Meghan Markle's upcoming Netflix cooking show has been the subject of intense speculation regarding its filming locations, with rumors circulating that the Duchess of Sussex was shooting the series on a controversial cannabis farm in California. However, a source close to Meghan has firmly denied these claims, confirming to the Mirror that the show is not being filmed on a farm, but rather at a private residence.
"The filming location is not shot on a farm, but at a residence, and I can confirm that there are no cannabis plants anywhere near the filming location," the insider told the Mirror, refuting reports that suggested the show was being filmed at a 14-acre cannabis farm owned by the Van Wingerden family in Carpinteria, California.
The rumors surrounding the filming location began after the Daily Mail reported that the show would be shot in two locations: a $5 million home in Montecito belonging to Tom and Sherrie Cipolla, and the Van Wingerden family's farm, which is the area's largest vendor of legally produced cannabis. The farm, dubbed Farmlane, was converted from a flower farm into a cannabis operation in 2015 and has faced thousands of odor complaints from nearby residents in recent years.
Local Carpinteria residents filed 2,340 odor complaints from mid-2018 to 2022, with some homeowners even filing a class-action lawsuit against two weed farms unrelated to the Van Wingerden's business, claiming that their property values had been severely damaged due to the "sewer-like" smells. Angry citizens reported that their homes and clothes reeked of marijuana and that some people were experiencing breathing problems, headaches, and nausea.
Despite the controversy surrounding the alleged filming location, a source affiliated with the show told Page Six on Wednesday that "anything that suggests otherwise is made up fodder," emphasizing that the shoot is taking place at a private residence and not on or near any cannabis farm.
Meghan Markle's upcoming cooking show, which was announced as part of the couple's Netflix deal, is expected to showcase the Duchess's "softer side" as she celebrates "the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship." PR expert Lynn Carratt recently told The Mirror that the show will likely provide viewers with an inside look at Meghan's passions, but expressed concern that it may not come across as relatable to the public.
"I just worry that the documentary will showcase her seemingly perfect life, and the public may prefer a more relatable story," Carratt noted.
The cooking show is part of Meghan's newly launched lifestyle brand, Montecito Riviera Orchard, which will focus on home, garden, food, and general lifestyle wares. The Duchess has already debuted the first product of her company, a jar of strawberry jam sent to her closest high-powered friends.
An industry source told Page Six Style that Meghan has been working on the project for over a year, focusing on "all the things that are close to her heart - all the things she's passionate about." A trademark application obtained by the publication revealed that the company would sell cookbooks, an assortment of edible treats like jellies and spreads, and tableware staples like cutlery, table linens, drinkware, and more.
