A Breeder Steve Thread

I got into Breeder Steve and the Spice of Life seed company recently, because of a few reasons.

The first is that I was going down a rabbit hole learning about the blueberry boom that was going on in the late 90s. He like many others at the time and since, used the blueberry or other lines by DJ Short in their works to great success. These genetics formed the base of a lot of his catalogue, as he himself will say as he describes the story of his breeding journey and unlike other companies of the time, he and DJ seemed to be on good terms and the breeding programs turned out a lot of stuff that didnt have a lot of the drama behind it other offerings did/do.

The 2nd is that he is a pretty intelligent guy who was in the Canadian scene during the 90s and early 00s so his viewpoints and anecdotes are really quite interesting to me. I am a younger guy who grew up in a scene that had its ground works laid by the early cannabis pioneers and advocates like him, who are now big figures in the legal industry around the world. Hearing little tales about what he went through is invaluable to me. figures like him, the early cannabis dispensary and compassion club people, big time growers, etc. really have stories to tell that we want to hear and I think a lot of the Canadian figures like Chimera and others really have unique stories to tell. Even guys with checkered pasts like reeferman have unique stories I wish would get told.

He claims to have created the 2nd homozygous drug cannabis strain in the west after sam the skunkmanā€™s skunk #1

He is a part of modern legal cannabis companies in columbia, thailand, south africa and because he is working with these legit large multinational companies, he is working with skilled biologists and geneticists. this lets him really talk about the possible achievements of cannabis breeding in the future, and what kind of developments we can expect outside of the traditional race to have the most pest resistant, biggest yielding, most potent, fast flowering strains.

anyway, suffice to say i got a crush and followed him pretty closely, listened to all the podcasts i could find with him, read the articles and stuff he has posted. I think its worthwhile to have more of a dedicated thread about him as a resource, instead of things being spread out.


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Amazing!

Thank you for this, I too have become enamored with Breeder Steve, and his work, excited to pour through the resources you shared, and follow this thread!

Always wanted to try the sweet pink grapefruit.

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I wouldnā€™t consider daves skunk 1 homozygous , Iā€™ve grown a lot of skunk 1 beans and uniformity was not something I would have used to describe them . They were also complete garbage and donā€™t deserve the name of skunk weed.
I would love to know what gene within that strain he claims is homozygous. What trait was stabilized to breed true because from what Iā€™ve seen they grow slightly different looking plants with a wide range of smells and taste , non of which is ever skunk.
Lemon cucumbers always grow lemon cucumbers yellow brand wine tomatoes always grow yellow brandy wine tomatoes . There are some cannabis strains that breed true for certain traits but they are most often landraces. I have never seen a poly hybrid that produces truly uniform offspring.

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Thanks for this! A genuine guy if a field dominated by fast talkers! Long time admirer of Breeder Steve and all the work heā€™s put in! :+1:

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I asked him back in 2020 if he was bringing anything to market and he said he is still working on it.

Iā€™ve also seen heā€™s currently working on monoploidy. Producing 50% sterile females (no pistils) and 50% regular. Says they root in 3-4 days compared to 10-12 for regulars.

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There is a bit of dramatics when it comes to Steve. This thread wonā€™t be about trying to establish facts, I just want to give a platform for information about Steve and Spice of Life Seeds.

Here is a thread from icmag on spice of life seeds. The op Kootenay aka koots, is a long time figure on the scene as well and continued the company and did stuff for steve. He also released several strains for spice of life.
https://www.icmag.com/forum/icmag-vendor-forums/seed-boutique/seed-boutique-vendors/deluxe-seeds/140757-spice-of-life-seeds

Here is a thread on federation seeds for those down for some drama. For those not in the know, steve claims that these guys were former employees of marc emery who stole a consignment of seeds and some of the clone used by spice of life and began federation seeds. The reason i post this thread is because another big time canadian breeder named ryan lee aka chimera came into this thread and said that contrary to what steve claimed, the federation offerings where not just ripped of spice of life gear.
https://www.icmag.com/forum/icmag-vendor-forums/seedbay/185875-federation-seed-company

a letter from steve on why he left the seed industry, partly because of shadey people like the federation people.
"I decided to write this letter in response to the growing number of inquiries regarding my whereabouts, and the whereabouts of my seeds. Nobody can tell you I got tired of breeding cannabis, I got sick of the business.

The only people that truly understand the dedication and expense of conscientiously growing for seed are people that have done it. Selections require a lot of space, both indoor and out. Certainly the selection process is what I enjoy most about cultivation. Most growers consider such crops a luxury, or at least a necessary evil. The average grower is working for max yield of sinsemilla that is where the money is. This is achieved through systematically replanting identical clones from a high-yielding selection.

