When it comes to self-care practices, the use of cannabis is becoming more mainstream than ever. With medical use legal in 47 states and recreational use permitted in 24, cannabis is becoming a popular choice for those seeking natural wellness options.

If you’re integrating cannabis into your wellness routine and want to ensure you’re using high-quality products, it’s worth understanding what goes into the cultivation process. We spoke with Autumn Shelton, CFO and head of Business Development, Marketing, and Compliance at Autumn Brands—a family-owned cannabis brand based on the coast of Santa Barbara County, California. Known for their dedication to 100% no-spray, sustainable farming, Autumn Brands is a leader in mindful cannabis cultivation.

Since 2015, Shelton has sucessfully navigated the complexities of California’s Prop 215 and the regulated cannabis industry under Prop 64. A sought-after speaker, Shelton brings unique insights into what it takes to run a licensed, sustainable cannabis business in California.

Can you share a little about your journey in the industry and what led you to launch Autumn Brands?

I was working for my then boss, now partner, as his CFO for his cut flower business at the time. He had leased out some of his greenhouses to a medical marijuana collective and quickly saw the opportunity to switch over almost all the greenhouses. 

I have always been a supporter of cannabis and had an entrepreneurial mind frame. I will never forget the fateful day when my partner said, “Why don’t we start something?.” I immediately started drawing up business plans and ideas. His kids were going to be graduating from college a few years later, and he wanted them to also be a part of this emerging industry. So the four of us joined forces and never looked back!

Luckily for us, most of the infrastructure was already in place and we literally just changed over the crop. Our partner owned the property, so we got a little more time to pay rent. The four of us are frugal by nature and all strongly believe in growing within our means. So while some in this industry spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on fancy equipment in the beginning, we only bought what we needed until we could afford more. This has allowed us to stay self-funded the entire time, and be a profitable, cash flow positive company.

What do you want people to know about what makes Autumn Brands' products stand out in the industry? 

We are extremely proud to be one of the only spray-free and pesticide-free cannabis farms in California. Autumn Brands became pesticide free in the fall of 2017 after my partner Hans came to me and said, “I have a crazy idea, I want to stop spraying pesticides.”

He said, “For my entire life, all I’ve known is an IPM program which is utilizing both pesticides and beneficial insects, but I want to get rid of all pesticides. I am hearing a lot of research out of Holland that even organic pesticides when heated up are really harmful to the body. Not to mention you can wash your organic produce, but you can’t wash your weed.”

I thought about it, and I wanted it, but I just didn’t know how. When Hans’ son, Johnny came home a month or so later on a break at Cal Poly where he was studying Ag business, they analyzed the possibility and determined it was possible. Collectively, we decided to give it a shot.  

We stopped buying pesticides and bought a boat load of beneficial insects. Over the next few months, we threw away tens of thousands of plants equating to hundreds of thousands of dollars because we had outbreak after outbreak. 

It was devastating. We were ready to give up because the outbreak was beyond our control. We felt like we had to spray. But our grower told us, just wait. And sure enough the beneficials we had bought in plus native lady bugs that had flown in ate their hearts out then discarded the bad bugs off the plants. The plants were clean.  

At that moment we knew we could do it and have continued ever since. Autumn Brands is relentlessly committed to quality and safety, highlighting the effort and attention to detail behind pesticide-free cultivation and sustainable techniques.

Anything else people should know about how the products are grown? 

We are a purpose-driven, women and family-owned company setting an industry standard through pesticide-free cultivation and sustainable practices. Our Autumn Brands plants are powered by natural sunlight, irrigated by recirculated artesian water, and followed up by having our organic waste composted. 

Additionally, our cannabis is entirely hand selected and hand trimmed. This level of effort and attention ensures the finished flower is of the highest quality. Autumn Brands is committed to the cannabis consumer, the community, and the environment.

Tell us about your wellness collection. Is there anything you want people to know about the ingredients used?

Our premium full-spectrum, whole-plant, sun-grown cannabis oil is at the heart of all Now Melt products. Additionally, each product is enhanced with select, benefit-boosting ingredients.

Our now melt gummies, for instance, are infused with stress-reducing ashwagandha, balancing adaptogens, and invigorating horny goat weed. The now melt bath crystals combine soothing magnesium and aromatic essential oils for deeper relaxation and recovery. The now melt line is thoughtfully crafted to provide a holistic wellness experience.

Is there a hero product from the wellness collection? What's your favorite?

My first passion project was our Nourishing Muscle and Joint Salve. I spent 2 years developing this product making sure it was perfect. We went through a few manufacturers until we found Greenrush Alliance aka Infused by Epic. They were able to see our vision around including magnesium in a salve rather than a lotion and were up for the challenge.  It was no easy feat, but together we were able to create an incredible product. 

The blend of coconut oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, carnauba wax, magnesium and arnica is a full body pain relieving dream come true. The aroma was also so important for us. We tried so many scents that really seemed to be gender focused. We wanted something that was refreshing and enjoyed by everyone and then one day we found the scent and had The Grapeseed Company, a local yet nationally recognized company replicate it. It needed to blend nicely with the natural cannabis terpenes, so that neither overpowered the other. I continue to use this product daily for sleep, carpal tunnel/arthritis, workout pain and my never-ending klutzy injuries. 

Where can we find your products?

You can find out products at autumnbrands.com, and keep up with the latest from Autumn Brands by following us on Instagram, X, and Facebook:

• instagram.com/autumnbrands_/ 

• x.com/autumnbrands/ 

• facebook.com/autumnbrands/ 

What’s next for the brand?

I believe the future for Autumn Brands is bright, and we have so much room to expand. Every year we continue to develop new flower and pre-roll packaging skus and will continue to build on our wellness line of products. We are in talks with operators in other states to expand the brand and develop a hemp line of products that focuses on minor cannabinoids.

A University of Michigan graduate, Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning writer/editor. Her work has appeared in publications including Beauty Launchpad, Nailpro, DAYSPA, CNET, Entertainment Tonight, and more. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA, and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @zillizy, @zillizy16