Saturday August 29, 2009, Cottonwood, California, USA

Legal Marijuana growers

A legal collectively run marijuana farm is growing all their marijuana organically. They use a "tea" of organic materials that they brew to use as fertilizer, distributing the solution by hand to the plants. The collective also meticulously cares for the plants, noting their care, documenting their grown and checking irrigation systems. The collective also makes Hash oil from their trimmings. It is created by extracting THC from trimmings while heating them in olive oil in a slow cookerThe oil is popularly used for making edibles.

Gina and Ross imitating the famous painting, "American Gothic"

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday July 31, 2008, Sonoma County, California, USA

DEA raid on marijuana crops

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents raided a series of marijuana gardens planted by trespassers on private land. Over 22,000 plants were removed from a remote area in Sonoma county. The terrain is so difficult to reach that the gardens were initially spotted by helicopters before task force members were dropped in on lines to destroy them.

The task force members carry machetes into the marijuana gardens to cut down the plants.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 25, 2008, Sonoma County, California, USA

DEA raid on marijuana crops

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents raided a series of marijuana gardens planted by trespassers on private land. Over 22,000 plants were removed from a remote area in Sonoma county. The terrain is so difficult to reach that the gardens were initially spotted by helicopters before task force members were dropped in on lines to destroy them.

The helicopter lifts the the net full of marijuana up out of the gully where the garden was, for the short haul out.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday December 18, 2008, Thies, Senegal

Images from the first Operation Smile Mission in Thies, Senegal, Day six, Surgery. Thies, Senegal. December 18, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday January 31, 2008, Elko, Nevada, USA

Musicians discuss their work with each other at the 24th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering at the Western Folklife Center in Elko, Nevada. January 31, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday May 17, 2008, Jordan Valley, Oregon, USA

The 50th annual Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo. Jordan Valley Oregon. May 17, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday December 27, 2008, Near Thies, On The Delta, Senegal

Molly Melching, CEO of Tostan NGO and Sanjit Bunker Roy of the Barefoot College of Engineers in Tilonia, India visit various small villages in Senegal to discover which 5 villages would be the best to serve as models for the implementation of solar energy, Senegal. December 25, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday December 27, 2001, Thaon, Mon Province, Burma/Myanmar

Daily life in Burma

A woman fixes her hair after bathing in the walled off womens' section of the natural hot springs at Prince's Cave near Thaon, in the Mon Province in the southern part of Burma, also known as Myamar.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Friday February 2, 2007, Elko, Nevada, USA

23rd annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

Guests mingle with featured poets and musicians during workshops and performances at the 23rd annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. The annual event in Elko, Nevada is a week-long celebration of life in the rural West, featuring the contemporary and traditional arts that arise from lives lived caring for land and livestock.

Members of the band "Pablo y su Ventarron" tune-up backstage before a live performance.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday October 14, 2004, Emeryville, California, USA

Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar Animation Studio started out in the 1980s creating animated shorts, moving on to computer animated feature films. The studio produced 1995's blockbuster "Toy Story." Since then, they have made --"A Bug's Life" (1998), sequel "Toy Story 2" (1999), "Monsters, Inc." (2001), and "Finding Nemo". The company's newest film, "The Incredibles," opened in November 2004. Pixar limits their production to one film per year, in order to fully capitalize on its staff's talents. The entrance to the atrium, which is the social nexus of Pixar. The Incredibles grossed $70 million at the box office the week end of November 5 in domestic ticket sales to break records for Pixar partner Disney and beat their previous smash hit "Finding Nemo."

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 25, 2008, Sonoma County, California, USA

DEA raid on marijuana crops

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents raided a series of marijuana gardens planted by trespassers on private land. Over 22,000 plants were removed from a remote area in Sonoma county. The terrain is so difficult to reach that the gardens were initially spotted by helicopters before task force members were dropped in on lines to destroy them.

A task force team member oversees the collection of plants which will be disposed of in a secret location.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday April 7, 2002, Newtonville, Indiana, USA

Freestyle Motorcycling

Sunday was a freestyle day - open to any member who wants to ride. The track, owned and operated by Chris and Cathy Still will host upcoming American Motorcycle, AMA, motocross races on April 13, and then April 27th and 28th. More listings of their upcoming races can be seen at their web site www.motorheadpark.com.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday July 28, 2001, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Backstage of Talent Contest

From left, Tara Sorg, 7, Kelsey Miller, 9, and Andrea Berry, 11, right, wait backstage for the rest of the contestants to perform in the junior dance solo division of the Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair Talent Contest on Saturday afternoon.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday June 11, 2006, Reno, Nevada, USA

Reno Cattle Drive

Cowboys and about 40 "guest" cowboys from across the U.S. and Australia drive about 400 head of cattle to the Livestock Events Center near downtown Reno for the Reno Rodeo. It was the 16th Annual Reno Cattle Drive. The drive is based on traditional cattle drives of years gone by and takes place over 4 days in the desert outside of Reno and covers about 100 miles.