Luckily for most growers they will probably get clones from someone who has already discovered it while growing a selection from seed. The grower is rewarded for providing other people with what they donā€™t provide for themselves.

Thatā€™s cool, not every puffer is a gardener, for whatever reason. I never dreamed of producing mass quantities and raking in a bundle, just to grow my own and share it, as I like.

Factory-like repetition may be the rule of production, for this is how things get built; just consider laying bricks, or weaving a basket. When personal stash is the motivating factor for a grower yield concerns are secondary to quality concerns.

Prior to the retail revolution in cannabis seeds in the Canadian market, many growers gladly traded seeds and clones from their travels and selections. No one had a proprietary interest in ā€œguardingā€ his or her genetics, every good specimen was proudly shared among all brave enough to continue the age-old act of cultivating good grass.

Distinguished London, Ontario cannabis activist Chris Clay was the first in repressive Canada to stand up for our rights as growers and smokers and openly sold both clones and seeds in Canadaā€™s first hemp store.

The Great Canadian Hemporium. Chris always had the tasty as well. Around the time the cops and courts shut him down Marc Emery was taking up the flag in Vancouver. Marc was no stranger to controversy and courts, as an alternative bookstore owner also from Konservative London Ontario

Marc supported banned publications and free speech such as a banned album from the infamous ā€œ2 Live Crewā€. Marc published an alternative paper and wrote most of it. Being high in high school at the time I thought he was pretty cool talking about the evils of The Peopleā€™s Institute of Education and so on.

Soon he would sell High Times and The Emperor Wears No Clothes. After boring of London Politics Marc and family did a stint in Southeast Asia where they eventually got a not-so-boring taste of Indonesian Politics. Returned to Vancouver practically destitute. Made his start selling High Times door to door. Then he was able to continue to sell the controversy around hemp and highness at Hemp BC.

In Vancouver, Marcā€™s boundless energy and enthusiasm for cannabis was fuel for an already largely hip populace. That dude sold a lot of bongs, and his seed catalogue progressed from one, then two, then three strains to probably more than three hundred.

After Marc was busted for the first time selling seeds, I wanted to do something for him. I went downtown Vancouver and I told him, ā€œI have no pictures or samples but here is a film canister of one of my seeds in the spirit of donation if you have the heart to continue selling seeds.ā€ He took off the lid and looked at those big fat dark coconuts and told me excitedly, "Make all the seed you can!

Marc gave me some of the seeds that he was selling. The germination rates were low and the finished product of those that did grow did not impress me enough to keep clones. I knew I was the pickiest of puffers and so began the beginning of my seedy career. For five years I had been saving seed of every favourite before I moved to BC.

I grew outdoors mainly until then. There I moved indoors for five years after experiencing the cunning ruthlessness of the prevailing herb pirates. Up until my first fall in BC I had never lost plants to humans. I still donā€™t really think of herb thieves as human and treat them accordingly. People that try and take from you what is rightfully yours are the most contemptible beings on the planets, whether it is your work, your freedom, your loved ones, or your life. Your nightmares will come true when WE get back at YOU.

As far as why Spice of Life Seeds have been unavailable for over a year and a half, it is because I had become simply too hot to continue growing. After Marc lost a huge consignment of Spice Seeds (that were not to be stored in the store, by agreement!), I had to tell my satellite growers, five houses and five strains, that they should plant their next crop for sinse. I had to do crazy things to keep up my payment schedule to them as a point of pride. I never want it said I left someone hanging. To Marcā€™s credit he did an admirable job of keeping the business together through those turbulent times.

The only thing besides my loved ones and my ganja that seemed a worthy expenditure of my valuable energy was to promote economical and environmentally friendly ways of producing gourmet vegetables and fruits. I was actually compelled to start keeping a line of broccoli and a few of tomatoes that were happiest in my bioponic system and really I knew all of that time that all I wanted to do was to start doing selections of cannabis again, to straighten out some current favourites to the point that they could be my finest work. I was elated when I got a phone call inviting me to breed cannabis legally in Europe.

I had pretty much sworn off the business due to the prevalence of knockoffs. It was easy for them, I gave anybody clones of my favourite plants and likely still will. I firmly believe that there will never be too much high quality cannabis in this world, and that there is already way too much shit.

I told Marc after numerous business ethical conflicts, e.g. Say ā€œSold Outā€ when a popular seed is unavailable; do not advertise to sell what you donā€™t have. People were ordering Spice and receiving replacements, or deceived, not cool. I was and am still friends with many of Marcā€™s employees and was often shocked at what goes on. Still am. I put together and made popular a brand name Shishkeberry, which achieved much acclaim.

