There's Always More to Every Story

There's always more to every story, mine is no exception!

In 2018, after seeking a new direction, I made a significant shift from my engineering business. At Sugarleaf, a small cannabis operation in Washington State is where I spent time learning and working on the farm, immersing myself in the intricate world of cannabis farming and processing. It was a complete departure from my previous career, a purposeful move to gain hands-on experience and explore new avenues.

A Setback and a Spark

Upon returning home in Indiana, armed with newfound knowledge, I launched my own indoor hemp farm. I set up an ambitious operation: an eight-zone indoor flower room designed to yield 18 plants every week. It was fun and challenging, learning something new every day. All my product testing ran high, and I had to destroy every crop... While a difficult experience, it provided invaluable lessons and an intimate, hands-on understanding of the plant and its nuances.

Much respect to all growers!

Observing the Problem

During my time at Sugarleaf, I’d also observed significant inefficiencies. I watched people manually sort and package flower using methods like shaking totes with screen wire or slow shaker tables. I saw three people painstakingly packaging 1/8ths by hand. It was clear there was a substantial need for improvement. I knew I could develop a better solution.

The Birth of a Solution

That observation sparked the idea for our bud first sorter. As I traveled and sold these sorters, I consistently saw the same inefficiencies across the industry. More importantly, I identified a critical gap in the market: smaller operations simply couldn't afford the large-scale, expensive equipment needed to optimize their processes.

Driven by a desire to empower these smaller businesses, my team and I dedicated ourselves to developing an affordable, gentle, efficient solution. Gram Master packaging system is the solution.

Let a machine weigh out your buds!

My best energies
Mike Bartrom