By Heather Egger

Rooted in craft and driven by purpose, BC’s Royal Harvest Cannabis has earned a reputation for growing premium, small-batch flower that honours the legacy of artisanal cannabis. From standout strains to sacred intention, Royal Harvest blends time-honoured methods with visionary ambition, proving that love and discipline are as vital to cultivation as soil and sun.

At the helm is Kevin Varner, a grower with over 35 years of experience, who started cracking seeds at age 12 on his mother’s windowsill in Nova Scotia. Raised in a community where cannabis was medicine—not contraband—Kevin saw firsthand how the plant could ease pain, strengthen bonds, and give back. “At a young age, we weren’t taught about the money you could make off it,” he recalls. “We were taught how to help elders with cancer. It was always about healing and family.”

That mindset still guides Royal Harvest today. Kevin’s approach is deeply personal—shaped by a difficult upbringing, a sense of spiritual calling, and a fierce belief in the plant’s potential to transform lives. “Cannabis is one of the original sacred plants,” he says. “It doesn’t need modification to be great. It just needs care.”

Royal Harvest’s grow philosophy reflects that reverence. Kevin stays true to his roots as a “gorilla grower,” cultivating in soil and hand-watering when possible. “Even as we scale, I want enough plants that each one gets looked at every day,” he says. His feeding program, based on years of refinement, has been honed to the point that he could teach it to anyone, even someone who’s never grown a plant before. “I’ve built a system that produces top-tier cannabis on any scale. It’s consistent, replicable, and built from experience.”

All flower is hang-dried and hand-trimmed with quality checks at every step. “To become the best,” Kevin says, “you have to skip no corners. That’s the truth. It doesn’t matter how big we get—every plant still needs love.”

That dedication shows in the product. Frosted Fruitcake, one of Royal Harvest’s flagship strains, has become a signature favourite for its Froot Loops-and-gas profile and full-spectrum effects. “It hits on every level—recreational, medical, emotional,” Kevin says. “I smoke a lot, and I’m picky. This one’s a no-brainer.”

Another standout is Korzie Kush, a Gelato 45 x Triangle Kush cross named in honour of Kevin’s late business partner, Korzanowski. “We released it in his memory. It sold out in BC almost instantly,” he says. “The reviews, the messages we’ve received—he’d be proud.”

Though currently focused on the BC market, Royal Harvest is scaling strategically, with new facilities in Kelowna and a state-of-the-art greenhouse on the Sunshine Coast. The latter will support solventless extracts, live rosin, and matched SKU product lines, such as Frosted Fruitcake flower and corresponding rosin. Kevin’s goal is to collaborate with skilled hashmakers and support their transition into the legal market: “It’s not just about Royal Harvest. It’s about all of us—bringing our experience together to elevate the whole industry.”

Location: Various facilities across BC

Website: royalharvestcc.com  

Instagram: royal_harvestcc1

Available in: BC

Connect with Sweetgrass Cannabis

Location: Ymir, BC (near Nelson)

Website: sweetgrasscannabis.ca

Socials: @sweetgrass_organic (Instagram) @SweetgrassCann1 (X)

Available in: BC, Manitoba, and Canada-wide via their medical platform

By Heather Egger

Edmonton’s Partake Cannabis is redefining what it means to produce craft cannabis. Founded in 2018, this small-batch producer has made a name for itself by staying true to the principles of artisanal cultivation. From the first seed to the final product, every step in the process is handled with precision and care, ensuring that consumers receive the highest quality cannabis. Let’s dive behind the label to explore the practices that make Partake stand out in Canada’s craft cannabis market.

Unique Practices: Crafted with Care

With a flower canopy just a bit larger than a micro-grow, Partake may be one of the smallest licensed producers in Canada, but their impact is substantial. Their tiny production team of just ten people doubles as an in-house focus group, ensuring every decision is rooted in knowledge and passion for the product.

Every aspect of their cultivation process is designed to preserve the plant’s natural integrity. They grow their cannabis in organic soil, using teas and organic nutrients to foster the plants without pesticides. Hand-watering, hand-trimming, and hang-drying whole plants are just some ways they maintain the highest standards. The result? Non-irradiated, pesticide-free, and consistently exceptional cannabis.

Their strain selection is equally meticulous. Partake’s upcoming release, Rainbow Zkittlez, is set to make waves with its super sweet, candy-like flavour profile and up to 5% terpene content. It’s a popular strain in California but a newcomer to the Canadian market. Also, their Orange Squeeze is a Sativa-dominant cross of Mimosa and Orange Tree that boasts a fresh citrus aroma, like cutting into a ripe orange. Available in prerolls, 3.5-gram, seven-gram and now 28-gram packs, this strain promises a powerful sensory experience. 

Brand Story: Cultivating Quality

Partake’s journey is rooted in a deep respect for the plant and the consumer. CEO Michael Roellinghoff says it best: “Our customers appreciate a good smoke and know that great cannabis takes meticulous care.” Master Grower and co-founder Landon Yarmuch shares this approach, focusing on finding strains that excel in visual appeal, consistency of grind, taste, and smell. As Landon explains, “We prioritize terpenes because they carry the THC and create the effects—THC alone is the last thing we are looking for.”

Looking to the future, Partake is set to expand its offerings through an exciting partnership with Palm Gardens. Known widely for their Watermelon Sugar – the best flower in Grow Up’s 2023 Canadian Cannabis Championship  – Palm Gardens will now have their products trimmed, packaged, and distributed by Partake. This partnership promises to make Palm Gardens’ popular flower more consistently available. 

Production Process: Organic and Hands-on 

The magic behind Partake’s cannabis begins with their commitment to organic and hands-on practices. Each plant is nurtured in organic soil, hand-watered, and attended to daily. This level of care ensures that each plant thrives, and the team takes pride in the fact that they’ve never lost a plant in the flower room.

Once harvested, the cannabis undergoes a whole-plant hang-dry in cold rooms, followed by a three to six week cure to lock in the aroma, flavour, and potency. The meticulous drying and curing processes are crucial to maintaining the quality that Partake’s customers have come to expect.

Website: https://partakecannabis.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/partakecannabis/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/partake-cannabis-inc/