Scissor Drifter: Colorful Character or Menace to Society?

scissor drifter by Shanna

Migrant labor for the marijuana industry looking for work near the Miranda Bridge today. [Photo by a reader.]

Trimmigrants used to arrive in September and mostly left during the first real rain. But, now, with deps, the harvest season exteeeeeendddds. We received our first photo of one of this year’s migrant marijuana workers today though really, it seems these days like they are always here.

Some folks find the annual parade of scissor drifters colorful and part of the charming character of the cannabis community. They love their cardboard signs and festival clothes.

Other folks?…well, let’s just say they are less fond of the yearly influx.

Want to weigh in on if you love ’em or hate ’em? While you’re composing your reply, might as well listen to some of Humboldt’s downhome harvest music by the Camo Cowboys.

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38 Comments
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Nancy
Guest
Nancy
8 years ago

I have found it annoying. You can’t even go to the grocery store without getting hassled. One lady tried camping in front of the door to my business, was hanging her clothes on the door to my office. Took an hour to get her to move. I don’t know anyone who would hire a complete stranger to come to their home

Zoltan
Guest
Zoltan
8 years ago
Reply to  Nancy

Bars on Windows?

damn
Guest
damn
8 years ago
Reply to  Nancy

I could have moved her in seconds, its called judo.

Hate it
Guest
Hate it
8 years ago

smelly festi kids all stink and I hate them.

WHO
Guest
WHO
8 years ago

A nice smile but it can be deceiving .

T. Rogers
Guest
T. Rogers
8 years ago

For Gods Sake- and all of ours Just Legalize it Already!

Bill
Guest
Bill
8 years ago

They’re the scum of the earth. Societal rejects who have discovered and taken advantage of Humboldts weak Liberal Values. This is what you all asked for, you just didn’t realize it.

Steve CUmming
Guest
Steve CUmming
8 years ago
Reply to  Bill

The scum of the earth? The very, very worst that humanity has to offer, huh?

Overreaction, much? I’m sure you can find much worse in any supermax prison, or quite possibly your local police department.

I’m sorry that that blonde hippy chick in high school—you know, the one who had that most excellent weed—blew you off that one time, but you really should get over it, and direct your outrage at things that deserve it.

nines
Guest
8 years ago

Gypsy Soul might’ve been a scissor drifter.

WHO
Guest
WHO
8 years ago
Reply to  nines

To that Nines I would agree.

LAZY SKUNK RANCH
Guest
LAZY SKUNK RANCH
8 years ago

someone should make a trimmigrant kinetic sculpture, don’t think i’ve seen one

FTW
Guest
FTW
8 years ago

Are you implying that we build a kinetic sculpture out of trimmigrants?

psycho john
Guest
psycho john
8 years ago

stanky

Olive
Guest
Olive
8 years ago

“Scissor drifters” can go back where they came from… They’ve also been driving down random dirt roads on PRIVATE PROPERTY leaving notes at gates that they want work! Are you f#cking kidding me? Who does this? So wrong,so out of line….not to mention taking jobs away from the locals…

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
8 years ago

It takes all walks of life to make this world go round, there’s even people who pick up the poop from all the high horses…

Local
Guest
Local
8 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

Spare us the PC bullshit.
This is a major problem that has nothing to do with violating their civil rights.
Our rights are being violated, they come into our town break multiple laws a day, disrespect the residents, take away work from locals and a large percentage of them are illegal!
I say bring ICE in during the seasons and do a sweep of town.
Teach these people some respect and laws of the land.

Steve CUmming
Guest
Steve CUmming
8 years ago
Reply to  Local

How is this PC? Wimmins, or persons of various colour were not mentioned. Neither were civil rights. “High horses” certainly came up, but your horse seems to be so very high that you couldn’t even read the fairly short and quite simple sentence.

Dumboldt
Guest
Dumboldt
8 years ago
Reply to  Local

What rights of yours have been violated? FYI what you call “our town” is actually every citizen of this country’s town ( Americans have the right to move freely about this country). What is the actual “large percentage” of them that are illegal? Luckily we haven’t reached the point where “ICE” will come “do a sweep of town” simply because some disgruntled citizen wants them to.

