Are "Citizen Farmers" being Shut Out?

Will large scale cannabis factories such as those proposed in Oakland eventually destroy small mom and pop growers?  An article in the New York Times discusses the current battle for the right to grow buds which is sweeping the medical marijuana industry.

According to the article by Kate McClean, “Under the proposal, which will be debated by the City Council on Tuesday, Oakland would issue four permits to operate the factories, which are currently not limited in size or scale.”

One grower, speaking for many here in Humboldt, argued, ““I think this ordinance is nothing more than a municipally sanctioned monopoly on medical cannabis.”

Reading this piece and the one written by Humboldt’s own Liz Davidson, I hope that the attention brought to the subject will stop the monopolization of the marijuana cultivation into a few huge indoor factory farms. I agree as do many of my neighbors with Stephen DeAngelo, owner of Harborside Dispensary, that we shouldn’t allow a few entrepreneurs to get rich at the expense of many mom and pop growers. He urges, ““Let’s bring these citizen farmers out of the shadows and into the light and give them a role in this new industry.”  If we don’t, marijuana will become as bland and standardized as the tasteless tomatoes that can be found in any supermarket.  Both the consumer and the small growers will lose and a few more large corporations will be born to suck the individuality and energy from our society.


Upate:See this AP article for more information

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37 Comments
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Ben
Guest
Ben
13 years ago

The fact is that dispensaries are already operating warehouse size grows with huge 215 lists legitimizing them. This is a major factor in the current price drop. Most dispensaries are highly profit minded businesses. They have been running their own grows for several years. Locals will need to concentrate on out of state demand.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

I was gonna say pretty much what ben already said.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

I was gonna say pretty much what ben already said.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

…I will add the question, however…does anyone remember overgrow.com, their mission statement, and subsequent lockdown???

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

…I will add the question, however…does anyone remember overgrow.com, their mission statement, and subsequent lockdown???

Mr. Nice
Guest
Mr. Nice
13 years ago

does anyone remember overgrow.com, their mission statement, and subsequent lockdown???

To sell Durban Poison seeds through Heaven’s Stairway?

Advertised on BBS networks for years. Set up that fake ass internet site. All about selling seeds.

They had some good ass seeds mind you.

Mr. Nice
Guest
Mr. Nice
13 years ago

does anyone remember overgrow.com, their mission statement, and subsequent lockdown???

To sell Durban Poison seeds through Heaven’s Stairway?

Advertised on BBS networks for years. Set up that fake ass internet site. All about selling seeds.

They had some good ass seeds mind you.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

You want legalization? Overgrow the government. Overgrow’s forums were gigantic, worldwide, very active and no-holds-barred. They were a platform for communication,peer-to-peer sale and trade. If they were profiteers, it was through unpretentious DIY empowerment, not confining regulation. They were getting too popular for “the man”, that’s fo sho. Durban (not to be confused with durban poison) is one of the most kickass strains you’ll never smoke. Indica’s are popular for their gooey colas, but there’s something about those sativa highs…ya know? Humboldt Burmese…mmm…

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

You want legalization? Overgrow the government. Overgrow’s forums were gigantic, worldwide, very active and no-holds-barred. They were a platform for communication,peer-to-peer sale and trade. If they were profiteers, it was through unpretentious DIY empowerment, not confining regulation. They were getting too popular for “the man”, that’s fo sho. Durban (not to be confused with durban poison) is one of the most kickass strains you’ll never smoke. Indica’s are popular for their gooey colas, but there’s something about those sativa highs…ya know? Humboldt Burmese…mmm…

Tj
Guest
Tj
13 years ago

This debate is so outside our lives, our understanding and yet we feel for mom and pop growers out there. We were small time farmers in the central valley with legalized crops, we survived, prospered, went with the flow. Change is inevitable you gotta go with the flow, make small changes and you will change the flow somewhat. You know what I mean? To be immovable is to be dead in the water.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Tj

Burying heads in the sand and pretending that their way of life will stay the same isn’t going to help anybody. I do see an upswell of growers creating some exciting new ways of doing business. HOpefully, they will survive and thrive.

Tj
Guest
Tj
13 years ago

This debate is so outside our lives, our understanding and yet we feel for mom and pop growers out there. We were small time farmers in the central valley with legalized crops, we survived, prospered, went with the flow. Change is inevitable you gotta go with the flow, make small changes and you will change the flow somewhat. You know what I mean? To be immovable is to be dead in the water.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Tj

Burying heads in the sand and pretending that their way of life will stay the same isn’t going to help anybody. I do see an upswell of growers creating some exciting new ways of doing business. HOpefully, they will survive and thrive.

Ben
Guest
Ben
13 years ago

A problem I see in the news is that financially burdened cities like Oakland are looking at huge tax revenues from licensed industrial grows…. This could be the wave of the future.

Ben
Guest
Ben
13 years ago

A problem I see in the news is that financially burdened cities like Oakland are looking at huge tax revenues from licensed industrial grows…. This could be the wave of the future.

