Preferred Gardens on First Smoke of the Day: Built Different

Preferred Gardens is back with a brand-new episode on First Smoke of the Day, and it’s packed with game for anyone who loves real craft cannabis.

Founded in 2015 by David Polley in Sacramento, Preferred Gardens is known for their unique strains like Permanent Marker, Lazer Gun, and Znackz, and their top-tier mixed-light grows. Now operating in California, Florida, Arizona, New York, and even branching into international markets, Preferred stays true to their soil: built not bought.

In this episode, Dave shares how being a grower and breeder first helped him scale Preferred across multiple states without cutting corners. He talks about why quality control is everything, how to build real trust with retailers, and why staying independent matters more than ever.

The Preferred team—Nicki, Alex, Blaine, and Mike—also jump in to explain how they’ve kept the brand strong without giving in to big investors. Their passion, hustle, and commitment to quality come through loud and clear. Team work makes the dream work! 

Host Blackleaf dives deep into topics like:

• How Preferred picks winning cuts

• Why cure time and white ash still matter

• How they maintain top-shelf crops in multiple states

• And why you have to love the plant to run a real flower brand

🎥 Watch the full episode here: Preferred Gardens: Built Not Bought | First Smoke of the Day Ep.112

Learn more at preferredgardens.com and catch all their past episodes too!