MichiGanja must-haves: 6 killer cannabis products to fuel your Michigan summer

Flower that smacks, drinks that hit, and edibles that don’t taste like trash—here’s what our chief cannabis correspondent is using to survive summer in Michigan.

MICHIGAN—Summer in Michigan is too short to smoke bad weed.

So, whether you’re packing for a long weekend Up North or just looking for something new to throw in the beach bag, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite cannabis products for the season.

These aren’t sponsored picks. It’s actually what’s in my stash right now: small-batch flower with flavor, hash rosin edibles that work, and a soda that tastes like summer and hits like a truck.

Ocean Air by Plant Nerd

There’s craft cannabis, and then there’s Plant Nerd—a small, West Michigan crew of true-blue weed lovers who rely on real feedback from everyday smokers to shape their grow operation.

This is the kind of team that hunts down new strains for fun, monocrops their rooms just to baby each strain, and refuses to remediate anything. You won’t find slick ads or a flashy website—just an Instagram page, some word-of-mouth buzz, and some of the most honest weed in the state.

In recent months, the team has used community feedback to overhaul their entire lineup of strains, as well as add hand rolled joints and cured resin vapes into this summer’s production lineup. And every day, it seems they’re expanding to more dispensary shelves across Michigan.

I first tried their Ocean Air strain on a whim and have been chasing that high ever since. 

Photo/plantnerdgrow via Instagram

It’s Point Break x Grape Cream Cake, and the two phenotypes they keep on deck are both heaters—one citrusy, the other a bit more grapey, but both dangerously potent and smooth.

Regardless of the strain, if you see Plant Nerd on the menu, grab it. Trust me; this is the kind of small-batch Michigan weed you’ll only tell your friends about after you’ve cleared the shelf.

Death by Boof by Ghostbudsters

Ghostbudsters is another one of those low-key Michigan cannabis brands that doesn’t say much. Instead, they let their weed do all the talking. You won’t find a website with neon lettering. There’s barely any marketing. And yet, when their flower shows up on a menu, I never hesitate.

Especially if it’s Death by Boof. The name is absurd. But the product? Dead serious.

Photo/agrotek.mi via Instagram

This is a Superboof x Death Star crossbreed that hits with this wild, funky, citrusy acidity and earthy, skunky finish that lingers in all the right ways. It also sort of smells like someone squeezed an orange over a compost pile, but I mean that in the most flattering way possible.

The nugs are dense, purple-tinged, and absolutely enormous. 

And I was able to find a few ounces for only $99 each at my local dispensary in Lansing. It’s rare to find weed this good at that kind of price, so I didn’t ask questions; I just cleared the shelf.

Orangutan by Heavyweight Heads

Heavyweight Heads isn’t some fly-by-night brand chasing the highest THC percentages. 

These folks have been around since back when growing weed could still get you arrested—and it shows. They’re deep in the culture, pheno-hunting different strains for the right flavors, throwing art shows, and collaborating with everyone from Cookies to Rohan Marley.

Photo/Heavyweight Heads

Their Orangutan—which won first place at the 2021 High Times Cup—is one of my go-to strains just about every summer. That’s because it’s a citrusy sativa that hits like a shot of espresso, then smooths into a heady creative buzz that’s perfect for starting the day off with a kick. 

Stingerz by Wojo

It’s Friday. You’re clocking out of work and peeling out of the driveway with nothing but a sandy beach on your mind and no time to roll up joints. Stingerz are made for moments like that.

Photo/Wojo

The best part: These three-packs of pre-rolled joints aren’t stuffed with mystery trim, shake, or whatever fell out on the floor at the grow op. They’re packed with actual bud and bubble hash, and they burn clean—because someone actually gave a damn while they were making them.

Wojo doesn’t chase hype. This team has been around since the caregiver days, and they still do everything in-house on their farm in the middle of nowhere. That means no weird additives, no corner-cutting, and no explaining to your friends why your joint tastes like burnt grass.

Black Cherry Lemonade Gummies by Information Entropy

Cannabis-infused gummies are everywhere in Michigan right now but very few brands seem to be doing it like Information Entropy. This team runs a trio of dispensaries in Ann Arbor and New Buffalo, and their house-made gummies are reason enough to plan a visit.

What sets them apart? Hash rosin. Full-stop.

These aren’t your standard, sugar-coated distillate cubes. They’re made with single-source hash rosin pulled from strains that Information Entropy actually hunts and grows themselves.

Photo/Information Entropy

My go-to this summer is their 200 mg Black Cherry Lemonade gummy. The flavor slaps, the body high hits smooth. Add in a CBN kick and you’ve got one of the most well-rounded, body-hugging edible experiences in the state—my personal favorite for a chill day at the beach. 

Berry Lemonade Soda by Mary Jones

Remember Jones Soda? The quirky labels, the weird flavors, the sugar rush that got you through high school? Yeah—now imagine that, but with weed. And not just a little.

Photo/Mary Jones Cannabis

Mary Jones is serving up actual flavor (no weird weedy aftertaste), and each can comes loaded with 100mg of THC. That’s not a typo. It’s real-deal, share-this-or-cancel-your-plans territory.

My go-to this summer is their Berry Lemonade—a legitimately delicious slow-sipper that tastes just like the original Jones Soda favorite, without any of that weird, infused bong water taste.

If you’re planning a canoe trip or just want something more sessionable than the 100mg tall boy cans, Mary Jones also produces a wide line of 20mg cans that hit more like an all-day IPA. Either way, this isn’t one of those baby-dose seltzers. This one shows up ready to party.

READ MORE: 5 quick hits of cannabis news from across Michigan

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