Hey abby Grower Story:
GrizzlyBud

From Code to Cultivation—Moving at the Speed of Plant

Every grower’s journey is unique, shaped by their passions, skills, hobbies, and the paths that led them to cannabis cultivation. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce a grower whose story bridges the worlds of innovation and tradition.

This seasoned cultivator, also a former programmer, seems to have a knack for problem-solving, and helping others! In this interview, we explore how his technical background and hands-on expertise have shaped his approach to cultivating at home. From his previous experience, to expansion, and experimenting with precision techniques, he walked a unique path to cannabis cultivation.

So, let’s dive in and get to know this remarkable grower—a craftsman of both code and cannabis—GrizzlyBud!

Hey abby: So tell me a little bit about how you kind of discovered cannabis personally. When did you first start smoking, and what kind of pulled you into the culture?

GrizzlyBud: Hippies. Back in the 60's, haha, it was a kind of a thing, you know? I never liked drinking—never did. My parents drank a lot, a lot of my homeboys and girls of that age did too. Everybody was all about beer. I just found better times with cannabis! Of course, the penalties then were were interstellar... I mean, especially where I grew up in Virginia-on the east coast! It was like, you would disappear forever.

Hey abby: Oh my gosh.. Isn't that crazy?! Ugh, that blows my mind!

GrizzlyBud: It was, but that's really the way it was back then. As for how I got drawn into it, it was such a long time ago. That's why you always hear me talking about land races and stuff—because that's all there was.

Hey abby: Now, do you think your original experience with the land race strains and the hippie era cultural movement turn you to want to start growing? Or did growing come in later? Where does growing fit into all of that for you?

GrizzlyBud: Growing came into play when I started perceiving that what was coming through the door felt tainted in some way. I mean, there was something. I have no idea what it is: maybe it's the molasses they use or the curring process. I don't know, and I don't care. But I felt like it had things in it that weren't good for me, period.

pfff lol I've been growing food since probably as long as you've been alive. So growing wasn't anything new to me. Growing was growing. I always grew food, but not anything else because of the penalties. So that's how I came into growing. I got to a point where I wanted to do something different.

Hey abby: I think it's really cool how our stories are kind of the opposite. I got into growing cannabis pretty heavily at a young age, and it wasn’t until the last six or seven years that I really started exploring food growing. So it's neat that we've taken different growing journeys.

GrizzlyBud: It's synergies. It's the same synergy, just with a different genus, if that makes sense. The process is very similar; the main differences come in how you respond to things. But it's the same thing. Anytime you're growing anything living, it's a good experience in this life.

Hey abby: What inspired you to use Hey abby specifically for growing, and how's that journey been like?

GrizzlyBud: I know that the devil's in the details. When I started learning to play banjo, I didn't pick up and know the right kind of picks to use, the right kind of cables for tuning, or the right strings. There's no way you can know all that; you learn by doing! So the (Hey abby) grow box gave me a platform to learn by doing.

Regardless of what you want to do with it—tomatoes? Great. Basil? Great! You still have to learn what I'm gonna respond to within this micro environment. But that micro environment has some automation to guide you along, until you get to know the path you're walking and avoid going too far left or right.

Hey abby: I totally agree with you. Learning by doing, especially with growing, is the best way to really have that information set in and stick with you.

GrizzlyBud: It's the same with whatever we set to do—whether it's music, growing, carving wood, or writing computer code. It's all the same. You will do it so differently the second time, the third time, even the fifth time, you'll still be doing it differently. That's what humans do; we improve upon what we have learnt before.

Hey abby: Yes, I totally agree. Refining your personal processes and how you do things—it's just a constant journey! How has your view of cannabis, or your connection with it, changed since you started growing rather than just using?

GrizzlyBud: It's much more on an internal level...its not just something you do—it becomes part of you. You grow it, you tend to it, like one of my dogs. I feel bad when I harvest, but it has to be done.

It's just part of the cycle. And again, you can't have any product without that. But, you know, I hate to say "metaphysical" connection, but it almost is!

Hey abby: There's some kind of bond you develop with the plants beyond just the superficial or physical work you do to them.

GrizzlyBud: I saw something a few weeks back that said, "Cannabis isn't addicting, but growing it sure can be." I looked at it and thought, "That is sooo true!" I get something ready and come out, then I'm already thinking, "I want to try that other one. We've got plenty here, but I'd like to try..." Even though I'm still 12-16 weeks out!

Hey abby: That's so true! I sometimes look back on a grow and think, "Maybe if I had just tweaked this a little" or "Next run, if I dry back more during..." you know, something like that! That's a good trait though. Some people don't have that drive for better, and that's completely fine! That's the beauty of this—there's no right or wrong way to do it. If you harvest and you're happy with it and just want to do it again to have more weed, that’s cool too. But I'm the same way; 15 years in, and I'm still always trying to progress.

GrizzlyBud: You know, being a musician, I'll play the same song over and over again because it's part of what we do for an audience. But does that mean I actually like that? No. I want to play something new. You always want to challenge yourself. You always want to go up in a different dimension, if you will. Because when you do that, you're adding to the skill and wisdom. Otherwise, what's the point?

I find that if I keep the little things in balance, it allows me to think on a higher plane. Because I have all the smaller issues that I would normally worry about in check.

