Weed Whackers Out and About in SoHum

Marijuana raid by Robin Collins

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office with a woodchipper on a raid last year. [Part of a photo by Robin Collins]

Think it is too early for weed to be whacked? You’re wrong. (But we were pretty surprised, too.)

Just before 8 a.m. a convoy of law enforcement vehicles was spotted headed south on Hwy 101. Four to five vehicles were seen. One was a wood chipper which is frequently used to eradicate marijuana. One vehicle was unmarked according to the reader which reported this.

Another SoHum resident reported seeing the caravan in Garberville about 10 minutes later. He reported seeing eight trucks and one chipper.

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57 Comments
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Seamus
Guest
Seamus
6 years ago

This is going to be quite a year.

Susy Barsotti
Guest
Susy Barsotti
6 years ago

Dep-whackin’?

bill
Guest
bill
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

any updates?

scooter
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Susy Barsotti

The pic doesn’t look like a dep site but there appears to be some big plants involved for early May.

Chris
Guest
Chris
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

pic is from last year

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  Chris

Ah yes the first people to get busted after applying for there permit last year in blocksburg, plenty more fun to come! Drink the cool aid!

Fakts
Guest
Fakts
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest,

They knew they were getting busted and “applied” one day before the sherriffs came. The only reason they came to that property was because of a dispute between the property owner/landlord and the tenant/grower. If you follow the guidlines the permitting process works.

silverlining
Guest
silverlining
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

Anyone with plants that big in May should get an award of some sort.
The brown grass is sort of a giveaway.

laura
Guest
laura
6 years ago

i will get worried when they come in with high tech resources.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  laura

Like satellite imaging? And helicopters with hi tech cameras and gps?

Mike
Guest
Mike
6 years ago

Wow. Early start

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
Ernie Branscomb
6 years ago

The Feds really didn’t do much about moonshine whiskey in the South Fork Eel River canyon until it was legalized. People preferred the cheap non-taxed whisky that they had acquired a taste for. The feds sent the revenuers in to bust the stills and ruin the outlaw whisky trade for the tax.

To all of those out there that that object to comments about marijuana, that always say: Bu.. bu.. but what about whisky? Follow the MONEY. What happened with whisky is likely to happen with weed. I don’t think outlaws have a very good future, that is if history repeats itself, I’ve been told that it does.

What may be good for government bureaucrats may suck for the people of Humboldt co. We are living in interesting times for those that know about that old Chinese curse.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago

Chinese curse?

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest,

“For years I had no idea that the Chinese saying, “May you live in interesting times,” was actually meant to be a curse. I always thought it was quite the opposite, since I have never, ever wanted to live in dull times.

I’m sure the Chinese phrase was misinterpreted somewhere down the line, and that “interesting” may have been better swapped with “intriguing,” which would cast a darker tone on it.”

http://www.times-standard.com/general-news/20081229/rdquothats-the-way-the-old-year-passes-rdquo

read
Guest
6 years ago

I think Ernie is spot on! Well said.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
6 years ago

Really appreciate the history about moonshine whiskey, Ernie. Gives context I hadn’t really known before.
You are a great local resource! Keep it coming….!

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

Amen to that!!

For Real
Guest
For Real
6 years ago

Have fun pulling them out of the trellis of those 10×100’s pig’s! Lol

Pat C.
Guest
Pat C.
6 years ago
Reply to  For Real

You must be new around here, you’ve never experienced the wake of destruction the cops will leave. You think some trellis netting will slow them down. LOL.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Pat C.

In my neighborhood, the destruction happens BEFORE the cops come.

Pat C.
Guest
Pat C.
6 years ago
Reply to  For Real

You must be new around here, you obviously never seen the wake of destruction the cops leave behind. Trellis netting will slow them down, LOL, go smoke another one.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
6 years ago

There are good and bad parts about the process of becoming legal.
One big bad part (if you care about your ‘fence-sitting’ neighbors, who are reticent to ‘come into the light’ more from distrust rather than their environmental techniques) is that the cannabis permit fees paid to the county and state will likely be used to HIRE ENFORCEMENT TEAMS to bust those who have not signed up. Maybe this early action is supported by that funding.
Really appreciate the history about moonshine whiskey, Ernie. Gives context I hadn’t really known before.
Does anyone know where they went???

Lookin' deeper
Guest
Lookin' deeper
6 years ago
Reply to  Ben Round

Still no follow up? Goin’ on 3 hours! How is this possible? Somebody has to know somethin’!

Sandy ocean
Guest
Sandy ocean
6 years ago

Are they in Rancho?? That’s the word on the hill is. They never go in there for anything less than a murder.

