Strains of the Month

Written and Photographed by Alex Hernandez

Harvest Edition, 2024.

I don’t smoke. You might think that this makes me unqualified to suggest particular strains of cannabis, and you would be right. That’s why I went to the experts. After a one-word Google search of “dispensary,” I traversed Eugene dispensaries on a mission to get personal recommendations from local budtenders.

Cody Cady
Apothca Budtender
Strain: Roll Ups
Rating: 7.5-8/10

Roll Ups, a strain that I can only assume is named after the fruit-flavored snack of the same name, was suggested by Apothca budtender Cody Cady, who has two to three years’ worth of experience in budtending.

“It’s a good strain. I’ve had it from different farms and even bad versions of it tend to be pretty solid,” he said.

The product, according to Cady, is considered top-shelf bud. At eight dollars per gram—compared to the lower shelf flower at four dollars per gram—you pay for the quality you get. With fruity, sweeter flavors, this bud is on the more mellow side.

“It’s definitely good for if you’re anxious, or you just want to chill at the end of your day,” Cady said.

Cady gave Roll Ups a rating of 7.5 – 8 out of 10.

“It’s definitely my favorite that’s currently out there.”

Lexi Hernandez
Peach Cannabis Budtender
Strain: Grape Head
Rating: 8.72/10

After working as a medical receptionist, Lexi Hernandez made the move to budtending to “help people without big pharma, insurance and money standing in the way.” Now at Peach Cannabis with 6 months’ experience under her belt, she made the recommendation of Grape Head—a more recently acquired product.

“It’s one that we got more recently,” she said. “It was great. It was so much fun, and it’s so easy to be yourself with it—without inhibitions, no anxiety. It’s lovely.”

Grape Head is a top-shelf strain, at $14 per gram. A sativa-dominant hybrid, with a THC level testing at 30%, the fruity, uplifting strain had her “smiling for no reason.” However, the most notable thing was the smell.

“I think the smell is what hits you first. If that doesn’t draw you in, I don’t know what will,” she said. “The flavor is very fruity, floral, a little bit piney. It’s really nice.”

The flower, which Hernandez said had more orange hairs than usual, got a rating of 8.72 out of 10.

“It’s just visibly beautiful, it smells amazing,” she said. “I would say it’s almost a perfect hybrid strain.”

Alex Johnson
Flowr of Lyfe Budtender
Strain: Ice Cream Cake
Rating: 10/10

Alex Johnson, a budtender at Flowr of Lyfe in downtown Eugene, suggested Ice Cream Cake: a strain with a sweet, creamy flavor and a name to match. After asking around and searching for not just any Ice Cream Cake, but specifically the flower by Herbal Dynamics.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is the one,” he said. “I’ve gone out looking and I haven’t found one that competes with it.

Ice Cream Cake, an indica-dominant hybrid, stuck out to Johnson over the years for many reasons.

“It’s the look, the taste, the feel, breaking it up in my hand, all of that, it just brings joy. It makes me happy,” he said. “Normally it’s a lot more purple. It’s always been thick, beautiful nugs that crumble really nicely.

Johnson chose Ice Cream Cake not only for its own capabilities but because of how well it pairs with other strains as well.

“It’s a fantastic flower that pairs really well with most other flowers that I’ve tried it with because I like to mix and match,” he said. “It’s my favorite. It’s got to be a ten out of ten.”