El Rito local Michael Nezi came to New Mexico in 1993, purchasing the old commune in the El Rito neighborhood, north of the village of Questa. Nezi knew he had found something special in the area, with its clean air and soil. He decided to start growing vegetables and distributing them to locals in 1995 under the business umbrella name Roots & Herbs Farm.
In 2018, after hemp was legalized in New Mexico, Nezi transitioned his business to focus on hemp and CBD products. “It was important for us to transition to produce a product that was healing people, and we worked with partners to develop CBD products and sell them at local retailers,” Nezi says.
In 2021, with the legalization of cannabis in New Mexico, the company quickly obtained a license to expand its operations to include cannabis. “We are very methodical in how we cultivate our product. We focus on ensuring our soil is mineral-balanced to produce an excellent product. If we find our soil needs more minerals, we’ll add them to ensure it’s perfectly balanced,” Nezi says.
Fast forward to 2025, Nezi now owns and operates two businesses: Roots & Herbs Farm, which focuses on local CBD and hemp products; and Yerba Cannabis, which specializes in producing and distributing marijuana and THC products. His products are available in 11 dispensaries throughout the state, including locations in Taos, Angel Fire, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Las Cruces.
Recently, Nezi won first place for Hybrid Flower in the micro-business category of The Best of the Best in the New Mexico Cannabis Industry for his Cap Junky strain.
According to online reviews, many customers who use Yerba Cannabis Co.’s products report that they find the products to be smooth and less harsh compared to those from larger production companies. “Our marijuana is clean, organic, and we do not use pesticides or preservatives. We are very thoughtful in our production process, from the soil we grow our plants in to the packaging we use to sell our products. We take special care of our plants and ensure the best possible product is produced.
“People use our cannabis for sleep, stress, pain, PTSD—the list goes on. Cannabis has been recognized as a medication in the United States since 1996. We give our plants the care a pharmacist would give to their work. We want to ensure our plants have the best, cleanest effect on people,” Nezi says.
While finding success as a distributor, Nezi acknowledges the challenges posed by a changing cannabis market. “The prices of marijuana have dropped significantly since legalization because the market is oversaturated with competing dispensaries. We produce a very high-quality product, so to keep Yerba Cannabis Co. going, we’re hopeful to open our own dispensary here in Questa,” Nezi says.
Currently, Nezi is working through the paperwork with the state, county, village, and a potential landlord to establish Questa’s first marijuana dispensary. Updates will be provided in coming issues as more information becomes available.
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