LAKE LEAF CULTIVATION READY TO ROLL
Aarik Robertson, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, Jon houle, Lake Leaf Assistant Master Grower, and Teresa Kozumplik, Director of Strategic Initiatives of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures. Photo by Vivian LaMoore.
By Vivian LaMoore, Inaajimowin Editor and Sarah Barten, Chief Communications Officer
MLCV Lake Leaf Cultivation is leading the future of cannabis cultivation through advanced technologies and innovative practices. With the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the 50,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation center set for November 12, 2024, the first crop is expected to be harvested as early as January 2025 and available for wholesale soon thereafter. Plans for a retail dispensary for the average retail consumer are yet to be determined.
“This will be one of the top five growing facilities in the Midwest when combining both technological innovation and scale of operations,” said Aarik Robertson, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures. “The Band made the decision to make the investment in this business and in this company, and so we were able to put up something that not a lot of others will have or be able to put up in the future.”
Lake Leaf has implemented state-of-the-art systems, including a seed-to-sale tracking program and cloud-based fertigation software, allowing them to control growing conditions remotely. Additionally, they have integrated Budscout, an AI machine-learning robot that optimizes plant health and productivity by monitoring environmental factors and providing early detection of potential issues like diseases and pests. These advancements ensure Lake Leaf maintains high standards of product quality and efficiency.
Environmental responsibility is central to Lake Leaf Cultivation’s operations. The cannabis plants are all grown hydroponically (in water) in a technologically advanced controlled environment maintained for maximum growth and production rates. The facility was designed sustainably, utilizing eco-friendly construction materials and an HVAC system incorporating water reclamation technology. This means they optimize water usage through its systems by reusing the water they've harvested, purified, and added nutrients to feed the cannabis plants. All water passes through a custom-built reverse osmosis (RO) system fed out to the grow rooms, and then the environmental systems re-condense humidity from transpiration and feed it back into the RO system. For every 500 gallons of water used, the system reclaims about 425 gallons of condensate. The remaining 75 gallons are absorbed by the plants during cultivation, with minimal loss occurring in the filtration process.
Lake Leaf is proud to have integrated a testing lab within the facility. Through conversations with the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, Lake Leaf has knowledge that there are very few testing labs within the state. When the cannabis is available, there will “be a bottleneck in the state” of growers waiting to have their product tested, Robertson said. There is currently only one other lab operating. The testing lab has been incorporated into the Lake Leaf facility but is owned by a separate entity to abide by state regulations and avoid any conflict of interest. The space will be leased by a third-party entity. Lake Leaf will be able to test their cannabis on-site as well to ensure the product meets all state standards and certifications so “they know all of our products are safe and high quality,” he added. The cannabis plants travel through several stages, from seed to sale. Each stage of the process has a specific room, such as a potting and transplant room, several growing rooms, nine flowering rooms, several drying rooms, a trim room, an extraction room, manufacturing and processing rooms, and an industrial kitchen to mix edibles including chocolates and gummies. Also included in the production process will be a package room complete with a giant automatic rolling machine able to produce 500 perfectly pre-rolled joints per hour, utilizing only one or two employees. The pre-rolled joints can be customized with “fancy” glass filter tips or paper tips that can include specific branding labeling for Lake Leaf and other customers, Robertson said.
The extraction room extracts the THC from the buds and will be staffed by highly trained personnel in a specifically de signed secured room, Robertson said.
The dry/cure chamber is specifically designed with optimal humidity and temperature levels to cure the cannabis with the optimal THC and terpene levels. Terpenes are aromatic com pounds that determine the scent of many flowers and herbs, bestow cannabis with its distinctive odor, and contribute to its flavor. There are over 150 types of terpenes in various canna bis plants, according to Beto Aceves, Lake Leaf Chief Master Grower and Consultant. Aceves has been growing cannabis for over 20 years and consulting all over the United States and Mexico. He is consulting with Lake Leaf and training Band member Jon Houle, formerly of the Mille Lacs Band DNR Agri culture Department, as the Assistant Master Grower.
Aceves is an expert in the field of indoor grow facilities, also known as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). “We control the temperature, the humidity, the amount of light, water, everything,” Aceves said. “We can replicate the most ideal growing space in the world,” Houle added. Aceves will stay on with Lake Leaf as long as he is needed, he said.
Various phenotypes, the set of observable characteristics of individual plants resulting in various desirable traits of the plants, will be grown, Aceves said. “All of these varieties come from the same plant — cannabis — but because of the different genetics, they all smell different, taste different, and produce different effects. It is an amazing plant.” One of the many interesting facets of the cultivation facility is the amount of knowledge brought to Lake Leaf through consultants. One of the consultants to Lake Leaf is Keane Tsu, a “third-generation confectioner from Hong Kong” who is guiding Lake Leaf with recipes for edibles, including chocolates and gummies, said Teresa Kozumplik, Director of Strategic Initiatives. Lake Leaf’s depositor machine has a capacity for 20 to 50 kilograms of mixed ingredients, and at just 20 kilograms, it can produce almost 4,000 edibles per hour.
From pre-rolls to concentrates, Lake Leaf is set up to meet diverse consumer preferences with products that reflect Lake Leaf’s dedication to excellence. The molds and packaging can be customized into various shapes and sizes. “The world is our oyster,” Robertson said. Be cause everything is automated, one or two employees will be able to operate the machines for packaging. “We will be working with our design team to design the packaging and to leave enough room for what is required to be on the packaging to con form to rules and regulations to follow state and Band laws.” Lake Leaf will be selling wholesale to other tribes in the state and other licensed operators or vendors. Plans for dispensaries located throughout the Reservation lands are still in the initial stages and yet to be determined.
The entire facility is equipped with a high-tech security system, including complete coverage with cameras that record audio as well as video in all areas, both inside and outside of the facility. All walls are concrete for safety and security abiding by all state and Band regulations. Lake Leaf is also working with Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative to create a new substation with solar power. This project is currently in the design phase. By prioritizing efficiency and minimizing waste, they are committed to reducing its carbon footprint and exploring future innovations in sustainability.
Operating independently of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures and all its other subsidiaries, the Lake Leaf Cultivation facility aligns with MLCV's profit pillar and enhances our efforts to achieve $1B in revenue by 2030. MLCV’s strategic focus on investing in high-growth sectors like Lake Leaf Cultivation positions the organization for sustainable success while creating new revenue streams for the Mille Lacs Band. Lake Leaf Cultivation is not just about growing cannabis but about creating opportunities for the community. They have already added 20-plus new cultivation technician positions, with plans for further expansion as the extraction and manufacturing divisions come online after the harvest in January. Additional job opportunities are expected across various roles within its vertically integrated business model. Stay tuned for updates on Lake Leaf Cultivation and how they contribute to the cannabis industry in Minnesota.