Staff
Member
13 years ago

I agree! The factory farms tout inspections (good, I agree) and easily collectible tax (also good.) Not good though is the monopolization of cultivation, the resulting lack of variety and flavor (see supermarket tomatoes as an example of what could happen) and the concentration of money into the hands of a few instead of spread throughout the state and among many growers.

Staff
Member
13 years ago

I agree! The factory farms tout inspections (good, I agree) and easily collectible tax (also good.) Not good though is the monopolization of cultivation, the resulting lack of variety and flavor (see supermarket tomatoes as an example of what could happen) and the concentration of money into the hands of a few instead of spread throughout the state and among many growers.

Violet
Guest
Violet
13 years ago

Don’t forget that some time in the future there will be a Republican president, governor, DA and attorney general.

If the federal government got active in prosecuting medical grows and dispensaries, which is likely in a conservative Republican era, it will be very risky to be as visible as many people are becoming with their dispensaries and colleges.

Without legalization (which won’t happen according to the polls) and with CA becoming gradually more conservative (which I think it is), there is a real possibility that 215 will be reversed. Not for a few years, but it may happen. Other states are seeing backlashes to medical marijuana legalization.

We may have reached the peak of the trend towards acceptance, and it’s surprising to me how many people (liberal and not from here) are opposed to pot use.

We live in a bubble.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago
Reply to  Violet

Fiance here:

I don’t think that its the pot its self that so many people are aginst. I think that what angers most is the millions of $$’s that are made illegally off pot, the environmental damage done by people growing pot, the damage to rental properties done by people growing, the violence that goes along with illegal grows, etc…. I think legalization for recreational use is the way to go but it’s got to be done federally. The negative press generated by all of the above mentioned problems are going to be the worst deterrent to it ever going legal on a federal level.

I also don’t think republican/democrat is an issue. I’ve been reading back over a lot of what Obama said. One of the things that he said that I think a lot of people “heard” wrong was that the war on drugs wasn’t working as it was being fought. He didn’t say he was going to end it, I think what he meant was that he was going to change how the government was fighting it. 47 or 49 war ships and 7000 marines in Costa Rica to fight it is one way. 3500 federal and local agents taking down one cartel in one operation is another way. He is throwing more and better equipped agents at it and he is throwing the military in as well.

Violet
Guest
Violet
13 years ago

Don’t forget that some time in the future there will be a Republican president, governor, DA and attorney general.

If the federal government got active in prosecuting medical grows and dispensaries, which is likely in a conservative Republican era, it will be very risky to be as visible as many people are becoming with their dispensaries and colleges.

Without legalization (which won’t happen according to the polls) and with CA becoming gradually more conservative (which I think it is), there is a real possibility that 215 will be reversed. Not for a few years, but it may happen. Other states are seeing backlashes to medical marijuana legalization.

We may have reached the peak of the trend towards acceptance, and it’s surprising to me how many people (liberal and not from here) are opposed to pot use.

We live in a bubble.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago
Reply to  Violet

Fiance here:

I don’t think that its the pot its self that so many people are aginst. I think that what angers most is the millions of $$’s that are made illegally off pot, the environmental damage done by people growing pot, the damage to rental properties done by people growing, the violence that goes along with illegal grows, etc…. I think legalization for recreational use is the way to go but it’s got to be done federally. The negative press generated by all of the above mentioned problems are going to be the worst deterrent to it ever going legal on a federal level.

I also don’t think republican/democrat is an issue. I’ve been reading back over a lot of what Obama said. One of the things that he said that I think a lot of people “heard” wrong was that the war on drugs wasn’t working as it was being fought. He didn’t say he was going to end it, I think what he meant was that he was going to change how the government was fighting it. 47 or 49 war ships and 7000 marines in Costa Rica to fight it is one way. 3500 federal and local agents taking down one cartel in one operation is another way. He is throwing more and better equipped agents at it and he is throwing the military in as well.

Mr. Nice
Guest
Mr. Nice
13 years ago

Durban (not to be confused with durban poison) is one of the most kickass strains you’ll never smoke.

“Durban?” Sounds like shorthand for Durban Poison. I know folks change names. Still Durban Poison, Cush, High Rise… even with the name changes.

Took a trip to KZN myself. Folks roll weed up in newspapers to flip sacks there. They call all weed “dagga” there. They even cut sacks with this mint stuff and still call it dagga. It adds a little taste to bammer crops but whatever that mint is will knock you on your ass.

Anyways, Durban Poison is the accepted name as far as I know for the best KZN bud. I suppose shorthand is Durban just like Swazi strains all get called Swazi something like Swazi Gold or Swazi Red. Like how you got Columbian Gold or Columbian Red, same difference. Like grades. Maybe Durban is a generic grade? I don’t know that much.

Wouldn’t recommend those places with pink skin and features as you probably won’t find the A1 sauce weed. So-called “colored” folks got all the hookups being the truly oppressed and looking up to the American mixed-race folks on how we fit in to society nicely. They even got a mixed-race gang set there called the “Americans,” how much more envious can you get?

