“Bedford Grow is one of the only cultivators I will purchase cartridges from. Starting with the uncut, pure cannabis oil to the cannabis derived terpenes you can taste the quality.”
Madeline Watson, Medical Cannabis Patient — Illinois
Our commitment to quality and innovation
At Bedford Grow’s state-of-the-art facility, we grow medical-grade cannabis, extract oil and infuse a variety of products using rigorous protocols adhering to meticulous standards in every aspect of production. By maintaining clean environments free from contaminants and pesticides, we protect plants from infection and prevent cross-contamination from one growing room to the next. We adhere to the strictest Illinois state standards for safety and cleanliness during the extraction of cannabis oil and its infusion into food products. In this way, Bedford Grow brings maximum value, benefit and quality. Through our commitment to quality and innovation, Bedford Grow is the leading developer and cultivator of medical-grade cannabis products.
We cultivate medical-grade cannabis from seed
We continuously breed one-of-a-kind strains from our unique seed bank, which are used to produce cannabis products that meet or exceed expectations. Cultivating from seeds allows us to maintain a more controlled growing environment with stronger plants, higher yields, potencies and aromas. Seed growth also creates unique cannabinoid and terpenoid profiles. Our cultivators continuously use these profiles to develop new strains of cannabis.
Hand trimming: we pride ourselves on the care that goes into every plant
Our employees handle our flower with the utmost care as it is manicured and processed before consumption. Our team of seasoned trimmers hand trim each piece of flower that is cultivated, ensuring yield, potency and flavor. As we cultivate our cannabis strains, each has their own unique properties consisting of appearance, shape, density and trichome coverage.
In order to keep the integrity of each flower that is manicured, our trimmers are thoroughly focused on each piece of flower, knowing what to trim and what not to, as well as holding the flower just so, as they apply the exact amount of pressure needed to apply with their shears. Hand trimming enables the unique properties to stay in place, providing pure medicinal-grade products. In every phase of product research, development and distribution, we remain committed to our core principles of compassion, quality and innovation.
“Bedford Grow operates with the highest level of integrity and efficiency and in an ever changing industry, they grow and produce products of excellent, consistent quality.”
Amy Manganelli, Mapleglen Care Center — Rockford, IL
The Science of Strains
Several elements define and influence every cannabis strain. Its individual phenotype (meaning the genetic expression of that individual plant, which can mimic the mother plant, father plant, or exist along a spectrum somewhere in between), chemical profiles, growing environment, and methods all distinguish the strain. The cannabinoid profile within each strain contains the compounds such as THC, CBD, etc. that largely determine its effect (psychoactive or physiological). The strain’s terpene profile, however, has significant importance for two main reasons:
The Chemical Connection
First, by combining with select cannabinoid compounds, terpenes catalyze chemical processes central to the plant’s medicinal properties. This enables them to either block certain cell formations (e.g., those believed to cause cancer or inflammation) or act as a binding agent (i.e., forming molecules to stimulate appetite). Indeed, the knowledge of the chemical processes taking place at a molecular level is integral to inform scientists and doctors of the many medical benefits cannabis offers. Knowing what to address for particular health conditions or overall wellness can be daunting, however the physical traits of terpenes are equally helpful — if not more so — to its chemical counterpart, for patients and practitioners alike. Many scholars also believe that terpenes are most responsible for the strain specificity and the subtle differences between varieties, which are genetically similar and have similar cannabinoid profiles.
Scent Supremacy
Enter the second powerful property of the terpene: its capability to produce and emit many distinctive aromas, which is actually a feature of a plant’s defense system. The good fortune for insects is that their attraction or repulsion to plant-based scents is instinctive. For example, honeybees are attracted to the scent in certain flowers that provide nourishing pollens (and, in turn, play a positive role in the plant’s reproductive cycle). Alternatively, predatory creatures have an innate response to avoid specific scents the plant creates to protect its survival.
The olfactory sense in humans, however, isn’t so intuitive. While we might share a common positive or negative association with certain smells, our nervous system isn’t hard-wired to discern which aromas represent the potential physiological responses we need or seek for comfort or relief. (In fact, from a very basic herbal medicine perspective, many therapeutic or nutritional resources are “hiding” in the produce section of the grocery store!) How could our bodies possibly self-select the cannabis strain most likely to generate successful results? Due to the complexity of the chemical interactions at play when a person consumes cannabis, there is sometimes a feeling out process that has to occur before a patient can determine which strain(s) are best for their particular conditions.
As our knowledge of cannabis continues to expand, so do the opportunities for its therapeutic value. As a result, medicinal cultivators continue to breed new strains of cannabis in an effort to expand the universe of health conditions this plant can potentially benefit. While research uncovers the relevant chemical properties in terpenes (and other molecules called “flavonoids” which are also responsible for aromas and flavors in cannabis), their many unique aromas can aid patients in choosing the cannabis strain most appropriate for each condition or desired effect.