Diggs_Terra's relationship with cannabis dates back over twenty years, far before he really got involved in the industry. In his teens, he began cultivating cannabis indoors, a period that took eight years to finish and during which our breeder devoted himself to learning all cannabis growing techniques but, above all, to experimenting. This habit turned into a real passion and the more knowledge he gained, the greater the thirst to learn was.
Around the year 2005, Diggs_Terra decided to focus on the plant's genetics, and he started to select some cannabis samples, on the basis of their valuable features, for later crossing them in order to create new strains. By 2008-2009, he jumped into outdoor growing, using the techniques he had learned while cultivating marijuana indoors.
A city boy
Despite being a city boy raised in Los Angeles, Diggs_Terra had always dreamt of fleeing the metropolis and establishing himself in an isolated place in the middle of the woods for growing cannabis freely. There was something inside him that required more space, fresh air and nature. That was his dream, and he made it come true. He saved up some money and bought a piece of land in the Humboldt Mountains.
"I recall the first time I stepped into the greenhouse, right amidst the mountains. I felt my senses wake up; I became fully aware of what was going on around me, of the reality itself. I passed from having all the commodities found in modern society to having nothing at all, from using the washing machine, fridge, cooker, shower… we all take for granted, to living without any of them. I had to start from scratch in the mountains."
In the piece of land he had acquired, there were two greenhouses. From there, Diggs_Terra began building the rest. He actually had to learn to take care of that piece of land, which he hadn't before. "It was as harsh an experience as it was enriching. Fighting the elements of nature, the pouring rain, the storms, the strong winds… keeps you alert, awakens your senses and connects you with reality, with what is basic in life. This experience reconnects you with nature because you realize that we're, after all, at its mercy, although we tend to forget it.
What I've done is much more than just grow cannabis. I have succeeded in reconnecting with a tune I had long ago stop hearing, a tune that, despite still being there, was waiting for me to play it again. It is not just about moving to the mountains and starting to grow marijuana, it is a complete change of life. It's a lifestyle. When you're done with work, you don't go home and return to civilization. No. You stay there, in the middle of the woods, surviving adverse conditions. Something changes within you when you spend that much time isolated in the middle of nowhere fighting the elements.
Initially, it was undoubtedly a love-hate relationship. Living surrounded by nature tests your body, mind and soul. The easiest things, such as having a shower, become an ordeal. There are things that you finally learn to let go, your prioritization changes and you just worry about your crop, about doing what is best for it. It is an experience that encourages your personal development.
Being here, so isolated, has taught me to understand the different cycles of nature and how to deal with them. We need to find the way back to a harmonious coexistence of human being and nature. We have assumed an invasive position that is negatively affecting other species and the ecology in general. As individuals, we must start using environmentally friendly methods. We must strive for that individual aim so that it becomes a microcosmic reflection capable of provoking a global change.
All these years have been much more than just growing and breeding cannabis plants. It has been a journey of discovery and self-transformation. Many of us were born and have grown in places where nature was nowhere to be found, at least not the type of nature I'm now surrounded by. And, after this experience, I realize that some basic elements of the human condition get lost when we grow in areas without nature. We have turned away from the basics, from the most essential things in life, and we're living on a planet we have disconnected from while trying to stay out of the natural cycle as if that was somehow possible or viable.
If we have a truly global view and understand how these cycles and the ecosystem's equilibrium work, we'll find the best way to communicate with cannabis plants. We'll get to better understand her needs. To put one example, just like some people do yoga for meditating, we look after the area around cannabis plants for communicating with them more clearly. We should bear in mind there're lots of elements interacting with one another and making the plant react.
Cannabis growing and respect for the environment
Diggs_Terra's main priority for the years to come is to expand and develop these concepts, making sure everyone understands growing cannabis and respecting the environment are directly connected since they are both part of a whole, of a natural cycle.
"We want people to see the arts involved in this job because it's not just about money. It's not just about growing one plant either; this is about restoring ecosystems, a necessary thing for both us and the planet.
When I embarked on this journey, I never imagined we would get to where we are today, and let alone, that we would end up supplying our genetics at international level. When I started out, I was obsessed with this plant and her genetics, and all I wanted to do was test her, experiment with her and create new strains. There was some kind of aura of mystery that attracted me towards her and pushed me to make the most out of this plant, all her potential. It was something sacred, as if freedom was calling me. When surrounded by nature, I feel so peaceful inside. Cannabis has actually helped me to rediscover myself through all the things learned while growing her.
I have realized marijuana plants are similar to us. We're both complex, environmentally sensitive and adaptable. Plants have also proved to have an enormous healing potential if used correctly.
It's been a journey with ebbs and flows, based on the observation of the cycles, anticipation of the needs and, above all, on learning to listen. All this process has helped me to slow down and become aware of the many things I still have to learn about myself and about the world around me."
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings" Masanobu Fukuoka
Give the earth back a bit more, Be grateful for what you have, Keep on creating 'till everything is over… and most importantly, don't forget to love Mother Earth since she's the only one we've got. Diggs_Terra