/ Cattle brands were heated up in the fire to be used on wood as part of fun and games before the crew of guest cowboys and cowboys head off on the 4 day venture.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday January 24, 2002, Evansville, Indiana, USA

Kate's Two Moms

Beth hands Kate some fruit chews, left, while Terry, right, dries her off after their family swimming class at the YMCA. Kate Heil-Rawlings has two moms, Mama Beth and Mama Terry. Beth Heil and Terry Rawlings are a lesbian couple which have been together for 14 years. The couple chose to have a child together by Terry receiving artificial insemination from an anonymous donor. Nine months later they welcomed Kate to the world. Now, Kate is three and growing up with two mothers and no father. Together Terry and Beth run a household, hold down professional jobs, attend church on Sundays and manage to spend quality family time together with Kate. To those who question whether gay couples are equipped to raise healthy happy well-adjusted children, Terry and Beth insist that Kate has two full-time parents who provide a home filled with love and support, which is much more than many American children with both a mother and a father have.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday December 29, 2008, Joal, Senegal

Nicole Dewing returns to Joal to work on the solid waste management project. Joal, Senegal. December 29, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Thursday May 14, 2009, San Francisco, California, USA

The Twitter Kingdom

Twitter, the micro-blogging site, is latest trend in social networking communications. Located in the South of market SOMA section of San Francisco, their offices have a feel that is similar to many Silicon Valley start-ups. Its profile continues to grow rapidly and it has been used as a key communications tool for Iranians protesting about the disputed presidential elections as well as providing the first witness reports of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and plane crashes in Denver earlier this year.

Twitter employees hang out in the lobby/Atrium of Twitter for the "Thursday Tech Talk".

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday March 8, 2009, Winnemucca, Nevada, USA

John and Erin McComber on their ranch near Paradise Valley. Shooting the West workshop, Paradise Valley , Nevada. March 8, 2009. (Photograph by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday December 27, 2008, Near Thies, On The Delta, Senegal

Operation Smile Plastic Surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Peterson visits two small villages. One called Saam Njaay in the Thies region where Molly Melching, CEO of Tostan NGO first lived and worked. The other is called Keur Thione Saar where one of the Operation Smile patients lives. Senegal. December 22, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Friday January 30, 2009, Elko, Nevada, USA

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

Scenes from Elko during the 25th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday August 25, 2008, Sonoma County, California, USA

DEA raid on marijuana crops

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agents raided a series of marijuana gardens planted by trespassers on private land. Over 22,000 plants were removed from a remote area in Sonoma county. The terrain is so difficult to reach that the gardens were initially spotted by helicopters before task force members were dropped in on lines to destroy them.

A task force member from the Department of Wildlife Fish and Game sharpens his machete before heading out to one of the gardens.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday May 9, 2009, Cottonwood, California, USA

Growing marijuana

Marijuana farming at Heaven High Ranch near Red Bluff where members of a collective live and work to produce high quality pot. The kitchen table is a meeting place for the members of the collective who discuss how to grow and maintain their crop. To produce a healthy crop they rely on nutrient rich fertilizers, irrigation systems and a hoop house, where they can control the amount of light the plants receive thus controlling the growth and maturity of the plants. Members tend to each fill a role at the Ranch, Zoe is the manager and matriarch of the group while “Docī is the resident handy man. The collective also is home to two dogs, Buddah and Kia.

Lenny Lalley holds a Marijuana plant

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday September 3, 2001, Kentucky, USA

BBQ Shack Owner

Edith Wharton, owner of Wharton's BBQ shack.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Saturday February 6, 1999, Rockaway, New York, USA

Rockaway, Queens

Timmy McNair, 9, does a back flip off the boardwalk into the sand at B90th Street in Rockaway. He, his cousins and neighbors gathered to play football on the beach.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday June 2, 2008, Zarqa, Jordan

Operation Smile Jordan volunteer meeting

Jordanians and Iraqi refugees in need of assistance from JAAH and UNOPS. Zarqa, Jordan. June 2, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday May 18, 2008, Jordan Valley, Oregon, USA

The 50th annual Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo. Jordan Valley Oregon. May 18, 2008. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday February 1, 2009, Elko, Nevada, USA

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering

Scenes from Elko during the 25th Annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. (Photo by Jessica Brandi Lifland)

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Sunday February 15, 2004, San Francisco, California, USA

Gay Weddings in San Francisco, gay families

Doug Okun, (dark haired) Eric Ethington, (fair hair), are a gay couple who got married this weekend at SF City Hall, with their 3 month old twin daughters, Sophia Ethington, and Elizabeth Ethington strapped to them. They had the daughters, who are biologically each of theirs (although they are not saying which is which) through a surrogate, which is not the mother. The mother is an anonymous egg donor. The surrogate and her husband, Ann and David Nelson were in town along with the rest of the couples' close friends and family to celebate at a baby naming ceremony, on Sunday.

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Monday October 19, 2009, Tehama County, California, USA

Justice Department lets up on Medical Marijuana farms

US Attorney General Eric Holder announced that prosecuting medical marijuana patients, their caregivers and dispensaries that adhere to state laws, would not be a priority of the US Justice Department. He issued a written statement to prosecutors putting forth guidelines that realigns resources to focus on drug traffickers and growers who take advantage of state medical marijuana laws to mask activity that is clearly illegal. This move is a departure from the policy of the Bush Administration. Marijuana farms such as Heaven High Ranch can now remain focused on production and harvest.

Sara Jane, left and Mercedes, far right process the freshly harvested marijuana

Credit: Jessica Brandi Lifland / Polaris

Jessica Brandi Lifland

Jessica Brandi Lifland is a freelance photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been with Polaris since 2003. Prior to becoming freelance, She was a staff photographer at the Evansville, Indiana Courier & Press, and the Contra Costa Newspapers in the East Bay of San Francisco. Having served as an adjunct instructor of photography at the University of Southern Indiana, Jessica also holds a masters degree in photojournalism from Ohio University School of Visual Communications, a bachelors of fine arts in photography and bachelors in art history from Cornell University. She is originally from Lawrence, New York and currently lives in San Francisco, California.

Her work has won numerous photojournalism awards, has been exhibited in numerous group shows around the country and has been exhibited in a solo show at the Williamsburg Art neXus Gallery in Brooklyn, NY in 2001. Her projects include the America 24/7 photographic book project, a photographic essay on family and community life in Kosovo in the weeks and months following the war, and picture stories on same sex families.

Personal web site of Jessica Brandi Lifland