Quincy based Mary Palmer keeps winning cannabis awards
Interview with their co-founder, DJ Stenny
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Quincy, Massachusetts based, Mary Palmer after winning dozens of awards from the High Times Cannabis Cup to local competitions, they’ve firmly established themselves as a cannabis brand on the rise. Fresh off their latest wins at The Harvest Cup held earlier this month in Worcester, I had the opportunity to interview their co-founder, DJ Stenny.
You go by DJ Stenny? How did you get that name?
My whole life growing up in Quincy, I've been called “Stenny”, my father had gotten the nickname while serving in the Navy, the members of his crew would shorten his last name from Stentiford to Stenny. After I got out of the Marines I started to DJ in the Boston area and it was an easy choice to brand and market the nickname that I already had.
When and why did you start Mary Palmer?
My girlfriend Lynne Spinney and I started Mary Palmer in the fall of 2018, we wanted to create a beverage to help people. We made a THC-infused beverage to compete at the inaugural Commonwealth Cannabis Cup held at the Boston Freedom Rally. About two months later, we entered The Harvest Cup’s competition and won first place, sweet edible.
Where do you create your Mary Palmer products and source the CBD?
Most of our products are formulated in our kitchen by us. We have a local production partner for a few products that we don't have the equipment for. Our CBD is sourced both locally and nationally.
The Harvest Cup 2020, you took home six first place wins and four runner-ups, ten awards total. Tell us about some of those awards and entries that you submitted.
Well this was a unique year, with no events going on we focused on the contest. There were definitely a few products that we weren’t too sure about how the judges would perceive them. We entered medicated stuffed pepper and infused pickle in the “savory” category and both did really well with pepper in second place and our pickle taking first place.
The other product that we were really happy with was the rose lotion, it was our first time using it in the competition and it won first place for CBD topicals. For winning the CBD topicals category we were awarded a set of Kyle Camyre’s hand blown Blingin’ Beads and a Mohawk Glass water pipe.
The other category we were pleased to win was “sauces, syrups, and condiments”. Last year we made an infused BBQ sauce that came in 2nd place. This year we made a stone ground honey mustard that came in second place and a 24K infused white truffle oil.
Did you ever expect to win all these awards?
Honestly we enter a contest like the harvest cup for our own research and development, how else can you get opinions and feedback from local industry leaders? Never in our lives did we think we would win. We just try to make the best products that we can, if the judges like them we are honored.
What are your best selling products?
Our best selling products are the CBD tinctures, our Best Buds dog treats and the CBD Gum.
You’ve got the Best Buds dog treats, tell us about that?
If you have seen our dog treat bags our dog Charlie is front and center on the package doing a yoga pose looking all Zen like. We first started making the treats to help him with separation anxiety and inflammation in his hips, then noticed that they helped him with fireworks and other things.
Research has shown that pets have an Endocannabinoid System (ECS), just like humans do. This means that the endocannabinoid receptors in the body are able to interact with CBD and use it to promote an overall balance.
What’s next for Mary Palmer?
Finishing the Cannabis Control Commission’s economic empowerment program and a host community agreement for a manufacturing license (adult use cannabis), we are currently working on the paperwork.
What do you think about the state of legal cannabis in Massachusetts?
I think this state is the forefront of cannabis in the United States, our medical and home grow rules are awesome. I'm not sure how many other states let every adult cultivate six plants per person.
If you could get elected city/town or state house officials to take action what would you ask them to do?
Get the ball rolling on recreational cannabis in the city of Quincy, change the designated green zones.
What are you hoping to see as far as changes on the federal level in regards to hemp/cbd and thc?
I would love to see hemp get the credit it deserves for textiles, hempcrete and hempwood, that would change the way we are farming in the United States. I’d also love to see the research and development that should go into the healthcare side of things, Research and development on how cannabis helps with PTSD and fighting cancer.
Any advice for budding local cannabis entrepreneurs?
Start growing, get involved in your local community, start networking and find like minded individuals. Like any business an entrepreneur must know all parts of the business, I'd say growing and understanding the plant is one of the most important parts.
Anything you want to bring to the attention of our readership?
Currently in MA, it's against state law for CCC-licensed companies to source CBD or other hemp-derived cannabinoids from MDAR-licensed hemp producers, or even to stock CBD products that were produced under a hemp license. This doesn't make any sense! MA hemp companies are struggling, and farmers are going out of business, meanwhile, CCC-licensed companies want to source from hemp but this one line of the law makes it impossible and illegal. My friend Hillary drafted a bill to change this, which just became Amendment 166 MA Hemp Industry Survive and Thrive (Amendment 166 to S. 4 Senate FY21 Budget). With the support of fellow advocates, I was able to find a Senator to file it as an amendment to the Senate budget and so far, four more Senators have signed on as co-sponsors. Please - if you live in Massachusetts, email your Senator and call them first thing in the morning.
Ask them to support Amendment 166 to the Senate Budget, the MA Hemp Industry Survive and Thrive Amendment.
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