One of Marcā€™s ex-employees that came to work for one of my businesses actually stole two shipments of my seeds before he quit the shop and now kicks back making a tidy living as Cash Crop Ken. He wrote up what he thinks he knows about them, and together with his fence, Marc Emery, exploit the name Shishkeberry that I developed and popularised. In a civilized country I could successfully sue them, but in the cesspool of Marc Emeryā€™s current seed scene acts like this are everyday business.

Take for instance some of his employees working for shit wages and growing some good grass in their basement, thanks to clones from me they finally could actually get high from what they grew. These desperate boys are calling themselves Federation Seed Co. Let me set the record straight: Cotton Candy = Sweet Tooth, Island Sweet Skunk = Sweet Skunk, Mikado = Sweet Pink Grapefruit.

These are popular clones Iā€™ve named and let loose. They claim to have developed them ā€œover the yearsā€. Flash-in-the-pan seed company might have been a more appropriate name; theyā€™ve already crumbled due to a combination of incompetence and shame. Just having my clones does not mean they know how to produce accurate seeds of them when they attempt to reproduce them ā€œover the yearsā€ I had long ago told Marc when he asked, that I was not interested in doing knockoffs of othersā€™ work, in name or substance.

I claim what the heritage is of my seeds, to give respect and credit to our predecessors, but I develop something original. Marc was also fairly informed that if he began selling knockoffs of my work I would never, ever, ever sell him seeds again. I laugh at him now when he says, ā€œWell, not everyone wants the knockoffs. Sell me more seeds, Iā€™ll pay cash.ā€ The last deal we made was I erase his crushing debt and he gives Spice of Life free ads for life. He has cancelled that deal as well, but I donā€™t feel too bad writing it off anyway because itā€™s for the cause.

When I was shutting down seed ops for non-payment of seed, Marc was off to Cuba with his new girlfriend. I was Breeder Dave at one time until ā€œa typoā€ changed that. Cannabis Canada published my home number and therefore address eventually. I have been arrested partially with his help, and contrary to my wishes. While Marc has pled guilty for the cause I have been fighting in court for a headā€™s innocence.

Laughing Moon launched themselves with a tidy purchase of Spice but that was a long time ago now they are selling their versions of my strains as my strains. Impostors such as Dubious David ā€œFreedomā€ of I-donā€™t-know-what-the-fuck-he-calls-it-now.com who never paid for his small order should be avoided, as should Derek the dongblaster who never even had any Spice but claimed to be the exclusive distributor.

The Amsterdam CafĆ© owners, on the other hand, are always fair and honest to deal with, my regards ladies, kudos to you. They are roses amidst the snakes in the grass. Marc was so pissed I wonā€™t ever sell him seeds again that he screamed at me, ā€œI made you, you would be nothing without me!ā€ I earned my reputation with quality. Marc had it in for me since the time about two years ago when he asked me to run the Seed Desk at Hemp BC. The offer was generous enough but a desk is not my cup of tea. Smelling the roses is. He asked ten times and then became rude. He couldnā€™t stand that I wouldnā€™t work for him.

To avoid confusion, until further notice, doubt the authenticity of anyone selling Spice of Life Strains except the Amsterdam CafĆ©, legendsseeds.com, and seedbank.to. We appreciate it when you bring fraudulent seed dealers to our attention. The Spice of Life name has been synonymous with quality for the last five years and I will not abide its abuse by poseurs. Iā€™m very happy to be back at work now and look forward to bringing you the best I can. As for the price increase the truth is that the cost (and scope) of my experiments have grown incredibly, believe me when I tell you that up until now and still I have not made any money in breeding, it has been an expensive hobby.

However it is my passion and I do what I have to do to afford it. Lots of people arenā€™t in it for the money and I can appreciate that, however I would love to be able to spend ten million on a state of the art facility, a monument to cannabis in a stable country. It would be a dream playground for the committed into the future, donā€™t you think? Working to improve plants by cultivating and collecting plants from seed is a noble calling, greetings to all who ever did so with integrity.

Sinserely Steve"

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Other then hearing the name I have no knowledge on Breeder Steve , other then someone on here saying that he claims higher temps will cut 2 weeks off of flowering time. Anyone making such ridiculous claims should not be taken seriously.

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A response from Marc Emery
#419137 - 01/21/03 05:23 PM Re: Strain Scams Mr. emery!
Marc Scott Emery Offline

The Prince Of Pot


Registered: 08/19/99
Posts: 5599
Loc: Vancouver, beautiful supernatuā€¦
Steve wrote that up three years ago. Steve isnā€™t telling you he did get paid for all his seeds, and Steve has had a difficult time working with anyone for long. I mean, how does a guy do 5 years of mass cultivating in Switzerland and have nothing to show for it?

