Episode 118 - Predatory Microorganisms: Entomopathogenic Fungi IPMO Can Solve and Prevent Your Pest Issues with guest Chris Trump

Episode 118 - Predatory Microorganisms: Entomopathogenic Fungi IPMO Can Solve and Prevent Your Pest Issues with guest Chris Trump

Understanding the role predatory microorganisms can play in cultivation means imagining a future free from chemical insecticides, where pest prevention is deeply rooted in the soil food web. It’s shocking that IPMO hasn’t already spread like wildfire. Let’s light it up! In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los sits down with acclaimed natural farming pioneer Chris Trump to discuss his groundbreaking work with Indigenous Predatory Microorganisms, and the profound impact it will have on global agriculture, including cannabis. Discover how to introduce target pests to your IMO collection, and scale this potent pest solution for your indoor home grow, greenhouse, or farm.

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Episode 117 - Tripping without Guides: Best Practices for Psychedelics without a Sitter with guest Daniel Shankin

Episode 117 - Tripping without Guides: Best Practices for Psychedelics without a Sitter with guest Daniel Shankin

Psychedelic therapy has become widespread in the US. While many recommend using a guide or “trip sitter,” the vast majority of people simply use psychedelics on their own or with friends. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with psychedelic integration specialist Daniel Shankin about preparing for your psychedelic experience, best practices for tripping by yourself or with friends, and how to integrate the lessons you received during your experience so you can use them in your everyday life.

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Episode 116 - The Revolutionary New Science Behind Using CBG for Anxiety with Dr. Ethan Russo

Episode 116 - The Revolutionary New Science Behind Using CBG for Anxiety with Dr. Ethan Russo

In groundbreaking new science, for the first time we have a human study showing that 78% of participants found cannabigerol (CBG) more effective at treating their anxiety than their present pharmaceutical, herbal remedy or other therapeutic. In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes back Dr. Ethan Russo to discuss the foundations of the study, the mechanics of causing and measuring anxiety in the participants, efficacious CBG dosages, and the remarkable findings that may change the direction of anxiety medication development going forward.

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Episode 115 - Cannabis Plant Bioaerosols Can Threaten Cannabis Workers with guest Tess Eidem PhD

Episode 115 - Cannabis Plant Bioaerosols Can Threaten Cannabis Workers with guest Tess Eidem PhD

We know that cannabis saves lives. And cannabis makes our lives so much better. But for those working in indoor, scaled cannabis growing environments, cannabis bioaerosols can be deadly. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Tess Eidem PhD about the new science regarding fungal, bacterial, and viral bioaerosols that are produced in a cultivation environment, their impact on human health, how they are being ignored, and what we can do to make cannabis working environments safer for all of us.

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Episode 114 - Planning Ahead for Regenerative Cannabis Cultivation with guest Daniel Stein

Episode 114 - Planning Ahead for Regenerative Cannabis Cultivation with guest Daniel Stein

No matter whether you are an experienced or new cannabis cultivator, establishing a new location to cultivate cannabis using regenerative growing techniques deserves some forethought. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Humboldt County-born regenerative farmer Daniel Stein about building soil, placement of structures, using soil inputs found on your property, water sequestration, cover crops and companion planting, animal husbandry and fertilizers, and whether or not cannabis crops should be rotated with the vegetables.

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Episode 113 - Wood Loving Psilocybin Mushrooms with guest Christian Kaelin

Episode 113 - Wood Loving Psilocybin Mushrooms with guest Christian Kaelin

Some of the most potent psilocybin mushrooms have proven very difficult to cultivate indoors. These mushrooms love growing on hardwoods. On episode 113 of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with mycologist Christian Kaelin about the attributes and personalities of wood-loving hallucinogenic mushrooms, how to find and wildcraft them, and how to build your own inoculated hardwood chip beds to cultivate them outdoors at home.

