Welcome back to The Circle! In our first episode of the year, regular co-hosts Reverend Pirate Frog, howlingbuds, stoney alpinist, and tootall are joined by a very special last-minute guest: Cumin. Stepping in with only ten minutes' notice after our scheduled guest had a "chicken-related" family emergency, Cumin helps us ring in the new year with a deep dive into genetics, garden tech, and a little bit of unexpected "therapy"

Shout out Chaos Goblin for the intro

In this episode, we cover:

• New Year’s Recaps: From tootall’s harrowing drive through a "cyclone bomb" that felt like real-life Mario Kart, to stoney alpinist’s Thai food feast, and howlingbuds' traditional finger-food spread

• The Science of "Lemon Tek": Reverend Pirate Frog shares his experience with a 3.75g "lemon tech" mushroom trip while watching Spinal Tap 2, leading into a detailed discussion on how citric acid aids in breaking down psilocybin for faster onset and easier digestion

• The Great Curing Debate: We discuss the rise of the VivoSun curing system and how it stacks up against the industry-standard Canotrol

Plus, Cumin—the master of the "Cumatrol"—gives us an update on his DIY organic wine cooler curing methods and how to maintain the perfect moisture content

• Garden Updates & Pheno Hunts: The crew celebrates a "Yag sweep" in the Alebrije canna bonsai competition and checks in on current grows

stoney alpinist prepares to toss his old soil and move into photo periods, while Cumin reveals he has "Halo Halos" currently in the works

• The Gathering of the G’s: A recap of the recent community meetup at Jaysa’s house, featuring incredible cannabis, sunny t hot sauce crunch wraps, and the legend of the "double bubble" weed tub.

• Non-Resolutions: Instead of failing at resolutions, we share "non-resolutions" for personal growth—from building self-confidence to being more present, or as howlingbuds puts it, "feeling more like a dog"

Whether you're here for the high-level garden tech or the low-level stoner banter, this episode of The Circle has it all.

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