Steve is a wonderful character, but no one can work with Steve for long becauseā€¦heā€™s a character.

I am very glad Cash Crop Ken, the Federation, and others have carried on with strains Steve was unable to. Steve didnā€™t invent these strains, he popularized them, or rather, I popularized them, under Spice of Life. He received cuttings like Sweet Pink Grapefruit and calls it his, well, it isnā€™t his, he just ā€˜namedā€™ what was already going around. Sweet Pink Grapefruit is MIKADO, but Mikado has been available for 6 years and Grapefruit has not. The Federation are very conscientious and their stuff is good and consistent. Steve can never make the claim of consistency or reliability becauseā€¦ he is a character. In fact, Steve doesnā€™t have an original cutting of his original Shishk (its Blueberry crossed with a yellow and red Afghani) but I still do, its entered into the 2003 Tokerā€™s Bowl as the original Shishkeberry, but Steve & Legends are happily entering the Ultimate Indica from themselves.

I am EXTREMELY GLAD Federation produces four strains that Steve had but discontinued. I am very glad CCK has perpetuated the Shishk.

No one ā€˜ownsā€™ any strain of pot. Virtually every single strain from Greenhouse for example is a match for a Sensi Seed strain, in fact, most strains ciruculating in Holland under the major brands for example are identical replicas of Sensi Seed Bank inventory. All the players in Amsterdam know this. No one owns pot cultivars, they are there for the duplicating, tinkering, altering or mass producing.

Certain things canā€™t be imparted, a green thumb, a good palate, an eccentric and lovable personality (Steve), these are unique.

Steve wrote that piece long ago and maybe wishes he hadnā€™t. I donā€™t want to rebut it point by point because all those issues were resolved or dealt with, but they arenā€™t relevent today. If anyone has further questions about it, Iā€™ll be glad to answer them.

Marc

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I agree with a lot of your opinions about breeder Steve, his work seems to approach things from a cool lense combining all of his knowledge with a very direct approach. I definitely enjoy his strains and knowledge!

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Steve was cool with meā€¦alwaysā€¦

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I wanna know more about legends ultimate indica

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The guy is a legend! Heā€™s forgotten more about cannabis than most people will ever know. Heā€™s got what a 60k grow down in Columbia right now? Absolutely a pioneer. Thanks so much for making this thread and putting up those links. We appreciate it!

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Still whinging about that? Lol, I guess Iā€™m not the only one who respects the hell out of the guy. This guy just made a whole tribute thread to him. What he said about flowering times are that the same plants heā€™s growing up north in canada are finishing a week or two quicker in the warmer climate of Columbia. Gotta love it, a dude who grows a few plants thinks he knows it all compared to someone growing thousands of plants with 40 years experience. So many breeders still use his genetics too like Bodhi for one with his Strange Brew. Email Bodhi and ask him about Steve and heā€™ll set you straight as I know he looks up to him too.

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I know when I have cold temperatures, it sure makes flowering and/or waiting for seeds to mature drag onā€¦

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I didnā€™t quite understand that as the warm weather knocked two weeks off ,I ass-u-meā€™d that it was the equatorial (being slightly more direct or closer to the equator )sun , that was the reason for knocking two weeks off an eight week strain,and I had to search him out in Switzerland to order some Sweet Tooth 3 seed somewhere around 2001 or so ,he definitely seem to not work to long with some people,but his gear seems to kick ass everywhere, and I canā€™t really blame someone focused and passionate about weed to not put up with or be slowed down by anyone,Iā€™m pretty sure I may have suggested somewhere that I wish heā€™d run for Prime Minister in Canada here, wouldnā€™t that be cool ,and that was just based in his views on weed ,I donā€™t really know all that much about him ,but if he dropped seeds today,Iā€™d try to find a way to buy them,where Iā€™d run from any of Marc Emery middlemaned offerings ,
Although being down and out ,Iā€™ve purchased hempdepot beanhoarder gear , out of desperation,and Iā€™ve bought from Emery at least three times in the 90s before I knew anything about any of them , I really appreciate this thread ! Love and Respect all ! Just mho

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Great thread! Crosslinking my report from @BreederSteveā€™s Swiss Factory :slight_smile:

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Again anyone saying warmer temps take 2 weeks off of flowering time , is not being even slightly honest.

I donā€™t care if it is some fan boy on here or breeder whoever. Warmer temps do NOT make an 8 week strain a 6 weeker.

I also love how you try to make the claim sound more legit . Yup no other variables at play. It is just warmer in Columbia

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Hahaha, thatā€™s for sure. Iā€™ve got quite warm temps, and my strains are all 2 to 3 weeks longer than posted flower times. Iā€™ve also grown the same strains in close to freezing temperatures with no change in flower maturity time.

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