Buddha Cheese – Summer 2026 Clone Harvest

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of tasting the final product from one of the latest harvests produced through our partnership at Hemp Nation. As a shareholder and director, it’s always rewarding seeing the process go from farmer development and upskilling in Eswatini all the way to a finished product that genuinely delivers quality.

This particular batch came out of the Mgadlela Grow Room Project — a grow room still technically under construction by the way 😂 Walls still need plastering, reflective material still pending… yet somehow the flower already arrived fully dressed for the occasion.  

The first harvest produced roughly 400 grams of dry flower from just 4 Buddha Cheese clones, with the original mother plant later moved outdoors where it added another estimated 100 grams. Honestly, not bad for a project still finding its feet. If this is chapter one, the fully dialed-in version is going to be dangerous.

The first thing that stood out when smoking it was how light, fruity, and smooth the smoke was. No choking, no harsh burn — just an easy, clean smoke with subtle fruity notes on the inhale. Fruity definitely dominated more than the classic “cheese” funk people usually expect. Some of the guys even picked up citrus and creamy sweet undertones.  

And the consistency? Very impressive. Every nug looked like it came from the same family reunion — dense, decent-sized flowers, all carrying the same genetics, same smell profile, and same quality. No random weak cousin buds hiding in the jar.

The effect leaned more toward an uplifting sativa-type vibe than a heavy couch-lock high. It gave a noticeable burst of energy and kept the mood elevated. Not the kind of smoke that knocks you unconscious — more the type that makes conversations funnier, music sound better, and suddenly convinces everyone they should roll “just one more.”

Dangerously smooth, honestly. The kind of bud that makes you chase the high because the experience itself is enjoyable. Whether the high fades quickly or the flower is simply that good… who knows 😂 but nobody complained.  

I shared it with a few friends and the feedback was almost identical across the board: smooth smoke, fruity flavour, uplifting energy, and a bud that disappears suspiciously fast once opened. The jar evaporated. Fully gone. You know the flower is good when your biggest complaint is that there’s absolutely none left.  

One thing that became clear during this project is that the plants clearly didn’t get the memo about “small-scale operations.” After the first successful run, the clone phase exploded. What started with 3 mother plants somehow turned into more than 100 clones. At that point the challenge stopped being “can we grow?” and became “where are we putting all these plants?”

Some clones stayed in the grow room, others moved into secondary light setups, and a few were pushed outdoors. It became a real lesson in clone handling, lighting cycles, and learning how quickly things can scale when genetics are healthy and propagation takes off. The biggest takeaway wasn’t “bigger is better” — it was understanding that the next cycles will likely be smaller, tighter, and far more intentional.  

What makes me proud is that this isn’t just about growing cannabis. Hemp Nation’s role has always been about helping farmers in Eswatini build skills, understand cultivation properly, and ultimately gain access to market opportunities. Projects like this prove the potential that exists when good genetics, patience, and local farming talent come together.  

The scary part? This still feels like the early days. The system is still evolving, new mother genetics are already being tested, and lessons from every cycle are sharpening the next one. If Buddha Cheese is the baseline, then the future harvests are going to be something special.  

Overall review?  

Very likeable flower. Smooth, sociable, fruity, easy to smoke, and dangerously shareable. The type of bud that makes you popular at the session and unpopular once the stash runs out.  

Big respect to the farmer behind this harvest and everyone involved in the Mgadlela Grow Room Project. This wasn’t just a successful smoke — it felt like proof of concept.

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