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Episode 112 - Super-Charging Soil Microbiology with guest Michael DiLegge

Episode 112 - Super-Charging Soil Microbiology with guest Michael DiLegge

Incredible cannabis plants start with soil diversity and thriving microbiology. During this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with microbiologist Michael DiLegge about natural biostimulants, the care and feeding of microbe life in your soil, choosing companion plants to encourage root zone diversity, and an indictment of the 24-hour light cycle theory.

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Episode 111 - Cannabis Landraces in Practice with guest Jeff Nordahl

Episode 111 - Cannabis Landraces in Practice with guest Jeff Nordahl

Long Live Landraces! In this delightful introduction to cannabis landrace plant varieties, Shaping Fire host Shango Los talks with Santa Cruz landrace specialist Jade Nectar aka Jeff Nordahl about the differences between landrace, wild and feral varieties of cannabis, their unique attributes that attract connoisseurs, and the importance of conscious landrace breeding techniques and preservation.

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Episode 110 - Delta-8 THC: The Troublesome Cannabinoid with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

Episode 110 - Delta-8 THC: The Troublesome Cannabinoid with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

Delta-8 THC is everywhere, but the scientific understanding of it is not. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes back neuroscientist and renown cannabis researcher Dr. Ethan Russo to discuss the medicinal benefits of Delta-8 THC, its history, the challenges of synthesizing clean Delta-8 THC, and the negative impacts that synthetic Delta-8 THC is having throughout the cannabis community.

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Episode 109 - Encouraging Neurogenesis with Phytocannabinoids with guest Staton Laws

Episode 109 - Encouraging Neurogenesis with Phytocannabinoids with guest Staton Laws

Brains cells die, and our body has the ability to make new ones. But as we age, the ability to make new brain cells slows, and sometimes even slows so much that dementia arises. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with cannabinoid researcher Staton Laws about the mechanics of neurogenesis, how cannabis medicine can stimulate the creation of vital neurons, and specific nootropic dosing protocols for those interested in sustaining their brain health and longevity, as well as cannabis patients who are already facing dementia and Alzheimers disease.

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Episode 108 - Longevity and the Endocannabinoid System with guest Hunter Land PhD

Episode 108 - Longevity and the Endocannabinoid System with guest Hunter Land PhD

While cannabis is most commonly used to relieve symptoms of ongoing illness, the plant’s resin can also be used to keep the human body in balance over decades, creating long-term wellness. During episode #108 of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with neuroscientist Hunter Land PhD about the biological mechanics of aging, how strengthening the endocannabinoid system can increase your healthspan, and how to develop your cannabinoid strategy to meet your health goals.

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Episode 107 - Vaporizing Flowers and Oil: The Science, Tech and Myths with guest Mark Lewis

Episode 107 - Vaporizing Flowers and Oil: The Science, Tech and Myths with guest Mark Lewis

Cannabis enthusiasts enjoy using vaporizers for a range of reasons from great taste, to the health benefits for our lungs. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with engineer and vaporizer devotee Mark Lewis about the attraction so many cannabis users have for flower and oil vaporizers, the pro and cons of technology designs used in contemporary devices, and an array of myths clouding their understanding and use.

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Episode 106 - Cannabis Root Structure Mechanics and Best Practices with guest Sarah Lane

Episode 106 - Cannabis Root Structure Mechanics and Best Practices with guest Sarah Lane

Cannabis cultivators expect the plant’s roots to do an essential job, and yet most of us barely know how to treat them nicely. On this week’s episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes back plant biologist Sarah Lane to discuss root structure in living soil, coco/peat and hydro systems, how roots function, what their various colors may say about their health, how and when to trim them, and best practices for creating a bountiful root system that will support massive growth and yields, including container choice, pH, watering, fertilizers and compost teas.

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Episode 105 - Mycelium and Mycorrhizal Mechanics with guest Stephanie Garcia

Episode 105 - Mycelium and Mycorrhizal Mechanics with guest Stephanie Garcia

Mycelium and mycorrhizae are essential parts of the Soil Food Web, and using cultivation methods that support soil fungus can lead to the best cannabis you’ve ever grown. In this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with mycologist Stephanie Garcia about the functions of mycelium and mycorrhizae, some common misunderstandings, and best practices for amendments, pH, watering and transplanting to create and sustain a thriving rhizosphere.