Hick
Guest
Hick
8 years ago

Most are idealistic nieave youngsters with poor judgment skills. Who think Humboldt is the promised land. Some will take advantage, some will be taken advantage of. Stranger Danger on both sides. The real problem is people growing more dope than they can process. Don’t be so greedy and we won’t have so many strangers around. We have more than enough strangeness in Humboldt. Don’t encourage more!

Dumboldt
Guest
Dumboldt
8 years ago

As with any demographic, I’m sure there are some “bad apples” amongst these “trimmigrants”, but to categorize the whole group as annoying, smelly, skummy, law breaking, etc. is just a sign of how narrow minded some of you people are. As for the ” trimmigrants” who are honestly just trying to find some work in a respectful manner I say more power to them. I’m sure many of them just want to earn some honest money, smoke some weed, and maybe get their “foot in the door” in hopes of someday working their way up to being able to own their own piece of land. Not everyone knows someone. Not everyone is a bad person. Not everyone is a robot who gets a 9 to5 job just because society expects them to.

All that said I still always wonder who hires these strangers. It’s just way too risky to hope that you pick one of them that is honest.

t
Guest
t
8 years ago
Reply to  Dumboldt

Very well put. Some of the nicest folks ive met in the triangle were seasonal trimmers. They came from all over the world to work with this plant, and make some good honest money.

Who’s to say that they are wrong?

I saw a young lady at the laundry mat next to napa auto a few times, she was doing laundry, minded her business. One day she approached me and asked if I had work, I said I might know someone took her number and said goodbye. Never did end up hiring her, but I bet she was just a regular person looking for work, just like most of us.

I bet most of the growers commenting here about how they hate trimmers use machines to trim. Dam shame

Local
Guest
Local
8 years ago
Reply to  Dumboldt

Dear Dumboldt,
You’re obviously not a home or business owner that lives in Garberville.
You are obviously a “Homeless” advocacy voice who most likely does live in the area but does not contribute anything other than your mentally disturbed perceptions of “community”.
Take it somewhere that has the resources to support your views.
The tax payers of Garberville do not share your agenda.
Everyone and their money is welcomed in town but that doesn’t give you the right to shit piss and sleep wherever you want.
You and your agenda has ruined this community.

P.s.
Many of your precious Trimimmigrants are in fact Illegal Aliens that are violating and abusing their visa’s.
That is a fact, they’re in violation of multiple laws and ICE should be notified of this problem.

dumboldt
Guest
dumboldt
8 years ago
Reply to  Local

I think you should smoke a joint.

Random ass dude
Guest
Random ass dude
2 years ago
Reply to  dumboldt

I agree

Court Stellars
Guest
Court Stellars
8 years ago

I’ve hired some. Every year I need at least two to three extra folks to help out. A lot of the locals are unreliable as an be anyone (local or not)

One year I hired two girls from BC. They were awesome cooks and worked hard. I struck up a relationship w one of them and we had a great two weeks together. We swam naked In the creek and made love under the stars. It’s was one of the best two weeks of my life. It was almost too good to be true and in the end they split just as quickly as they had arrived.

blooiris
Guest
blooiris
8 years ago

Next time I hear a colorful woman with colorful language say she’s going to “shank” her daughter for borrowing and not returning her fav sweater to the car trunk, well I’m calling the authorities.

i dont like
Guest
i dont like
8 years ago

Don’t understand why they all have the funny hair and weird clothes. Maybe if they got some pairs of jeans and some boots that didn’t make them look like robin hood … And all the piercings. … They all like tofu and quinoa and think everything is fun and happy and namaste. Like members of some cult

working vacation
Guest
working vacation
8 years ago

I’m not from Humboldt, but hopefully be on the north coast someday as a full time resident.
I agree there are some weirdos who flock to Humboldt, Mendocino, etc..but not all are….
Personally I make my trips out a working vacation..I have a somewhat “normal” existence. ..but normal can be mind melting and some like myself enjoy a change of pace no matter how strange..what I’ve learned in my six or so years coming to Humboldt is that there are good people who need good help with their gardens..it’s just tough getting in good situations. ..due to some sketchy folks..

working vacation
Guest
working vacation
8 years ago

I’m not from Humboldt, but hopefully be on the north coast someday as a full time resident.
I agree there are some weirdos who flock to Humboldt, Mendocino, etc..but not all are.
Personally I make my trips out a working vacation. .I have somewhat a” normal” existence.. but normal can be mind melting and some like myself enjoy a change of pace no matter how strange …what I’ve learned in my six or so years coming to Humboldt is there are good people who need good help with their gardens….it’s just tough getting in good situations. ..due to some sketchy folks…

Truth
Guest
Truth
8 years ago

these people aren’t “robots” they are on their own schedule. They get up when they want. They quit when they want. They fuck around for hours a day. They cause huge disturbances in the trim room. They can’t hold down a “normal” job that has responsibilities cause they can’t even get up in the fucking morning like a normal person.

