Frank Fauls says cannabis grown by the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe is as close to being “organic” as it can be.

“I had always wanted to grow in living soil, using no chemical nutrients. This ensures the cleanest product,” the operations manager at Ascension Craft Cannabis said.

Products from Ascension are Clean Green Certified®, a program recognizing sustainable, regenerative, and environmentally responsible practices by growers and processors, a news release states. It is the only certification program of its type nationwide, and the closest cannabis product can get to achieving the designation of “organic.”

“We knew we had to find a niche in the market, so I suggested going for the Clean Green certification early on, and everyone got on board. From the start, the focus was on producing the best medicine possible and reaching for the highest standards to set ourselves apart,” Fauls said.

The latest PGST business venture has launched its first in a series of branded retail cannabis products. Ascension, operated by Noo-Kayet Investments, the economic entity of the tribe, began operations last fall, becoming one of only a handful of growing operations owned by a tribal entity in the state, the release states. Ascension’s first harvest matured this spring. After drying, curing, and testing, Ascension has brought six, medical-grade strains to market: Black Lime Reserve, Shoreline 91, Stay Pufft, Piccolo, Purple Berry and Chem D x Airhorn.

The first products are being sold by High Point Cannabis, also operated by NKI, as well as retail cannabis locations around the Kitsap Peninsula with expansion plans, per the release. The company is growing 20 strains and has over 200 seed variants. Fauls oversees a team of five who are responsible for bringing products from seed to shelf. They source the seeds; grow, harvest, dry and cure the plants; work with state regulators and retailers; and are responsible for branding and marketing.

In addition, Fauls is passionate about teaching people about the intricacies of cannabis and how the work being done by Ascension intersects with the future of agriculture. “What we’re doing isn’t just about cannabis. It’s about agriculture and farming and self-sufficiency. There are businesses that are using operations like ours to turn around herbs and vegetables quickly. This business and how it operates can have a huge impact on the future,” he said.

As for the future of cannabis, Fauls sees big things ahead: “A lot depends on what happens on the federal level, but I envision, at some point, certain parts of the nation will be identified like Champagne in France, as having the defining products that others should aspire to. Washington state would certainly be one of those places, and Ascension, because of our cultivation practices, would be well positioned to benefit.”

When Fauls joined Ascension in July 2023, he came with vast experience in cannabis cultivation, including years spent as a sole proprietor of a business in Shelton, a consultant for other operations, and a recognized expert in the field. “This just wasn’t something I could do as a small operation with limited resources,” he said.

File photo Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s High Point Cannabis is one of many weed shops in Kitsap offering Ascension Craft Cannabis products.