Swiss You Were Here – AutoPot At CannaTrade

Roll over Beethoven! There’s a couple of new(ish) big dogs on the AutoPot show circuit. Faithful hounds Jason Ralph-Smith (AutoPot MD) and Dan Dozzini (APUK North Accounts Manager) have stepped up to replace our recently re-homed St. Bernard of international trade relations. This May we filled Jason and Dozza’s flasks, scruffled them behind the ears, and sent them lolloping into central Europe. Where better for our two pups to start chewing the hydro expo furniture than at CannaTrade in Bern?

And what a treat Bern was for our new team’s first run in the wild! At AutoPot Watering Systems we love water, so Jason was understandably cock-a-hoop at the sight of ‘beautiful streams of drinking-quality aqua just running down the middle of the street’, perfect for splashing about in on your way to a trade show! If you like water a bit further away but then suddenly much closer, bridge jumping into the ice cold river that surrounds the city should float your…self. If you like your water a bit further away and only getting closer at tectonic speed then there’s loads of snowy mountains to look at. If that’s wet your whistle for Bern, you wait until we get to the show, finally.

Fortunately Jason and Dozza’s introduction to the show was nowhere near as arduous the above. Lodged just across the road they were perfectly placed to waltz into the BernExpo and actually enjoy the assistance of the young and helpful staff. Not to be a nark but that vibe is not always a given and definitely worthy of praise, thanks guys, you were immense! 

Trade was brisk with nearly 10,000 visitors taking on an impressive haul of 250 exhibitors from 40 countries. Over at AutoPot the CO2 Generator and XXL elicited a warm thrum of interest throughout, as did easy2grow which was something of a surprise hit. Despite being the smallest of our modules in terms of pot size the easy2grow is very space-efficient which is often crucial for home growers. There was an overwhelming level of enthusiasm from stores, gardeners, and cultivation fans at CannaTrade. Much of the grass-roots excitement evident we experienced is related to the evolving situation in Switzerland.

Like most places Switzerland is home to a number of nationally specific laws surrounding cannabis. These laws weave together to form a somewhat unique legal picture. Medical cannabis can now be commercially cultivated and exported. For hobby growers, home cultivation is permitted within a narrow set of parameters. These parameters include a restriction to low-THC, non-psychoactive crops. In terms of end use, medical access is theoretically, if not always practically, possible. Following devolution of some powers to local authorities experiments are underway involving regulated adult use. 

From our travels we’ve picked up quite a bit of experience of legal loosening. Invariably such changes have stimulated greater public interest in home growing. This can be driven by an interest in horticulture or a desire on the part of consumers to better understand and control the substances they use. Either way, people are commonly looking for a low cost, low maintenance solution that simply delivers. 

Utilities are expensive or scarce the world over so for home growers cultivation needs to make economic or practical sense. This is where our systems have a great advantage in that they require no power whatsoever and are zero waste, with every drop of water and fertiliser going to the plants. These attributes, together with the warm, winning, inquisitive nature of the masses at CannaTrade, saw Jason and Dozza fairly well whisked off their feet on the AutoPot Stand. When you’ve had a good whisking you need some downtime. Up and down time as it happens. 

Keen to keep the team in peak condition Jason recreationally marched Dozza up to the top of several local hills and marched him down again in the piping hot, near 30 degree heat. The only form of respite being quite a few charming local bars in which our heroes cooled off. This gave the ‘lads’ (if we may make so bold) the perfect perspective on this very beautiful city. Their respective lucky lady partners will be thrilled to learn that Jason and Dozza rated Bern as ‘perfectly suited to a romantic getaway’, which means next year our boys will most probably be getting some extra help with setting up and breaking down. Dust off your passports ladies!