WHAT IS CROPTOBER? | HIGH MOMMAS - Alexandra Suárez | @highmommas

While not as famous as 4/20 or 7/10 (dab day), the entire month of October marks one of the happiest times of year for both cannabis growers and consumers with a carefully budgeted stash. If you follow growers and cannabis connoisseurs on Twitter or Instagram, you'll notice the hashtag #croptober trending as autumn approaches.

As you browse your social media feed, you'll see countless photos of freshly harvested cannabis plants that would make any cannabis enthusiast salivate with delight. But what exactly is Croptober, and why is it so important for growers and consumers?

“Croptober is harvest season for the vast majority of sun-grown cannabis,” said Kevin Jodrey, founder of Wonderland Nursery, a farm based in Humboldt County, California. “Most of the cannabis we grow is harvested in October.” Throughout October and even into the first few weeks of November, cannabis crops across the Northern Hemisphere are ready for harvest. While there are certain strains that tend to flower in early September or later in November, Jodrey estimates that around 80% to 85% of cannabis varieties are ready to harvest during the traditional October cycle.

What does Croptober mean for growers?

The importance of Croptober largely depends on the type of grow setup used. For outdoor growers like Jodrey, this is the moment everyone has been waiting for since the previous harvest. This is the time for sun-grown cannabis to shine, the time of year when outdoor plants are bursting into beautiful, trichome-laden flowers that emit an enticing aroma.

The main benefit of Croptober for outdoor growers is quite clear. This is the season where the rewards of their hard work, which begins in early summer, finally materialize. The fields of cannabis plants are harvested and ultimately sold to dispensaries and retailers.

What does Croptober mean to consumers?

While Croptober may seem to have the most direct impact on growers, consumers also benefit during this time, as they can purchase high-quality cannabis flowers at lower prices. After the harvest is complete in October, retailers will soon be stocked with fresh, sun-grown cannabis in November and December.

Although the Croptober price drop isn't as significant as it once was, there's another reason why cannabis enthusiasts and canna-curious tourists are excited. During Croptober, people can visit these farms and get a close look at fully grown cannabis, complete with the aromatic terpenes and esters released during the flowering cycle. As cannabis legalization spreads and the general public becomes more informed about the plant, growers like Jodrey see Croptober as an opportunity for tourists to experience this magnificent plant firsthand before it reaches the market.

“Croptober isn’t as impactful (to the market) as it used to be, but it’s still culturally impactful,” Jodrey said. “I think that familiarity is what’s so wonderful about outdoor cannabis, because it starts to connect the normalcy of growing cannabis with agriculture, just like any other crop.”

Alexandra Suárez

@highmommas