reeves has used it throughout his tenure. This year, his vetoes have mostly targeted public health bills so far, with more to come.
There are three ways Reeves could handle the bills that passed both chambers. He can sign bills he supports and allow them to become law without his signature. He can also block legislation he disagrees with by vetoing a bill or part of it and deferring it to a future legislative session.
As of Wednesday, April 8, he has vetoed four bills, half as many as in the previous two sessions, but Reeves will continue to review the legislation and reject more proposals in the coming days.
Reeves vetoed two medical marijuana bills that passed the Legislature this session, dealing a fatal blow to bills that have already faced friendly chambers. One of the bills, the “Right to Try Medical Cannabis,” contained only one specific provision that Reeves disputed. The original intent of the bill, which Reeves praised, was to expand the opportunity to try medical marijuana to those with debilitating conditions that fall outside the scope of current law.
Read more at Clarion Ledger
PURE Hash Joint Wednesday
B Block -State reports including the latest from Jersey City Police 3; Cannabis Coast to Coast News
The Legendary Origins Of Blueberry Weed
ADVOCACY & CANNABIS DEVICE INNOVATION | DAVIS CLAYTON KIYO
Marijuana Retail Report
Glass House Brands and Vireo Growth Are Easing Into California Cannabis Combo – New Cannabis Ventures
Building Nevada’s most vertically integrated cannabis operation
Marijuana Reform Group Polls Consumers About Freedoms Where They Live Ahead Of 4/20
Why All Eyes Are on Pennsylvania at This Year’s Cannabis Convention in Philly
Wedding Frost Marijuana Monday
“Our system can manage equipment across 10,000+ m² using just a few wires”
Florida Workshop to Discuss What Constitutes a ‘Cartoon’ in Hemp Packaging
Mazar-i-Sharif Hash Wednesday
From Finance to Wellness: Brad Zerman’s Impactful Pivot
Re-release of the full show of Cannabis Coast to Coast news. Republican Texas DA Fires Up vs. laws;
Weak Michigan Cannabis Sales Again in July – New Cannabis Ventures
DEA’s Cole Reverses His “priorities” ; Prohibitionists Dig In; Dead & Co Celebrates 60 years in SF
Your Cannabis Business: Consistent Filings Are Critical
New Hampshire Governor Says Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Won’t Change Her Opposition To Legalization
Texas DA Partakes on Tik Tok to prove a point; Boston Sheriff arrested for Extortion of $ w/ Ascend
-
Cannabis News8 months ago“Our system can manage equipment across 10,000+ m² using just a few wires”
-
Florida8 months agoFlorida Workshop to Discuss What Constitutes a ‘Cartoon’ in Hemp Packaging
-
Video6 months agoMazar-i-Sharif Hash Wednesday
-
Video8 months agoFrom Finance to Wellness: Brad Zerman’s Impactful Pivot
-
Video8 months agoRe-release of the full show of Cannabis Coast to Coast news. Republican Texas DA Fires Up vs. laws;
-
aawh8 months agoWeak Michigan Cannabis Sales Again in July – New Cannabis Ventures
-
Video8 months agoDEA’s Cole Reverses His “priorities” ; Prohibitionists Dig In; Dead & Co Celebrates 60 years in SF
-
Best Practices8 months agoYour Cannabis Business: Consistent Filings Are Critical