A few weeks ago I took a ride out to see a modest farm in Hampden called Halcyon. On a plot of 72 acres live Laura and Matthew, parents to two dogs, three little girls, four pigs, and a few dozen cannabis plants. Matthew runs Halcyon Farms, while Laura has her own focus crafting quality cannabis-infused foods for her own company, Lyfted Edibles.
Both originally from New Jersey, Laura and Matthew decided several years ago they were ready for a change of pace. They sold their business and started searching around for new opportunities. After considering their options, they moved to Maine via South Carolina and have been working hard to build a legacy they can leave their children--should they decide to take over the family business, that is.
A couple of years ago Laura decided to branch out from farming and start her own edibles company. Lyfted was created to provide consumers with health conscious edible choices using only locally sourced and all organic ingredients. Laura started out making vegan gummies for medical patients wanting a healthier alternative to the sugary options that have traditionally dominated the market. Her menu changes from season to season, but her commitment to clean, organic, locally sourced ingredients never wavers.
Now her products are sold throughout the state. Her lemonade is her most popular item. She personally delivers batches that are made weekly from hand squeezed lemons and other fresh ingredients. Each bottle is individually prepared to ensure using whole plant solvent less concentrates consistent dosing. Laura uses whole plant, full-spectrum dry sift--the resiny trichomes containing the cannabinoids and terpenes that offer medicinal benefits--instead of hydrocarbon extractions to ensure the cleanest possible medicine. After decarbing the dry sift in her oven, she produces a unique suspension that she refers to as her ‘secret sauce’ before adding it to her medibles.
Demand for Laura’s products has been steadily increasing, and by the end of August she’ll have her own commercial kitchen up and running. Two recent hires will help her increase her production capacity so that they can provide more retailers and their patients with Lyfted products--and so that Laura can continue growing her menu. With three young daughters she has found it difficult to do any research and development on top of meeting demand for her already popular offerings. Laura currently works with 12 distributors around the state.
The summer is almost over, and that means harvest season is just around the corner. I'll be paying them another visit in September to see the ladies flowering and I'm very excited to have another conversation with Matthew and Laura about their plans to expand. Matthew's parents recently set up their own farm down in Southern Maine and Matthew has recently hired some more hands to help him around the farm. Keep an eye out for our follow up interview in the October print edition!
