Featured Brand: Sonoma Hills Farm
At a Glance
Category: Flower, Pre-rolls
Type: Sungrown
Region: Sonoma Valley - Petaluma Gap appellation.
Heritage: Owner-operated, First Generation Farm, Food & Wine Country Heritage
People: Aaron Keefer (VP of Cultivation), Mike Harden (Co-founder, CEO), Shauna Harden (Founder), Joyce Cenali (Co-founder, COO), Samuel Magruder (Co-founder, Head of Development)
Certifications: Sun+Earth, OCal, CCOF
Ethos: Regenerative, Sungrown, Craft, Food & Wine Country, Community-Oriented, Activism
Price: Mid-range
Overview
Sonoma Hills Farm is where food & wine meets cannabis. The farm aims to bridge cannabis with Sonoma Valley’s rich agricultural legacy by introducing craft cannabis into the farm-to-table lifestyle. The first certified cannabis farm in the U.S., Sonoma Hills Farms uses regenerative farming practices to produce unique cannabis strains in harmony with nature.
The Heritage
Legacy grower Sam Magruder, the original breeder of the Pink Jesus strain, co-founded Sonoma Hills Farm with Mike Harden and Joyce Cenali. Joyce and Mike first began working together to operate and fundraise for an RSO oil company for patients pre-Prop 64. When Prop 64 passed they vowed to one day build a farm that would create clean cannabis medicine. With this intention in mind, they partnered with Sam Magruder to found Sonoma Hills Farm.
The SHF team thoughtfully chose their land in the Petaluma Gap for its optimum soil and growing conditions. This region is famous for its wine as the wind that flows through the Petaluma Gap (a 1 mile wide gap in the mountains along the ocean) extends the growth time of grapes by several weeks. Now this area has become known as the Terpene Belt as the strong winds help the cannabis plants to produce more oils.
The SHF team was later joined by Aaron Keefer, the former culinary gardener for the Thomas Keller Group & The French Laundry. Keefer began his restaurant career in California as a chef. His passion for ingredient sourcing led him into the garden, where he ultimately began to pursue botany as a profession. His love of plants, and obsession with how to produce the most exquisite crops, extended to the cannabis plant. Now, Keefer serves as the Vice President of Cannabis Cultivation and Production for Sonoma Hills Farm where he meticulously oversees the process of growing top quality cannabis.
The Ethos
SHF proudly and passionately grows craft cannabis in harmony with nature, and under the light of the California sun, resulting in dynamic cannabinoid and flavorful terpene profiles. By practicing regenerative farming, the Sonoma Valley farm uses agricultural techniques that protect the land and community.
Sonoma Hills Farm is OCal certified, through the California Department of Food and Agriculture -- the first cannabis certification program in the U.S. whose regulations align almost precisely like those of the USDA’s National Organics Program.
The farm is also Sun+Earth certified, meaning SHF gets the official stamp for cultivating regenerative organic cannabis and hemp grown under the sun by small-scale family farmers. SHF takes their regenerative practices very seriously -- their cover cropping puts back more soil into the Earth than they take, making efforts to decrease water usage and reduce their carbon footprint.
Sonoma Hills Farm has also established a culinary garden, called the Chef’s Ranch, designed to illuminate the symbiotic relationship between cannabis and traditional farming. There, permaculturists and Michelin-starred chefs have collaborated to design a farm that grows crops that pair well with both the flavors and effects of the terpenes in cannabis.
SHF is dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding with the Sonoma Valley community, cannabis enthusiasts, and industry professionals. They are committed to showcasing their farming practices and cultivation methods, and sharing insights into the captivating world of the cannabis plant through farm tours, community events, and industry visits.
The Products
Sonoma Hills Farm boasts seasonal releases of flower, featuring both classic and unique strains. They harvest each strain at peak trichome ripeness to ensure high-THC flower with dynamic cannabinoids and flavorful terpene profiles. Some of their Fall/Winter 2023-2024 cultivar releases included Pink Jesus, Durban Biscotti, and Black Diamond. SHF offers single pre-rolls, 5-pack pre-rolls, and 1/8s under their brand name, and they also have an impressive roster of collaborations including:
- Kiva Lost Farm Key Lime Gummies with Grandi Guava
- Kiva Lost Farm Grilled Peach Chews with Cherry Cheesecake
- Vape Pens with Dom Pen + Halara
- RSO with Emerald Bay Extracts
- Infused Beverages with Maison Bloom
- Edibles with Spanky Doodle Dandy's Schweet Treats
- And many more collaborations on the way!
Their flower is available throughout much of California, from NorCal down to San Diego.
Visit the Sonoma Hills Farm website to learn more!