2026-03-10
What does it really take to survive as an independent cannabis farm in Massachusetts? In this episode of High Functioning, host Jason Reposa sits down with Lisa Mauriello and Boey Bertold, the husband-and-wife team behind Paper Crane Cannabis. They run an organic, sun-grown Tier 6 farm in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. Lisa and Boey share the unvarnished truth about building their business. Boey details his time in the legacy market and surviving a 2006 DEA bust, while Lisa explains the ongoing hurdles of dealing with hostile host town agreements. They break down the mechanics of outdoor cultivation, how they breed genetics specifically for the sun, and how they navigated the 2025 industry crash that forced dozens of companies to close. Finally, they outline their vision for the future, including on-site farm stands and eco-tourism. š Chapters: 00:00 - Episode Intro & Meeting Paper Crane Cannabis 01:25 - Running a Business as a Married Couple 04:22 - Dealing with Host Town Agreements 06:53 - Breeding Genetics for Outdoor Farms 12:25 - The Reality of Weather and Sun-Grown Cultivation 16:12 - Expanding into Greenhouse Production 18:35 - The Legacy Era: Surviving a 2006 DEA Bust 24:19 - Beating the Case and Naming Paper Crane 31:12 - Joining the First Social Equity Cohort 38:41 - Building the Farm and Facing Local Opposition 52:00 - Grassroots Marketing and Educating Consumers 01:03:05 - Creating Farm Stands and Eco-Tourism 01:07:04 - Surviving the 2025 Cannabis Industry Crash 21+ where legal. Nothing for sale. š§ Full Episodes: highfunctioning.show š Subscribe: tr.ee/highfunctioningsubscribe šļø Spotify: tr.ee/highfunctioningspotify š Apple: tr.ee/highfunctioningapple