Innovator Spotlight

LightSky Farms

Burton, MI

Challenges

  • Ultra-competitive Michigan cannabis market.
  • High barrier costs to entry.
  • Needed advanced technologies with deep data capabilities.
Jason Matlock, Ph.D., expert in cannabis lighting technology, wears flat cap.

“LightSky and Shannon Walters are one-of-a-kind when it comes to crafting vintage strains and superior products. Fluence is proud to support their pioneering spirit and use of Fluence LED solutions and the VYNE intercanopy lighting.“

- Jason Matlock, M.S. Ph.D.

Horticulture Service Specialist Fluence
Alex Gonzalez in hair net and glasses, smiling, expert in cannabis lighting technology.

“At LightSky Farms, partnering with Fluence has been a game-changer. Their innovative LED Lighting technology has revolutionized how we cultivate cannabis, allowing us to unlock the full potential of each plant and deliver unparalleled quality in every harvest.“

- Alex Gonzalez

Head of Product Development and Testing
LightSky Farms was founded in Traverse City, MI, in 2009 by Shannon Walters. His background included winemaking, cultivation, and specialty wines, and he translated these techniques and his scientific knowledge to produce high quality, meaningful products in the cannabis industry.

Since then, LightSky Farms has become a cult favorite in the ultra-competitive Michigan market, while Shannon has become a 40x High Times Cannabis Award winner and achieved a World Cup in CBD.

It is easy to see why so many Michiganians are loyal to the brand. The expert growers at LightSky Farms are driven by quality and dedicated to their craft at every stage. Nutrients are hand-mixed, moms are hand-watered in nurseries, food and water are carefully curated and treated, and each plant gets all the attention and love of a single child. Although not cheap or easy, the minutia and extreme care exhibited at LightSky Farms sets it apart as a one-of-a-kind brand, whose products deliver a well-rounded profile and an unsurpassed experience.

LightSky Farms has emphasized quality through cutting-edge technology and best practices since their founding. Their experts gather data and use analytic equipment to decipher the bigger picture. Pheno hunting and selective breeding allow them to grow novel strains with unique profiles Fluence’s VYPR and RAZR-M LEDs enable maximum optimization, plant expression, and energy efficiency from seedling to harvest.

The latest example of exploring cutting-edge technology is LightSky’s trials with Fluence’s VYNE intercanopy lighting. Analyzing data from multiple trials, LightSky Farms has seen the total market value of their crop increase due to improvements in the consistency of bud size, mass, and chemical potency.
By “spoon-feeding” each plant with the exact inputs it needs—nutrients, water, light, et al., its full genetic potential can be reached. This meticulous passion helps to explain how LightSky Farms and Shannon Walters manage to bring out colors, aromas, and flavors that most growers rarely achieve.

Project Overview

Overview
LightSky Farms in Burton, MI.
Crop
Cannabis
Fluence Fixture

VYPR 2p, RAZR-M, VYPR 3×2

Facility
Indoor (85,000 sq. feet)
Results

Reduced Energy Costs
Improved Flower Quality
Greater Environmental Control

Challenges
Cut edges, not corners.

Quality is the central pillar at LightSky Farms. Each technology, process, and package is filtered through the lens of the customer’s experience. Instead of cutting corners, the expert growers at LightSky employ cutting-edge technology with a data-driven approach. They dabble in new ways to improve their facility and final products, and they operate on the frontier of information and science. Their philosophy towards superior quality requires extensive trials and testing with high thresholds, including High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). From the start, Walters and his all-star team trialed a variety of lighting options before deciding that Fluence fixtures worked the “absolute best.” Fluence’s VYPR fixtures were a natural choice for growing high-quality cannabis that is rich in cannabinoids and desirable terpenes. Intercanopy lighting is just one major example of LightSky’s dedication to innovation.

LightSky Farm’s 85,000-square-foot facility is entirely vertically integrated, meaning all the magic happens under one roof. The operation utilizes four flower rooms (with three cultivars per room), a dual-tier rack, an up-down flowering room, a seed test room, a mother room, and a nursery. Fluence VYPR LEDs provide ideal lighting conditions and spectra across the various stages. Each room hosts 90 Fluence fixtures at 660 watts with advanced controls, such as wireless flex dimming, which provide total environmental control and optimal light intensities to achieve peak quality.

Results

World-Class Expertise

LightSky’s success is made apparent by loyal customers and copious awards. After more than thirteen years in Michigan, Shannon Walters and his expert team continue to produce the most popular and celebrated cannabis strains and products. By using 100% original source material with no additives, customers know exactly what they are getting when they buy premium THC and CBD products from LightSky, including flower, tinctures, topicals, pre-rolls, edibles, and award-winning cartridges. LightSky Farms combines world-class expertise with leading technologies and best practices to cultivate the award-winning experience that continues to mesmerize Michiganians—as well as those who travel there to see what they’ve been missing.

White outline plug with leaves on orange, symbolizing LED grow lights for cannabis.
Reduced Energy Costs
White ribbon badge with cannabis leaf, symbolizing cannabis lighting technology.
Improved Flower Quality
White outline of hand holding potted cannabis plant, LED grow lights, orange gradient.
Greater Environmental Control

Contact Us

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