Hey abby: There's never growth when you're comfortable. When you push yourself, and challenge boundaries, it's uncomfortable.

GrizzlyBud: Yeah, well there shouldn't be. If you're living in comfort, chances are you're really missing out on something that's going on out there. There are challenges, and I'm not saying every day should be a challenge or a hard time. You just take the eb and flow as it comes.

Hey abby: Yeah, if you plan on growing, you've got to roll with some punches, and adapt, for sure! It's a living thing, and it doesn't always care about us, our schedules, etc.

GrizzlyBud: Yeah, I try to teach that to all the newer people online. It doesn't respond to you (the way you want). Like I always say, "it's a living thing, it doesn't respond to the speed of humans. It moves AT THE SPEED OF A PLANT.

Hey abby: How did you feel after you harvested your first cannabis plant? What was the immediate feeling you had?

GrizzlyBud: It was about the same amount of anxiety I went through yesterday when upgrading my iPhone 13 to 16 pro Max, haha.

Like all people doing that the first time, I wasn't sure I had picked the right moment. I knew how much work had gone into it, and I was so sure I'd done it wrong. Then, as it dried and cured, I was even more sure because it had that hay smell. And I thought, "oh God, I'd read everything and looked at everything online, but of course I did everything wrong!" It was never going to be okay.

But then, it started getting good. Few weeks later, it started getting even better. And then I was elated. That's when I noticed the big difference between that and what was available commercially. And I felt like they are putting something in this. I don't know what it is. Maybe some sort of spray or light water mist to weigh it down, or to make you go for it or on the scale. Who knows?

But mine was just such so clean and different. And the other thing was it's almost impossible to find sativas (commercially); but in this world, if that's what you want, you can do that! That type of freedom, to me, is American!

Hey abby: You know what else feels American? Sharing that weed with your friends or family and watching them enjoy it.

GrizzlyBud: I'll tell 'ya, if my son lived near to me, I'd probably never have any access lol. He's always sending me pictures of dabs and showing stuff he picked up off.

Hey abby: Do you like to show off your success? What does success look like to you as a home grower?

GrizzlyBud: I don't like the word bountiful harvest. I like the word adequate harvest. So success to me is an adequate harvest, without disease or affliction. Now, given the knowledge I've picked up in the last year or so, from our work together, that's a goal I can attain consistently now.

When you look at things from ancient Rome or Egypt, the arts were the keystone that makes the whole thing strong enough to survive the test of time. I know what Hey abby is trying to do, and I appreciate that.

Hey abby: Thank you! Our goal is for all of our growers to have success, on the lowest expense possible. We try to make the entry barrier as low as possible to allow everyone to safely attain their own medicine the way they want it! At the same time, we want to make it possible for more experienced growers, like us, who want to dial in all the aspects and have the most control possible. That's why we designed the drip kit – to offer a more pro-style experience.

Hey abby: I've seen you get into using the the drip kit, expand to the tent and a larger RDWC setup. What's inspiring you? What keeps you growing and improving your growing acumen?

GrizzlyBud: The quest for knowledge and wisdom. A stupid, cheesy answer, but it's really true. Not everything goes as smooth in the RDWC system as you might think. You might know that because you've done it. But for anybody that's never done it, you find out it's completely different from straight DWC.

Hey abby: What would you say is next for you? What's the next step, the next progression for Grizzly's grows?

GrizzlyBud: More of the same, because it's a tenure thing, right? When I learned the programming back in 1978—when the velociraptors still roamed the planet—I knew how to write code, but I didn't know how to write systems. It took time and practice. Right now, it's still in what we call the tenure stage with growing. That's just basic repetition.

I mean, I'm interested in reveging, trying a different type of drip, but for now, it's just the same thing over and over again, because it's never the same. And until you've done it a while, you haven't given yourself a wide enough repertoire of what can happen.

Anybody that cooks food will tell you that's true. You cooked the same thing a hundred times, and I guarantee it's 60 out of a 100 will be different. Why aren't all hundred meals edible? Because you learn what to do over those other 40 times that went in the trash before anybody knew what I had done.

Hey abby: I kind of expected you to go a more extravagant route, trying to get into crop steering and precision drip feeding, etc..

GrizzlyBud: No, those are just tools. It's like getting a craftsman cresent wrench—well, what are you going to do with it? "Well, I'm gonna have a new craftsman wrench" Tools and equipment are not everything. This is a craft, and as a craft, it takes the answer I gave: tenure, practice, repetition.

Hey abby: You have so much experience growing before you got into cannabis. Have you found, if any, skills have you been able to transfer over to cannabis growing? Life skills, work skills or trade skills—anything you've been able to directly apply to your growing journeys?

GrizzlyBud: Absolutely, because there're different things that you engineer into your system. I mostly would say my previous growing experience comes into play. This is where people with a lot of vegetable gardening experience, as well as a lot of training, really understand. You start talking to them about LST, HST, lollipopping and they're like, "Oh, I know what that is."

My only concern was "Do I do it the same way for cannabis as I do for that (veggies)?" I'm not any special—some of the guys in our community are smarter than me at this. And they probably wouldn't help me if I was a snot or a smart ass, but I'm not and so they do help me!

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