Best advice I can give anyone is get a machine so you can cut down on your hired help. Instead of 30 yoyos you can have 5 or 6 solid people

t
Guest
t
8 years ago
Reply to  Truth

trim machines suck…mmm spread that chlorophyll around

Trumped
Guest
Trumped
8 years ago

I think it’s funny how most people are lumping the “trimmers” into one group. There is a complete spectrum of these folks. Anywhere from educated, clean, well kept, honest and hard working to dumb as a box of rocks, nasty, lazy, thieves with a head full of bad drugs. You guys are pulling a “Trump”.

Nope
Guest
Nope
8 years ago
Reply to  Trumped

Um yeah. Where are those good people? Definitely not on the side of the road holding up a sign with a pair of weed sheering scissors on them.

Trumped
Guest
Trumped
8 years ago
Reply to  Nope

I’m not saying who’s, who. How do I know? No, I don’t like the bums that hang out in front of shops and on sidewalks being gross. I hadn’t been to Willow Creek in some years and last year during the fall, pulled into Bobs market and got mobbed by a bunch of vagrant trimmers. I was floored. They were dirty, burned out and didn’t seem like I would want to be in their company. Willow Creek never used to be like that. Either way, we cant simplify situations and say all trimmers are the same. Are all Mexicans or homeless the same?

Aaron Quinn cox
Guest
Aaron Quinn cox
8 years ago

Boy it sure seems like some of you “old hippies” never lived as travelers …..or maybe you just turned into hypocrites …..there are just as many good/bad people in any crowd…..weather they are travelers who are willing or not willing to work hard…… Or land owners who are careing for the land or raping it to make a buck ……people sure have a lot to say about the people who come to help them(your lazy ass ain’t gonna do it ) but seem to have a tolerance for these shit head plunderers of the hills…… But as far as the % goes I’d say there’s more good hearted people traveling to here than live here…….and in case you haven’t been out of the “bubble” lately….the economy is crap….. Unemployment is high ….and people are criticizing these workers for going somewhere and trying to make it somewhere…..??? And to all those with their noses up in the air …… I’m glad you lived a pampered protected life….. Cause you wouldn’t make it on the street!

Aaron Quinn cox
Guest
Aaron Quinn cox
8 years ago

And it’ll be a shame in a few years when everyone will be looking for workers but no one is around to work! You get what you ask for!That’s what happens!

MendoLocal
Guest
MendoLocal
8 years ago

Down here in Laytonville, we have a major problem with trimmigrants camping and leaving piles of trash on private property in town. Dogs biting people. Rude, aggressive panhandling… Our sleepy, quiet community turns into a circus every harvest season and it is sickening. This is also the time of year when things start disappearing from yards, front porches and store shelves – without being payed for. At Harwood Park, where local folks volunteer their time to maintain the facilities, we find used condoms, syringes and human feces near areas where children play. There are also illegal campfires in the extremely dry woods, not far from residences. Local law enforcement is nearly non-existent I am absolutely fed up. We are starting a foot patrol. The only way to keep the “bad apples” out is to treat them all like assholes and make them fear this place.

MendoLocal
Guest
MendoLocal
8 years ago

Aaron Quinn Cox said: “And it’ll be a shame in a few years when everyone will be looking for workers but no one is around to work! You get what you ask for!That’s what happens!”

It is simply not worth it. It is not worth the massive headache these people create. The big-time dope growers will never understand because they are only here to make money – NOT to be part of this community. They chill at their mountain ranches, far away from this circus and blind to the mess in town. Blinded by greed. Only here to make a buck. And the trimmigrants take the cash they earn here and spend it far far away from here – hurting our local economy.