The Rise of DEO Farms: From Underground Cultivation to Elite Cannabis Innovation
Just a year ago, Deo Farms was the first to spotlight RS11 as it prepared to make its highly anticipated debut in the legal cannabis market. Now, we’re taking a deeper dive into its origins, sitting down with its creator, Deep East Oakland Farms (DEO Farms), to uncover the journey from underground cultivation to becoming one of the most influential cannabis breeders today.
The Evolution of DEO Farms – A Name That Redefined the Game
Among the world’s most elite cannabis connoisseurs, DEO Farms is synonymous with top-tier genetics and premium-quality strains. Even before RS11’s explosive debut, DEO was already generating major buzz. Their collaboration with Wizard Trees and Doja Pak in Los Angeles sent RS11 soaring to new heights, cementing DEO’s reputation as a powerhouse in the breeding game.
That momentum only accelerated when Zoap, another one of DEO’s standout strains, took second place overall in Zalympix—one of the most respected cannabis competitions in the industry. With each successful drop, DEO Farms continued raising the bar, reinforcing their dominance in the high-end cannabis market.
Building a Brand in a City That Never Sleeps on the Game
Deo Farms story is one of perseverance and dedication. The brand was born in Oakland, California, one of the cities most impacted by the war on drugs. Despite the challenges, Deo Farms found a way to thrive in an industry riddled with crime, obstacles, and regulations.
Operating in a city where many cannabis businesses struggle with security risks and industry instability, DEO managed to climb to the top, maintaining its base in Oakland’s ever-evolving cannabis scene. Even as dispensaries like Purple Heart—the nation’s oldest Black-owned dispensary—remained closed due to looting and unrest, DEO pressed forward, ensuring that their innovative genetics and elite cannabis strains reached the masses.
DEO’s First Steps into the Cannabis World
When asked about his first experience with the medical cannabis scene, Deo Farms founder laughed, recalling how he faked a case of migraines to secure his first California Proposition 215 medical card over a decade ago.
“I got my card first and started buying weed with it,” he recalled. “But it was a couple of years before I started growing.”
His first-ever grow cut was an OG strain, but he had no idea at the time how special it was.
“It came as a cut called Super Kush,” DEO said. “I still have that cut—I call it Vintage 98 OG because my uncles got it back in ‘98, and it was just labeled ‘Kush.’”
Despite having family involved in cannabis cultivation, Deo Farms was never included in their grow operations. Instead, he took matters into his own hands, learning the ropes through trial and error, online communities, and personal experience.
From Humble Beginnings to Small-Scale Success
Determined to build his own path in cultivation, DEO used his savings from early jobs to purchase a house, where he set up his first grow operation.
Before even moving in, he had already secured growing equipment, storing it away while some of his peers sold off their gear for quick cash. But DEO stayed patient.
“I saved all my equipment. Everyone else sold theirs,” he said. “Six months later, I was ready to put those lights to work.”
Realizing the property’s crawl space was too small for his setup, DEO and his cousin embarked on a grueling manual excavation project. With pickaxes and shovels from Home Depot, they spent weekdays digging and weekends hauling away dirt—ensuring they didn’t raise suspicion with local inspectors.
“We’d dig Monday to Friday. That first foot of dirt was easy. After that? All clay,” he said. “It was all pickaxe work.”
Their relentless effort paid off, and after months of digging, they successfully transformed the crawl space into a fully operational 10×10 grow room. With four lights running—half dedicated to Hindu Kush and half to his OG cut—DEO finally had his first official cultivation space.
“I thought I was on top of the world,” he said. “A pound and a half per light. I thought it couldn’t get any better.”
But it did.
He soon secured a Granddaddy Purple (GDP) cut, just as the purple strain craze was sweeping across Oakland.
The Birth of DEO’s Signature Strains
DEO’s big break came when he purchased 12 packs of OZ Kush from Dying Breed Seeds at the Emerald Cup. He knew right away—this was the strain he wanted to build his legacy on.
“That first OZ Kush drop had the best seeds I’ve ever run in my life,” he said. “I knew then, this is what I want to start my whole line with.”
One of the standout phenos (#41) had a flavor profile reminiscent of Kearns Pink Guava Juice, and it became the foundation of what would later evolve into Pink Guava, one of DEO’s first major hits.
He took Pink Guava and crossed it with Sunset Sherbert, birthing the now-legendary RS11 (Rainbow Sherbet 11)—the strain that would catapult DEO Farms into cannabis stardom.
From an open pollination project with six elite strains, RS11 emerged as the top selection, largely because Sunset Sherbert was the team’s favorite smoke at the time.
Now, with RS11, Zoap, and a lineup of other exclusive strains, DEO Farms continues to set the standard for elite cannabis breeding.
And as for those other five strains from the original RS project? DEO isn’t done yet.
“There’s more fire in the vault,” he said. “Just wait.”
