Green Bodhi has a motto, “intention is the start and the finish.” They say "Cannabis is the vehicle we’ve chosen for sharing our intention to help alleviate suffering in the world and those with whom we are connected. We take great care of the soil and our plants, knowing that the end product – the seed and the flower – are going to our community and to people who use it for mental, physical, or emotional relief. Keeping this at the forefront of our mind while breeding and cultivating gives Green Bodhi a strong sense of purpose and is at the core of who we are."
Owner and founder of Green Bodhi, John Bayes, has been a central figure in the cannabis industry in both California and Oregon over the last 20 years. His approach is truly unique, incorporating Buddhist teachings with cannabis cultivation education to infuse intention into the practice of growing cannabis. Acting as a consultant in the cannabis industry at every level, John has worked with state and national-level politicians to educate, inform, and promote the safe use of cannabis throughout the country.
Green Bodhi seeds have quickly gained cult status in the cannabis community. Their plants are known for strong yields, pungent aromas and unique and pronounced terpene profiles. The team behind Green Bodhi is made up of passionate growers, preserving and developing progressive genetics and organic cultivation practices to deliver you a stunning range of cultivars now available on Seedsman.
We sat down with John Bayes to learn more about where they've been and where they're heading next.
Seedsman Meets Green Bodhi
John, thanks for talking to Seedsman. Can you tell us a little about Green Bodhi and how it came to be?
While we’ve been cultivating and involved with cannabis for a decade prior, Green Bodhi was born in the jungles of Peru in 2005. I met an Andean teacher, Armando Muñoz, who shared his knowledge of the local plants and how they support our own growth, health and healing. Being cannabis farmers, this deeply resonated with us, and upon returning to Oregon, Green Bodhi began in earnest as an outward expression and vehicle to share our passion with the cannabis community.
Browsing the forums, you guys have built a steady, passionate following. Why do you think your strains have connected so deeply with those who've grown them?
We have a few thoughts on why this might be. At Green Bodhi, we focus on genetic and specifically terpene diversity. The industry has generally gone in a singular direction, and while we love these strains too, cannabis is an entire universe of possibilities. We treat breeding as a treasure hunt – we’re looking for uniqueness first, then select for plant vigor, health, disease resistance, and yield. Our order for how we select may be the inverse of most in the space right now.
There’s also an element of breeding and growing that is intangible. We base our decisions on both qualitative and quantitative data and still there are times where a strain checks all the right boxes but the effects weren’t special, and vice versa; a line we’re working produces something unexpected, and the result is something that feels a little like magic. Being open to this possibility and having an eye to recognize it when it happens is where the art of breeding supersedes the science.
Why have you joined up with Seedsman? We're stoked you're here!
We are so happy to be partnering with you, as well! Recent changes to laws regulating seeds have opened an avenue to share our products with consumers far beyond our home state of Oregon, which is something we’ve been unable to do compliantly until now. Seedsman’s reputation as the premier vendor for seeds in the U.S. and Europe precedes itself, so it didn’t take much convincing when deciding who to partner with in this endeavor.
This industry changes at such a rapid pace, and sometimes not at all. How does your team ensure you're prepared for whatever comes next?
While the industry is prone to rapid changes, we’re forging our own path and feel this is the best way to stay relevant and not have the ever-changing current of the industry affect us. We believe deeply in preserving the old-school genetics that are getting lost in today’s world and currently manage a large genetic collection of over 100 individual strains and more in seed form. We have a lot of unique genetics in the pipeline and can’t wait to offer those to Seedman’s customers in the U.S. and Europe.
There's an innate feeling of spirituality attached to your seedbank. Where does this come from?
Philosophy and spirituality is an integral part of our life, working parallel and intertwining itself into all aspects of our business. It’s one of the lenses with which we engage in everything we do. We’ve been studying and practicing Buddhism for over 20 years, traveling the world to attend teachings and retreats. We’ve tried our best to integrate the core of these teachings into our breeding and cultivation. We infuse an altruistic intention of helping others, our plants, and our planet with one of the things we love most, cannabis. Our intention is to serve this plant and all the people that connect with it, so they can utilize it to create more happiness and joy in their lives.
Beyond breeding, what do you guys at Green Bodhi feel passionate about?
We are passionate about organic-soil cultivation, which we feel is important and produces a flower that is quite different from its hydroponically and synthetically grown counterparts. We enjoy sharing this with people who use cannabis for both medicinal and recreational purposes, because there is a noticeably different quality to the flavor and, more importantly, the effect. We’d like to see this method used more in the industry and are open to collaborating with cultivators to transition their systems to a more regenerative process.
We are also committed to philanthropic endeavors such as Wells of Dharma (@wellsofdharma), which builds water wells in rural villages in India, and The Dalai Lama Library Learning center in Ithaca, NY. We have done our best to set Green Bodhi as an example of stewardship and community leadership and have been supported immensely in these projects by our industry friends and family.
If someone hasn't grown a Green Bodhi strain, where do you think they should start?
This is a tough question as the relationship between plant and grower can be quite personal. It depends on what their needs and uses are, as well as what flavors and effects they enjoy. We aim to provide well-rounded options. For those who prefer a more focused and creative feel, we’d point them towards Hazy Kush S1 or our Golden Pineapple S1, two cultivars that Green Bodhi is most well known for. Or, if someone is looking for relaxation or pain relief, we’d recommend our LA Kosher Kush (Kosher Kush x 78 LA Affie) or Platinum Affie 78 (Platinum GSC x 78 LA Affie), both of which are limited releases.
A superb range of exciting Green Bodhi genetics is now available at Seedsman.com
