Homegrown remedies

Homegrown Provisioning Center, located on Michigan Avenue across from Clara’s Lansing Station, is just a stone’s throw east of downtown Lansing. The shop has street parking in front and a small shared lot behind the building. I parked out front and walked a few feet to the front door.

The first thing I noticed was how open the lobby is. The openness creates a comfortable entrance for people who don't like “man traps” or similar small spaces many shops use for security. With so many patients using medical Review marijuana to treat anxiety, it’s nice to see a shop that avoids stressful confined spaces.

There was plenty of seating in the waiting area, including chairs and couches. There was just one patient ahead of me, so it was not long before I was waved over to the counter at the back of the lobby. There is no separate green room here.

Homegrown Provisioning Center's counter features a variety of marijuana strains, as well as medibles and other cannabis products.

Steve Green/City Pulse

I approached the counter, and the budtender asked for my ID and medical marijuana card. She looked them over, and then we got to business. I smelled several jars and found some enticing samples. I asked a few questions about how the strains were grown and their effects. The budtender was very helpful and well informed.

I almost always get the Gorilla Glue from this shop, but I still had a little at home and opted to try something new. I decided to go with a gram each of two strains that she recommended, Northern Lights and Candyland.

The Candyland flower looked nice, with some amber hairs and a sweet smell. This strain relieved my pain and muscle tension and elevated my mood. I enjoyed this flower tremendously.

Northern Lights is a well-known strain, and it seems like almost every cannabis user has tried it. The strain is a beautiful flower to grow — or even just peer at through a jar. The tightly trimmed bud I got from Homegrown was dense and coated with a white frosting of trichomes. The smell of this flower was skunky with sweet citrus tones that got much stronger as I broke it up on my rolling tray.

The smoke had a smooth quality with very easy inhales and a bit of lung expansion. I had a bit of a chest cold, and this strain helped to clear it. The joint burned evenly with a clean, white ash. This strain is a "creeper," meaning the effects do not set in right away but instead creep up on you over time. This stain gave me feelings of happiness and euphoria. It also eased my pain and helped me sleep.

Homegrown Provisioning Center

10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily 628 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing (517) 348-9711, facebook.com/homegrownprocenter