Tucked away on a quiet road in Tecumseh, the buzz surrounding R3m3dy Gard3ns is growing louder every day. A strong start in early 2021 came to an abrupt halt later that year when lead grower Hopper had a near fatal encounter with a mosquito that put him on life support after contracting West Nile Virus. A six month recovery physically sidelined him, and although he still has some lingering issues from the WNV, he’s powering through and hasn’t lost any of the passion he’s had since 1989 when he first started growing.
Modest in size when compared to some of the behemoth commercial grows that have erupted in the last few years, R3m3dy Gard3ns refuses to choose between quantity and quality. Impressive indoor, outdoor, and light deprivation cultivation operations are all in full swing, keeping them busy from sunup, pulling tarps on the dep, until late into the night tending to the indoor while the lights are on. Keeping up with this intense schedule seven days a week, is a labor of love that is about so much more than just growing plants. It’s about growing as individuals and as a community. It’s about growing their brand in a responsible manner that will allow it to outlast trends and hype. For Hopper, it’s about one day passing it down to his daughter. It’s also important for him to continually learn as a grower. Even with 30 years of experience, he wisely admits that there will always be something he doesn’t know and he strives to keep learning. From using HID lighting and homemade brains back in the day, to present day crop steering and tissue cultures, he’s seen firsthand just how much the industry has evolved. Lately there are a few too many 20-somethings calling themselves “master growers” and the funny thing is that some of them weren’t even alive yet when he first started growing. Even so, he refuses to use the term, saying, “I’m a legacy grower, but I will never call myself a master grower.” Something else he’ll never claim to be is a cannabis influencer. He recalls being a ‘weed tech’ for Cannabis Culture Magazine 15 years ago, providing props for photoshoots (cannabis, hash, bongs, etc..) “Now it’s called a cannabis stylist”, he says with a chuckle and roll of his eyes. “I mean, all you do is show up at a shoot with products. It’s not that serious.” He does concede however, that it’s nice to see people here in Oklahoma be so excited about being a part of the industry, as opposed to California, where everyone seems to be jaded. Ron shares Hopper’s excitement for and love of cannabis. “I met Hopper through KMK a few years ago. I’ve always had love for cannabis and its healing benefits. So to not only meet KMK and Hopper, but to be able to work with these guys has been one hell of a ride, and the wheels are still rolling.”
There is solid history and a lot of common ground between the R3m3dy team. Hopper and Ron ran in the same circles on the music side of the cannabis industry years before they teamed up to grow. Hopper was Kottonmouth Kings tour manager for ten years and later in the bands run, Ron ran the KMK online store and toured with them selling merch. The future partners didn’t actually meet until the SRH Fest in Huntington Beach in 2019. Fast forward to the ‘Twas The Night B4/20 show in Norman last year where they linked up with Johnny Richter, who was performing with King Klick, and R3m3dy Gard3ns/RX3 was born. RX3 refers to their three names- Richter, Ron, Rich. (“My name is Rich, but everyone calls me Hopper” he says during introductions.)
All work and no play is no way to live, so even with the crazy long days they put in at the garden, they somehow find time to put on shows for the cannabis community. Updates on upcoming events will be posted on their socials, so be sure to follow. Hint: Thanksgiving may be a little… danker this year.
So, when they’re not running the indoor grow, the outdoor grow, the light dep, overseeing the making of their edible line, or putting on events, they raise money for charity. Painting cannabis in a positive light and disproving the lazy stoner stereotype is very important to them, and these self-proclaimed “stoners that care” have already held one fundraiser where they raffled off a Sour bong and a Jerome Baker bong. The money is being held in a fund until they find the right organization to partner with. Right now they’re leaning towards Legacy Parenting Center in Shawnee, but are open to suggestions. Hopper has a long history of giving back to the local communities he’s lived in, having received a federal certificate of appreciation from the USMC for his work with Toys for Tots. What really makes R3m3dy Gard3ns stand out among the rest, is their authenticity. It’s not just who they are, it’s who they have been for decades, and they have the receipts to prove it.
Follow the whole R3m3dy crew on Instagram to watch them grow, and enjoy the fruits of their labo
r by letting your favoritedispo know that you want to see RX3 products on their shelves. They currently offer gummies, prerolls, and RHO. RHO is a highly potent, strain specific, solventless rosin hash oil created by Hopper while he was living in legendary Humboldt County, California. All of RX3’s edibles are made from their RHO, there are absolutely no solvents in any of their products. Providing clean medicine to patients and stoners is a paramount priority at R3m3dy Gard3ns and RX3.
@r3m3dygard3ns
@the_rx3
@reznron
@hopper448
@85jrichter
Written by: Pamela Jayne
