The Roots of Homegrowers International

I’ve been an organic gardener for nearly 30 years, but I didn't start off in horticulture. I grew up in an apartment complex with no garden in sight. I didn't discover the world of gardening until I was well into my 20’s. Now, I think about plants all day long - winter, spring, summer, and fall. I feel at peace working with plants. I identify and empathize with them. I talk to them, care for and nurture them. I enjoy their company; plants feel like pets to me.

I got my start as an assistant, and subsequent garden manager for the Eastside Café in Austin; a popular restaurant with a 1/3 acre organic vegetable and herb garden. I coordinated seasonal menus with the chef, grew squash blossoms for stuffing, edible flowers for garnishes, and many varieties of tomatoes that thrived in the Texas heat. I produced bountiful crops of basil that the kitchen would make into pesto and freeze to use all year.

Afterwards, I moved to Portugal to build a garden for an arts school, which is how I ended up meeting King Charles. It was actually on that trip that I bought my first cannabis seeds in a London head shop.

In 2000, I moved to Humboldt County, California, to learn how to cultivate cannabis and was fortunate to meet some skillful growers who shared their knowledge with me. I drove to San Francisco, got a proposition 215 medical authorization, and become a medical cannabis provider to patients and dispensaries in California and Washington for the next 13 years.

I started Homegrowers International as a way to invite people into my garden to share my experiences, but it's become so much more than that. I’m now hosting the Friday 420 Podcast and HGI Live with professional cultivators and cannabis experts.

This site is meant for growers and would-be growers, and anyone who is curious about how cannabis can affect and improve their life. If you have any questions, my inbox is always open to you.

Thank you,

Michel Navedo