Artisan farm opens on the island And second Earth Gift dispensary
- sensculture
- Jun 26
- 4 min read
May 2019 - Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico - Two years after the successful opening of their dispensary in Carolina, the Puerto Rican entrepreneurs behind Earth Gift are expanding and opening their second medical cannabis dispensary in Trujillo Alto. They are also showcasing their exclusive artisanal cultivation. This marks another milestone, as this is one of the first boutique-style artisanal cultivations in Puerto Rico, featuring a strain unique to the island.
The artisanal grow operation was developed with an initial investment of $250,000 and covers 2,500 square feet. Only three experts are in charge of the approximately 400 plants that will be there.
The cultivation is under the direct supervision and care of Enrique Domínguez, the grower for the Caribbean Medical Cannabis Center (CMCC), the corporation that manages the dispensaries and the grow operation. This crop features a strain that exists in only two parts of the world: Denver Maple , found at the Ballpark Holistic dispensary in Colorado and now at Earth Gift Puerto Rico. This strain was awarded third place for best medicinal indica strain at the 2014 High Times Cannabis Cup. Denver Maple will be available exclusively to Earth Gift patients. “It has strong aromas and a maple syrup flavor, and it combats pain, insomnia, and loss of appetite. It has a relaxing and heavy effect, but for those tolerant to indicas, it can be effective for depression, stress, and focus,” Domínguez stated.
Domínguez, who is part of the CMCC Board of Directors, proudly explains that “every move we make in this industry creates jobs. With this new dispensary and the grow operation, we generated 21 direct jobs and approximately 60 indirect jobs. Also, all the materials for this grow operation were purchased here from local businesses. The Earth Gift growers are Puerto Rican and residents of the Island, so we know specifically the climatic conditions of Puerto Rico to ensure the crop remains successful,” Domínguez stated.
Luis González Fuentes, president of the corporation, maintains that since opening their first dispensary in Carolina in June 2017, one of their greatest satisfactions has been “contributing to the country's economy, creating jobs, and providing quality products and services. Last year alone, we paid $180,000 in sales tax to the treasury. This greatly helps Puerto Rico's economy.”
The new Earth Gift is located in the Plaza San Miguel shopping center in Trujillo Alto. It will be a replica of the Carolina dispensary, and patients will be able to select and purchase health products such as: edibles (gummies, hard candies, chocolates, peanut butter, cookies, brownies , lollipops, and hazelnut spread), soft drinks, flavored waters and other beverages, wax , flowers, oils, capsules, sublingual drops, all types of vaporizers, and all other accessories for the use of medicinal cannabis. These are the best products from each manufacturer in Puerto Rico.
“Flowers remain the patients’ favorite product because it is the most cost-effective and the only one that contains all the cannabinoids of the flower,” Dominguez explained.
This dispensary, which had an initial investment of approximately $160,000, will include a patient education area. “For us, more than a business, we see this as an opportunity to help improve the quality of life for hundreds of people, and we have seen it, even with our own family members.
Many of them, who had never even tried marijuana in their youth, decided to trust medicinal cannabis products, and their health has improved by more than 50%. Through them, I realized the importance of education. That's why at Earth Gift in Trujillo Alto, we'll have a certified budtender who, by appointment, will attend to patients to educate them on how to use the products according to medical recommendations. How should they consume edibles ? How do they use a grainer (a device for grinding the flower)? How do they use a vaporizer? Which one is best according to their needs and condition? We'll explain what an indica strain is for and what sativas are for. Because even though doctors explain it to them, patients arrive at the dispensary with many questions,” said González, who has been celebrating winning the PR Island Cup since 2017 for maintaining the best budtender team on the island at Earth Gift .
Both Earth Gift dispensaries are managed by women. The one in Carolina is run by Vidaliz Vázquez Morales, and the one in Trujillo Alto by Simara Rodríguez Poll.
Likewise, and for the benefit of patients, with this opening Earth Gift will provide the ease of helping patients obtain or renew their medicinal cannabis licenses online, by phone or from the dispensary itself in Trujillo Alto.
González confirmed that a third Earth Gift dispensary is scheduled to open in late 2019 or early 2020. Following this opening, the next step will be to focus on product manufacturing.
This dispensary will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., phone 787-436-3638. You can also follow them on social media: Facebook and Instagram.
*Some images provided by EarthGift
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