IYKYK CAM - Cultivating the Future for Women in Cannabis

CAM is an employee driven, woman-owned cannabis business. CAM is a full believer in the healing powers of cannabis, always focusing on quality over quantity. CAM always works to keep the genetics of their gardens fresh by rotating their menu with a balance of bold, new cultivars along with timeless favorites. Written by Randy Villarba

CAM is an acronym for California Artisanal Medicine and compassion is the tempo of its heartbeat. Compassion is the core value and guiding principle behind everything they do. As a legacy cultivator from the medical cannabis era, CAM grew out of California’s capital of Sacramento.

CAM is an employee driven, woman-owned cannabis business. CAM is a full believer in the healing powers of cannabis, always focusing on quality over quantity. CAM always works to keep the genetics of their gardens fresh by rotating their menu with a balance of bold, new cultivars along with timeless favorites.

CAM's goal is to preserve and protect high quality cannabis genetics as well as cannabis culture within the United States. Constantly improving on their cultivation and production practices, CAM continues refining their own methods in order to further evolve and perfect the level of their cannabis products.

Cultivating the Future for Women in Cannabis

Anna Willey was the first woman to open a dispensary in Colorado. Willey then brought her expertise to California in 2018, where she is now the current CEO of CAM.

"The three main values that hold the whole CAM family together are people, plants and practice,” explains Willey. “CAM is proudly one of the largest, female-owned cultivators operating in California today."

“Together, we will rise to become the first, woman-owned cannabis brand to distribute to all 50 states and beyond.”

Cultivating the Future for Women in Cannabis

John Cappetta of High Times Magazine speaks nothing but praise of what Willey and the CAM family has been able to achieve in the legal cannabis industry.

“Anna is one of the sweetest and most hard working women in the game,” says Capetta. “While the team she has assembled is second to none, it’s important to note just how much she has taken on on her own thus far.

The Practice

“They always say you're only as good as your last harvest, and CAM takes that as a personal challenge," explains Willey.

"Each time we choose a new strain, plant a new bed, or dry and cure a new batch, we're looking at ways to improve because practice makes progress. We strive to grow people and plants with empathy, respect, and state of the art technology."

The Practice

Over the last four years, California Artisanal Medicine, or CAM, has risen through the ranks from out-of-state transfer to Sacramento home-turf hero. Now they stand on the precipice of bringing a new 2,500 light facility online. Once they flip the switch, it will change the game for CAM and make Willey one of the biggest producing female cultivators in California's recreational cannabis market.

The Plants

By focusing on cultivating and producing the highest quality products, it is CAM’s mission to make the benefits of this plant known to as many people as possible. CAM continually strives to create an experience that matches the level of care and quality they put into every step of the cultivation and production process.

"There are a lot of jars out there these days that reference exotic, world-class, or top-tier status,” says Willey.

The Plants

“We let the flower speak for itself. It's loud enough. We provide cannabis and other natural therapies to individuals in need because we believe this is a vital alternative to allopathic medicine’s potentially harmful tools. We are proud to serve as a working model in the ongoing search for alternative solutions.”

Manzano Gelato (Banana Cream Pie x Jealousy)

Manzano has a dark and almost spiky flower structure. She has a doughy smell blasting off this strain that smells like a pie crust left out to cool in the windowsill. After you start breaking it down, Jealousy rears its head with that telltale purple-and-green color and its floral, varnish-like aroma. Manzano Gelato is like a pie, filled with wildflowers and sweet tarts.

Manzano Gelato (Banana Cream Pie x Jealousy)

Oreoz (Secret Weapon x Cookies n' Cream)

The dramatic burst of color tipping these frosted flowers gives off an appearance we describe as "purple fieri." Right when the lid comes off, you get the unmistakable smell of sweet cream. Inside, things start to get gassy and fruity but with an herbal quality, and while the dry inhale may carry more of the Cookies n' Cream influence, the Secret Weapon gets revealed in the effects.

Oreoz (Secret Weapon x Cookies n' Cream)

Bubba's Girl ('98 Bubba Kush x Girl Scout Cookies)

A combination of old-school '98 Bubba and GSC, the family resemblance on this strain will transport you to an era of hacky sacks and YOLO hats. The dry inhale is an airline cookie dipped in a cup of gasoline, but the taste is a first-class blending of GSC's fruitiness with the earthiness of Bubba, giving you a dense flavor that sinks straight to the bottom of your mouth.

Bubba's Girl ('98 Bubba Kush x Girl Scout Cookies)

Kush Mints (Bubba Kush x Animal Mints)

One of CAM’s most critically acclaimed offerings, these buds are shaped like foam footballs and smell like sugar stored in a wooden box. Kush Mints is soft, minty, and a little musty. Her smell becomes almost like sweet tea once it's been ground up. Kush Mints even carries a hint of grape bubblegum in its flavor. Kush Mints is the kind of weed that makes you feel better just by smelling it.

Kush Mints (Bubba Kush x Animal Mints)

Runtz (Zkittlez x Gelato)

Runtz is a cross between Zkittlez and Gelato; its fruit smell and taste are its trademark and namesake. This cultivar hits right in the middle, with the possibility of offering relaxing and mildly uplifting with euphoric effects. Runtz gets its creamy gas flavor from its Gelato parent, and its sweet fruity flavor from the Zkittlez provides a sweet custard exhale of fuel-like flavor. Dominant terpenes are considered to be Caryophyllene, Terpinolene and Myrcene.

Runtz (Zkittlez x Gelato)

The People

CAM’s aim is to bring people together to experience the best cannabis one harvest at a time. CAM keeps focus on the lifeblood of this industry close to heart and mind. They continue to recognize the culture and the men and women that have helped them grow as a cannabis company.

“CAM is about growing cannabis but also growing as individuals, and as a culture," says Willey.

The People

"The roots we set down as our industry finds its footing are only as strong as the team and the community. As this continues to move forward, may we each take responsibility for our individual, collective, and environmental health while honoring the diversity of the world around us and each other."

Since consensus empowers the individual and the community, CAM utilizes consensus-based decision-making in our organization to respect and honor the talented individuals who have joined us in this mission. CAM is always investing in their own staff and is a firm believer in the old adage that happy people grow happy plants.

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