Mendo Cup 2025 celebrates Mendocino County’s Sungrown Cannabis Farmers

The Mendocino Producers Guild (MPG) – led by Nikki, Swami, and Traci put together an unforgettable event to honor the county’s Sungrown cannabis called The Mendo Cup at the beginning of May.

The event was held at the Little Lake Grange in Willits, CA with the judging for the cup occurring the day before at the famed Area 101.

Granges are a national organization of local community based organizations centered around organizing farmers. Over the years, I’ve attended harvest celebrations, fundraising events to defeat ignorant measures, jammin’ concerts, and now a bonafide cannabis cup at Granges in the Emerald Triangle. Around the country, Granges are places for local farmers to organize around whatever crop they prefer to grow in that region. In Emerald Triangle counties like Mendocino County? That crop is and has been cannabis for decades.

As soon as I arrived, one of the judges Justin the Ganjier let me smell a nug he had grabbed of the winner which the judges still only knew as the illustrious #15. Thanks to this much appreciated sneak peek, I had the blessing and the curse of “knowing” what had won but not who had won before the winners were announced due to #15’s very loud and recognizable signature smell. Walking in, you were greeted by the display case with all the entrants to the cup.

Mendocino is the Southernmost part of the Emerald Triangle and therefore closest to “civilization” in the Bay, has the least amount of frost and the most favorable photoperiod- it’s also a county famed for its willingness to push boundaries on behalf of its cash crop. That spirit has been taxed to the point that some wonder if it even still exists. The event organizers wanted the powers that be to recognize that Cannabis farming has been a golden goose for the county in the past, and Mendo Cup 2025 highlights that it still can be if officials would just stop killing the goose.

The MPG told the Mendocino Voice:

“Hopefully an event like the Mendo Cup will remind the powers –that-be of the true potential in this county offered by its very talented cannabis farmers.”

That true potential had been realized in the past, despite governmental efforts to the contrary. The “golden goose” that cannabis farmers were and are to the local taxbase is noticeably emaciated.

Writing in the Anderson Valley Advertiser alongside a recap by Nikki Lastreto, Jim Shields wrote in an article titled Keeping the Golden Goose Alive that the 2025 Mendo Cup:

“is an example of people getting together and engaging in creative problem-solving trying to resuscitate our wrecked local economies.”

Now that the Green Rush is… over… the cannabis farmers that are left are those that truly care about the plant, not the potential money it represents.

Omar Figueroa emphasized on stage that this event was for: “the people who love the green: The real green not the dolla dolla bill y’all.”

These Mendocino cannabis cultivators that continue to steward the plant and develop unique genetics come in all shapes, sizes, and ages and they are all golden and integral parts of this county’s economy. This event was for those that cherish the feeling of soil under their nails, and for those that have deep roots in the Mendocino community, even if they physically reside in other states like Texas or on a saintly island somewhere in the Caribbean.

Multiple generations of cannabis cultivators from and visiting Mendo were present and mingling over the CannamGarden provided hookah and other smoking implements. That hash hookah hits. I have a collection of hookah tips I get from these cherished opportunities to puff the best hash in the world out the quasar.

As committed licensed Mendocino cannabis farmers dig in to face the relentless market that does not properly value these breeders and cultivators’ work – one glimmer of hope that continues to be mentioned is the Cannabis Appellation Program currently underway by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

While on stage, Swami talked specifically about how this cup is part of a step toward county level appellation. In a world where the State Fair now runs a state sanctioned cannabis event, I feel it makes perfect sense for smaller jurisdictions to hold hyperlocal competitions to really highlight the unique cultivars and cultivators present within their borders.

2025 Mendo Cup Winners Announced

When 4:20 came around: Everyone gathered to hear the awards announced.

5th place was a 1:1 from Emerald Spirit Botanicals called Royal Blueberry. Joseph from Emerald Spirit Botanicals was surprised to see their ratioed flower placing top 5 in this field and said that he: “Welcomes that medicine back to our community.”

4th place was Martyjuana’s Supreme Gelato. While on stage, Martyjuana’s eponymous Marty gave special thanks to his wife as well as noting that 2024 was the “best harvest year” in his recent memory

3rd place was Mendocino Family Farms’ Modified Lemon Heads. The Mendo Family Farms crew wasn’t able to attend the cup but their community friends, Matt and Jackie accepted the award on their behalf.

2nd place went to Sticky Fields for their King’s Poison. While accepting his award, Sticky Fields’ Jesse Robertson emphasized that he and the other farmers are just “Trying to keep this culture alive in this area.

The coveted 1st place Mendo Cup award went to Sweet Sisters Family Farms for their Biscotti. They have been growing for 45 years and finding out what the illustrious #15 was a gratifying experience. That was hands down some of the best Biscotti I’ve ever smelled.

After the top 5 were awarded, the Mendo Cup continued a tradition that I feel sets apart cannabis cups and lets you know if a cup is really about the cannabis culture or not. That differentiating piece is Breeder Award. Too often, cannabis competitions and the industry as a whole ignores the commitment of cannabis breeders and the crucial work they do to move the entire culture forward.

Sticky Fields was crowned as the Mendo Cup 2025 Breeder Award winner which marked King’s Poison as the only dual award winner at the Mendo Cup. After the awards were announced, the cup slowly winded down over the next few hours. I walked over to the booths as they were closing and by the grace of Mendo I got to try a nug of Sticky Fields’ King’s Poison.

The jar was almost empty but it still had a distinctive menthol/camphor and funk smell over the typical diverse earthy menagerie. Think Tiger balm meets the fanciest incense meets the cleanest man cave ever.

Looking at the winners list, it’s worth highlighting that ⅘ of the top 5 are cultivars that were bred in Mendocino County. I’d say that the Mendo Cup has succeeded in capturing both the best sungrown and regenerative representation of popular clonal cultivars from outside of Mendocino as well as the best of the sungrown and regenerative seedlines from within Mendocino. Looking through the 34 entries, I was incredibly impressed by the range of landrace lineages represented especially in comparison with the competition field at most other cannabis cups.

I’ve heard hashmakers joke that Humboldt has quantity but Mendo has quality. Looking back on my headstash purchases over the last few years, I can confirm this from my own experiences. Seeing many of the cultivars and cultivators that I cherish from this magical county place in the top tiers. This is the surest sign that the breeders are still making things happen on the ground.

From the transparency in announcing judges, competitors, and even ticket sales all the way til a completely sold out event. Mendo Cup has set a new standard for hyperlocal cannabis cups and I not only look forward to Mendo Cup 2026, but also look forward to the revival of other regional cups following this exact model.

PS: The blackberry lemonade gummies doeeeee :).

PPS: Shout out to the Anonymous Donor (bidder 420!) who helped make this possible.

PPPS: Thanks to Rosati Photos for the formal shots.