Do you have any evidence for the “skunk began in Kentucky” theory? That and the Bay Area come up as alternative origin stories a bit, but I’ve never seen any documentation pre-Watson.
The first RKS we got here in East Kentucky that I know of was in 1978, and it came from Meigs County Ohio. From a guy named
William Keith “Noodle” Hayes
Meigs was then known as the Humboldt County of the East.
His nickname was Noodles. He died in 2020 in St Marys Medical Center in Huntington West Virginia in 2020. He was 75 years old. He had been collecting seeds since 1969. He was born July 27, 1944.
Ive been smoking since 1967, and this was the first RKS I ever saw. My buddy played in a band that opened for Joe Walsh/James Gang in the early 70s at Ohio University Athens, and met Mr Hayes then, and he invited my friend to his place in Meigs County. He at first gave my buddy what was called Beach Ball Indica, and was also the first Indica we had ever seen. It grew into 5 foot tall round Beach Ball type plants. It was super potent, and when dried, dried to a deep Red color, and every hit was a choker. It would make you dizzy when you hit it. This was in 1973.
My buddy also got pure Thai from Noodles, and all of it would slightly hermi on you, but it was also really potent. You had to grow it by itself, or it would seed everything. It didnt get done until mid November, and was very hard to grow in our climate.
Noodles also gave my buddy pure Gurrero. It was also some killer stuff. Ive got 2 packs of Swami Highland Gurrero from 1976, but it may not be the same stuff as the lower altitude Guerero.
My buddy used to grow a ton of stuff on the Big Sandy River, and the Tug Fork.
My buddy grew these strains from 73-1984, and a friend ( so called ) ended up ratting him out, and he lost those strains, and Ive not seen the likes of it since.
Noodles was also the creator of Meigs County Gold, and Willie Nelson used to get weed from Noodles. Noodles was well known through Appalachia, and I mentioned him to an older guy on Instagram, and he knew exactly who Noodles was, and is quoted as saying Noodles was highly respected in the Appalachian Growing Community. Meigs is also in Appalachia. The guy that knew Noodles nickname is Bluegrass Skunklord.
But the first Skunk I saw in Ky, was in 1978, came from Meigs County Ohio.
Noodles also got bust by a rat, an lost much of his genetics in the 90s. I wouldnt doubt that the loss of his genetics was one of the things that caused the demise of the original RKS Skunk. Noodles did 7 years in Federal Prison for cultivation.
Noodles said his RKS was a cross of South Indian Kerala, and an unnamed Indica. It was also Sativa Dominant, and had colas up to 3 feet long, and medium thickness. Maybe 8 inches around, and the plants would get 10 feet tall on the Big Sandy River.
William (Noodle) Hayes, 75 of Racine, OH (Antiquity community) went home Friday, January 24, 2020, at St Mary's Medical Center, Huntington, WV.
He was Born July 27, 1944 at Middleport, OH, to the late Arnold Wilson (Red) Hayes and Nettie Mae Badgley Hayes. He was a carpenter and mechanic. Noodle had a great love for his dogs and enjoyed working in his herb garden.
Survived by his known children Macenzie Hayes, Levi Ellis, Jeffrey Bodine Hayes, Tracy Hayes plus possible other children. 2 brothers Bob and Walt Hayes, special friend David Graham, 9 grand children known and others, 5 great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Along with his parents preceded by daughter Vikki Hayes, son Brian Hayes, and brother Gene Hayes.
Memorial services are Friday, January 31, 2020, at 7 pm at Birchfield Funeral Home, Rutland, Ohio. A gathering of family and friends is 5 to 7 pm, Friday before services. Noodle's burial will be at a later date at Smallwood Cemetery, Vinton, OH. Online condolences @birchfieldfuneralhome.com.