Sonoma Hills Farm wishes all a Prideful Summer. We are a family run team of gay and straight friends and partners who love weed. Pride serves as a reminder to us that the best way to live is always as your authentic self. Embracing and standing up for what you believe in, and who you truly are at your core, connects the LGBTQ+ community with other movements, including advocacy for cannabis.
This common bond stretches back through history, linking artists and icons across diverse spectrums and geographies. From the early jazz era, where queer artists like Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith boldly showcased their preferences despite societal stigmas, to the access movement ignited by San Francisco pioneers such as Dennis Peron and Brownie Mary during the peak of the AIDS epidemic.
After decades of queer folks skirting laws and defying authority, in 1991, amidst the height of the AIDS epidemic and driven by the advocacy of the iconic and queer Dennis Peron, San Francisco residents recognized the bullshit and sided with LGBTQ+ leaders and overwhelmingly supported Proposition P, with an astounding 79% voting in favor – wow.
Importantly while this wasn’t a binding legal resolution, it urged police and the DA to “make lowest priority the arrest or prosecution of those involved in the possession or cultivation of [cannabis] for medicinal purposes” and to “allow a letter from a treating physician to be used as primary evidence that marijuana can alleviate pain and suffering,” (Citation: “Proposition P – San Francisco”). This passage marked the first instance where voters could voice their support for cannabis and express a strong desire to safeguard access while curbing excessive police actions, and it set the stage for the next significant milestone in 1996, when California voters passed Proposition 215. This brings us to the present day where despite major issues with Proposition 64 and other states legal frameworks, the plant is now accessible to more Americans than ever before. While too many remain incarcerated and the War on Drugs continues to proliferate, it cannot be overstated that current cannabis consumers owe a significant debt of gratitude to the LGBTQ+ community.
A special shoutout goes to San Francisco’s own Brownie Mary Democratic Club, whose founders, alongside Peron and others, have tirelessly advocated for compassionate access for nearly half a century. Their ongoing efforts continue to enhance access for our community and champion fair regulations that support small businesses.
This prideful month, take a page from the prideful queers on your teams and in your communities… Come out for cannabis everyday and as often as you feel safe to do so.
Prideful Product Releases
Every season, our farm team hand selects a handful of specialty small batch strains from the garden combined into a complimentary flavor blend, and our summer release is a sativa blend called Double Rainbow which releases pride month and runs all summer. This year’s Double Rainbow is Pink Jesus, Blueberry Cupcake, and Melonade8 whipped into a terpey blend to take folks to the pot of gold. 10% of proceeds will benefit Glide Memorial, a center for social justice, dedicated to fighting systematic injustice and pathways out of poverty and crisis, and a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks in San Francisco. They’ve got a grand choir too – praise be!
Behind this release, look out for our upcoming Jazz Joints blend coming late summer with preservation in every pack. 10% of proceeds on sales there will benefit the Preservation Hall Foundation which creates greater awareness and appreciation for traditional New Orleans Jazz and the communities that support it. We’ll also dub those, prohibition czars’ Harry Anslinger’s worst nightmare!