Hydrolife Magazine April/May 2016 (USA Edition)

live
Filming and post-production has taken
place—it was filmed in 4K—and the
format will be similar to a cooking show,
with interactive quizzes and tests for
students to take to obtain a certificate.
“What I really hope people get from this
is to grow quality over quantity,” says
Kyle. “People who use cannabis tend to
lean more towards healthier lifestyles and
be more conscious of what goes into their
bodies. If they are using cannabis instead
of prescription drugs, I want that product
to be as pure and healthy as possible.”
The course will benefit both beginner
and experienced growers looking to
improve their techniques and results
through veganics. “I believe veganic
horticulture is the evolution of organic
horticulture,” adds Kyle. “Outdoors,
organic farming is fantastic…but if you
till animal waste into the soil, now you
have this hazardous waste that has to
be removed from the property and who
wants to get into that business? Growing
healthy plants without using animal
products is really the future of growing
for home growers.”
For Oaksterdam University, the future
is online tutorials. While it has already
graduated thousands of people through
its brick-and-mortar location in Oakland,
being able to provide certificates
and diplomas to students in far-away
locales will extend its reach and ability
to educate. “One of the most frustrating
restrictions the school faces is finding
a way to gather enough people to come
take a subject in Oakland at a certain
time and a certain place. It can be limiting
in how much can be explored,” says
Dale. “To be able to take this information
and put it online, beginning with Kyle’s
course, for people who don’t have the
time or money to come to Oakland, is a
big step forward.”
GROWING HEALTHY PLANTS WITHOUT USING
ANIMAL PRODUCTS IS REALLY THE FUTURE
OF GROWING FOR HOME GROWERS.”
Because of so many different nuances in
legislation from state to state pertaining
to marijuana, Dale says pre-requisites
will be required to protect students from
breaking the law in their respective home
states. Though accessible to students in
jurisdictions that have not yet legalized
marijuana, the information the university
puts online is protected by freedom
of speech. “We will teach you how to
mitigate your risks,” says Dale. “I will
highlight that we do have pre-requisites.
You have to take legal, you have to take
civics, and we require courses like politics
and history to make sure you know what
not to do. That is a responsibility we take
seriously here at Oaksterdam.”
As states like California and others
inch closer to creating a framework
for the legalization of medicinal and
recreational marijuana and the revenue
it can generate—in 2014, legal cannabis
sales amounted to $2.7 billion in the
US and sales are expected to reach
$35 billion annually by 2020—it’s not
just small-time home growers who are
enrolling in OU programs. “People
taking our courses include regulators
and researchers, political staffers,
doctors and nurses, lawyers, legal
professionals and others who have a
responsibility to educate themselves on
the industry,” says Dale.
The relationship between Kushman and
OU was re-established when Jones and
Kushman routinely reconnected at various
industry events over the past several
months. “We realized we were sort of
working against each other because I
had been planning online courses for my
own website,” Kyle explains. “Instead of
competing, we decided to partner up and
I think it’s going to work out very well.”
Toby Gorman has been published in several
newspapers and magazines in Canada and
the US since 1996. He currently lives on
Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
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grow. heal. live. enjoy.
myhydrolife.com