In this series of interviews, we report the experiences and opinions of those who have made a profession out of cannabis.
Growers, breeders, biologists, marketing experts, budtenders, sales representatives, and other industry professionals explain how they started their careers, the challenges they faced, and how they trained to get where they are.
We discover what they think about the current and future situation of the cannabis industry and finally ask for some useful advice for those who want to become cannabis professionals.
Interview #8 – B.W., Breeder of Silent Seeds
We interviewed B.W for you, breeder of Silent Seeds. During our conversation, he talked about his creations, how Silent Seeds came to be, and gave valuable advice for those aspiring to pursue a career as a cannabis breeder.
How did Silent Seeds come to be, and what do they have in common with Dinafem?
Silent Seeds was created after the closure of Dinafem Seeds. All the members and founders of Silent Seeds had individually worked for the famous brand for no less than a decade. More than 100 people had worked for the company until September 2020, and the end of the journey was dramatic for all of us. We found ourselves all unemployed overnight, and initially, we all prayed for the situation to be resolved quickly and for the business to resume soon. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way, and our former managers are still awaiting the outcome of this case before the Spanish courts. To be absolutely clear, the current members and founders of Silent Seeds have absolutely nothing to do with the case.
After a period of reflection, we decided to launch the Silent Seeds project in 2021 after consulting with our former directors, in order to officially represent the legacy of Dinafem. Even though the management team is now different, we have the moral and official approval from the management team of Dinafem Seeds to continue marketing the brand’s classic and iconic strains, while maintaining their original trade names. That means that the original and authentic strains are still in the catalog. Furthermore, our main goal is to continue working with the core values that have contributed to the success of the brand over the years. So, this project was born out of a great sense of nostalgia among all of us.
It’s like the rebirth of the Phoenix; we have experienced too many wonderful things, and we didn’t want to give up. An extraordinary cosmic force propels us forward… Our passion for this magnificent plant!
What is your motto?
Our current motto is to perpetuate the many intrinsic values of Dinafem Seeds through our philosophy and the quality of our work. With a bit of humility, we simply aim to be an extension or legacy of this noble pioneering company, which has given us so much and has allowed us to be who we are today.
We can never be grateful enough to our managers, who were true visionaries, paving the way for the commercialization of high-quality feminized seeds in Europe since 2005. We can’t even imagine Dinafem completely disappearing from the landscape of our industry. We feel that we have a certain mission at this moment, and time will tell if we are up to the task or not… On the other hand, we also strive to be at the forefront of the industry, so there are many ongoing projects, and you will soon hear about them! Many surprises are on their way!
on the left: B45, on the right: Açai Jelly
The most popular strain in our catalog?
The most successful variety in our catalog at the moment is the B-45, a hybrid born from a collaboration with the legendary French rapper BOOBA.
The success of the B-45 is not by chance, as it meets all our quality criteria. It is a highly vigorous variety, full of energy, genetically very stable, and responds perfectly to the vast majority of specific pruning techniques. It is highly productive and exhibits excellent resistance to diseases and pests. It has a very attractive appearance or “bag appeal” thanks to its beautiful rainbow-like colors.
What will captivate you the most is its aromatic profile, which is perfectly reflected in both its fragrance and taste. It showcases deep notes of fresh citrus, delicately blending Valencia orange with Caviar lemon, all accompanied by a creamy and sweet undertone. It truly offers a unique experience!
One strain that holds something “special” for you?
The strains born from the collaboration with Sherbinskis are truly something special, as the level of demand and the expectations of the public have pushed us to optimize all our skills at various levels. The entire Gelato/Sunset Sherbet line showcases some genetic delicacies that can be challenging if the breeding work is not executed correctly. The process of feminization has further complicated the end goal, but it seems that the results demonstrate that all our efforts are slowly being rewarded. It should be noted that this project was challenging and exciting, and we were under pressure regarding the feasibility of the outcome. It’s the type of project that takes you out of your comfort zone.
You have various strains in collaboration with Sherbinskis, how did the synergy between you start?
We met Mario Guzmán, also known as Sherbinskis, in 2019 as he had already collaborated with another brand, POT SISTEMAK S.L. At that time, it was Humboldt Seeds Organization. We had the opportunity to meet him several years ago, and the connection was already very good back then because our shared passion for this plant is so strong that we quickly understood each other’s way of working. So this new collaboration quickly became something natural because it brings excellent complementarity to all parties involved.
What are the 3 qualities that a professional must have to work in the industry?
In my humble opinion, one must be responsive, realistic, and resilient, the rule of the “3 R’s.”
Do you love your job? Why?
I love my work simply because I am passionate about cannabis genetics and everything that surrounds it for over 20 years. I feel a strong and insatiable attraction to this industry, which makes me want to learn more and more. At the same time, I want to share our discoveries and values with the wider public on various levels. As I mentioned before, it’s not just about communication. We want to offer the best holistic experience to the wider public because cannabis has the ability to engage all your senses simultaneously, which is fantastic in terms of emotional happiness.
Do you think training is important in our industry?
I believe that training is fundamental in our industry, in order to logically optimize the quality level of the entire production chain, as well as to transmit the best education to future generations. For these very reasons, international standardization of plant regulations is necessary worldwide, in order to provide the best balance across the planet.
Three words to describe the future of cannabis in Europe.
Regulation, growth, diversification.
on the left: Polar Gelato, on the right: Pink Sunset
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start working as a breeder?
The advice I can give to anyone who wants to become a breeder is that if you only want to do it to make money, then you won’t get very far. If, on the other hand, you believe that you have a strong sensitivity and a strong attraction for the plant and that in just 2-5 minutes you are able to analyze all the strengths as well as the weaknesses of a variety in a precise environment, then this work is definitely for you.
Passion, observation, organization, rigor, patience, curiosity and resilience are fundamental qualities for anyone who wants to work as a true professional at this level. It’s not that simple, you really need to have a solid understanding of the genetic compatibility of the strains you’ll be working with, to be able to concretely project the results you’ll get during your different stages of development.
In this way, you will know in advance what the added values of certain genetics are, as well as the deficiencies of others or the dominant influence of some of them on different properties within an identified population. All this will make you understand what is the complementarity to bring within the population to achieve the set goal. Breeding and selection require a very solid experience, otherwise it would be like any other game of chance.
Conclusion
Behind the achievements of those who have established themselves in the cannabis breeding industry is a tireless effort, in-depth study and unmatched dedication. We can’t ignore the fact that the breeder’s job is incredibly fascinating, but it’s important to recognize the hard work and passion that drives constant improvement. We extend our sincere thanks to B.W. of Silent Seeds for his time and the valuable advice offered during this interview.