But really, I don’t think we’re talking about different genetics. What is Humboldt Burmese though?

Mr. Nice
Guest
Mr. Nice
13 years ago

Durban (not to be confused with durban poison) is one of the most kickass strains you’ll never smoke.

“Durban?” Sounds like shorthand for Durban Poison. I know folks change names. Still Durban Poison, Cush, High Rise… even with the name changes.

Took a trip to KZN myself. Folks roll weed up in newspapers to flip sacks there. They call all weed “dagga” there. They even cut sacks with this mint stuff and still call it dagga. It adds a little taste to bammer crops but whatever that mint is will knock you on your ass.

Anyways, Durban Poison is the accepted name as far as I know for the best KZN bud. I suppose shorthand is Durban just like Swazi strains all get called Swazi something like Swazi Gold or Swazi Red. Like how you got Columbian Gold or Columbian Red, same difference. Like grades. Maybe Durban is a generic grade? I don’t know that much.

Wouldn’t recommend those places with pink skin and features as you probably won’t find the A1 sauce weed. So-called “colored” folks got all the hookups being the truly oppressed and looking up to the American mixed-race folks on how we fit in to society nicely. They even got a mixed-race gang set there called the “Americans,” how much more envious can you get?

But really, I don’t think we’re talking about different genetics. What is Humboldt Burmese though?

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago

Fiance here again:

Anyway, what I was trying to say last night before I got drug out to the grocery store is that I don’t thing the feds are going to let these huge grows happen and even if they do manage to get them up and running the feds will most likely take them down pronto.

Obama and the DEA both said “withing state and federal” laws…not a word about county or city. I am pretty sure what they meant was they won’t mess with people that grow for personal use only. Making a profit off of MJ and transporting it is still illegal on a federal level. Hell, growing it is illegal on a federal level they are just not going to waste their time on busitng people with small gardens that are not selling it.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago

Fiance here again:

Anyway, what I was trying to say last night before I got drug out to the grocery store is that I don’t thing the feds are going to let these huge grows happen and even if they do manage to get them up and running the feds will most likely take them down pronto.

Obama and the DEA both said “withing state and federal” laws…not a word about county or city. I am pretty sure what they meant was they won’t mess with people that grow for personal use only. Making a profit off of MJ and transporting it is still illegal on a federal level. Hell, growing it is illegal on a federal level they are just not going to waste their time on busitng people with small gardens that are not selling it.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago

Fiance here: I need to start using spell check more often…..

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago

Fiance here: I need to start using spell check more often…..

Ivan B. Nobody
Guest
Ivan B. Nobody
13 years ago

i dint knowne thate therse tis spelllling checkerz built into FIREFOX – the browser – works great for all www form fill ins!

Which is what this box is.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago
Reply to  Ivan B. Nobody

LOL

Ivan B. Nobody
Guest
Ivan B. Nobody
13 years ago

i dint knowne thate therse tis spelllling checkerz built into FIREFOX – the browser – works great for all www form fill ins!

Which is what this box is.

humboldtkids
Guest
humboldtkids
13 years ago
Reply to  Ivan B. Nobody

LOL

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

Mr. NIce…dude, Durban. Just because it doesn’t exist anymore…on the internet…doesn’t mean it never did, or doesn’t still somewhere. Was available at least as late as 2000….on the internet. Grew like a greenish brown christmas tree with leafless golfball nugs, smelled like a burnt rubberband. An ounce looked like a half ounce of your typical, it was weighty. The ultimate creeper high…nobody wanted it until they smoked it.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

Mr. NIce…dude, Durban. Just because it doesn’t exist anymore…on the internet…doesn’t mean it never did, or doesn’t still somewhere. Was available at least as late as 2000….on the internet. Grew like a greenish brown christmas tree with leafless golfball nugs, smelled like a burnt rubberband. An ounce looked like a half ounce of your typical, it was weighty. The ultimate creeper high…nobody wanted it until they smoked it.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

…also, humboldt burmese was a true to form locally made crossbreed. Burmese with something else, I forget. That was over 10 years ago.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

…also, humboldt burmese was a true to form locally made crossbreed. Burmese with something else, I forget. That was over 10 years ago.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

In doing quick research, it doth appear the web wide world of cannabis culture hath changed a-plenty since I stopped paying attention. I suppose proper categorical maintenance of geneology is damn near impossible when the majority of it is underground. Who hasn’t heard of the clubs/banks/people sellingwhatever labeled whatever…I’m past the “who cares” point. I’ll be the judge when I have it in my hand.

seconded
Guest
seconded
13 years ago

In doing quick research, it doth appear the web wide world of cannabis culture hath changed a-plenty since I stopped paying attention. I suppose proper categorical maintenance of geneology is damn near impossible when the majority of it is underground. Who hasn’t heard of the clubs/banks/people sellingwhatever labeled whatever…I’m past the “who cares” point. I’ll be the judge when I have it in my hand.