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Episode 104 - Pharmaceutical and Cannabis Interactions with guest Jahan Marcu PhD

Episode 104 - Pharmaceutical and Cannabis Interactions with guest Jahan Marcu PhD

The vast majority of cannabis enthusiasts and patients are also taking some prescription drug or another, and cannabis patients often ask about the potential for drug-drug interaction without ever getting a satisfying answer. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Jahan Marcu PhD about the complex biology of cannabis interacting with other drugs, how to discern if you may be experiencing an interaction, and some red flag drugs that should be watched closely.

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Episode 103 - The Cannabis Research of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

Episode 103 - The Cannabis Research of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam with guest Dr. Ethan Russo

Starting in the 1960s, a single cannabis research group discovered THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, CBNa, CBDa, CBGa and others! On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with Dr. Ethan Russo about the life’s work of Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, who passed away last week. Dr. Russo shares engaging stories from Dr. Mechoulam’s life, walks us through the historical timeline of his discoveries, and explains the momentous impact of the greatest cannabis researcher we’ve ever known.

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Episode 102 - The Soil Food Web in Practice with special guest Dr. Elaine Ingham

Episode 102 - The Soil Food Web in Practice with special guest Dr. Elaine Ingham

The soil food web is at the center of successful cannabis cultivation. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los welcomes world-famous soil biologist Dr. Elaine Ingham to discuss using indigenous microorganisms to optimize plant resilience, choosing companion plants by their function, beneficial insects as both garden defense and food web antagonist, using soil food web biomimicry for indoor growing, increasing biological activity in coco coir pots and choosing the right compost tea for the correct use.

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Episode 101 - Preserving Living Soil Biology During Winter with guest Andie Marsh

Episode 101 - Preserving Living Soil Biology During Winter with guest Andie Marsh

The essential nature of living soil is that it is vibrantly alive with a diverse number of species, active fungal systems and is plugged into the larger soil food web. Too often, at the end of the growing season, we simply walk away from our pots, leaving them to the winter elements, or let them dry out in a barn, losing all the biological activity we worked so hard on all summer. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los speaks with soil biologist Andie Marsh about the biological reality of off-season pots, living nutrition and infusions than can be used to keep your soil on simmer all winter instead of killing it, and best practices for firing up your soil in the spring.

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Episode 100 - Cannabis Dosing Strategies: A Detailed Analysis with host Shango Los

Episode 100 - Cannabis Dosing Strategies: A Detailed Analysis with host Shango Los

We are celebrating Shaping Fire episode #100 with a special episode featuring host Shango Los sharing his depth of experience with dosing plans for cannabis patients. Pulling insight and important details from his over decade of experience with cannabis medicine, and interviews he has done with cannabis medicine doctors and researchers, Shango explains a strategic framework of not just cannabis dosing numbers, but rather an entire understanding of how to think through your own ailments and goals so you can figure out your own individualized cannabis medicine needs. Shango shares an incredibly accessible explanation of the Endocannabinoid System, the pros and cons of various consumption methods for patients, explains the mode of action for common cannabinoids as well as specific dosages for a varieties of patients, and walks us through the process of planning a personal cannabis protocol where the patient is in control and empowered to make informed decisions based on both science and patient experience.

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Episode 99 - Exudates! Speaking and Eating and War in the Soil with guest Sarah Lane

Episode 99 - Exudates! Speaking and Eating and War in the Soil with guest Sarah Lane

So many of our efforts as cannabis cultivators are intended to improve the interaction between the plant and soil. And yet, most of us know very little about how plants and microbes really communicate and exchange nutrition and other resources. On this episode of Shaping Fire, host Shango Los talks with plant biologist Sarah Lane about these extraordinary secretions of plants known as exudates, their essential roles in the rhizosphere, challenges with the 24 hour light cycle, exudates in soilless substrate, and the inadequacy of replacing exudates with molasses when feeding microbe life in the soil.

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