Just plain mudbogging
Guest
Just plain mudbogging
6 years ago

. went up Rancho Road. Heaven forbid they should let the mud dry a little bit so It can be traveled by normal people too. if they’re going to tear the road up worse than it already is they might as well have a shuttle bus so we can get home. Better yet a shuttle copter!

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago

Ya that’s a good one “normal people” in rancho hahahahah!

Robert
Guest
Robert
6 years ago

It would be informative to know if they are hitting permit applicants or non sign up growers. Any news on that ?

Lookin' deeper
Guest
Lookin' deeper
6 years ago
Reply to  Robert

Agree on wanting to know that piece of info. This is the summer to pay attention &and share via this site! We will Write this chapter week by week, or even maybe Day by Day. Birth is laborious, but most of the time the outcome is joyous. Move past the stress and Imagine the most enlightened outcome for all of Humboldt. As they say, “Keep your eyes on the prize.”

visitor
Guest
visitor
6 years ago
Reply to  Lookin' deeper

“Keep your eyes on the prize” and you’ll miss the path.

The enlightened keep their eyes on the path not on the prize.
Don’t trip over your own feet chasing pots of gold.

Lookin' deeper
Guest
Lookin' deeper
6 years ago
Reply to  visitor

The prize is an Eco-enlightened Humboldt & includes no GMOs, lots of organic Farmers markets, sustainable practices, healthy people& a deep appreciation that we get to live in such an amazingly beautiful place…pots of gold actually seem to make people behave somewhat self destructively due to overindulgence in almost everything.

J
Guest
J
6 years ago

Considering first dep harvest can be may/early June, this will probably become a more common raid time. Especially since people be lighting their grows at night like a big “look at me” arrow pointing at their grow!

AnonymousHumboldtian
Guest
AnonymousHumboldtian
6 years ago
Reply to  J

The first dep harvest isn’t until end of June or early July, for most people anyway.

J
Guest
J
6 years ago

Depends on the year and how together you are. But I know for sure you can harvest first of June the most beautiful indoor looking stuff without using artificial light or added heat if you know how and live in the right micro climate.

Butteryak
Guest
Butteryak
6 years ago

I’ll make a prediction, the county recently sent out a letter that basically said, anyone jumping the gun on expanding their grows without having the permits to do so are in violation of the ordinance. Meaning if your permit is not complete, and u are grading, building new structures, greenhouses, etc, not within the ordinance with proper permits, you are subject to prosecution. Or it is an unpermitted situation… http://humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/59020 just a prediction, I could be wrong

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  Butteryak

Good guess, put out the letter flex a little muscle pick some low hanging fruit and see what happens.

HDD
Guest
HDD
6 years ago

I’m rather curious as to why the people doing the deps. can’t be bothered with placing a rather inexpensive tarp or black plastic over their green houses. The idea is to light the plants right? Not the whole area. Common sense would be not to advertise. But my main concern is that they are affecting the wildlife in the area with the, in some areas, abnormal amount of light they generate at night. I’ve noticed an increase of rodents in the last two years and a definite decrease in the owls that hunt them. I can’t imagine it would be all that time consuming to cover them up. Besides I for one would like to watch the stars light up at night, not all my neighbors grows. Damn near like living in the city. Crazy

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  HDD

Between the genies, the lights and chemical fertilizers and rat poison I worry about all the animals too. You can grow green, I just wish more people grew just to live off the land and not to buy hella trucks and vacation in Costa Rica.

scooter
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  HDD

Imma bit confused by your comments.

Light depping DOES use tarps to darken greenhouses down to 12 hours of light per day. Multiple grows can be done during one outdoor season.

Lights being used after dusk or before dawn are usually in place to stop plants from going into flower before putting in their final pots for the OUTDOOR season.

Woodchuck
Guest
Woodchuck
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

The game has advanced from that buddy. The pros are gonna have fresh dep weed in a few weeks. Its practically year round now. This beast is just getting started. If what i have heard about the size of these commercial grows is true…. Its gonna be all about quantity. There goes the price

humboldtstickman
Guest
humboldtstickman
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

You can do multiple runs if your not lazy and on time and point. Besides a better quality of product also better prices, you would hope

HDD
Guest
HDD
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

Take a drive over Southfork towards Hayfork at night. You know , where the burn is. Tell me what you see. You wont need a flashlight to walk those roads.

Buzz
Guest
Buzz
6 years ago
Reply to  HDD

Nice skull there! Lots of folks’ light up the hills rather then covering up because that means removing the tarps again in the morning- not a difficult chore but maybe a little bit inconvenient. Bunch of amateurs out there! Get some farmhands with the ability to complete such routine tasks quickly and as part of the work day. Better for wildlife, stargazing and respect.

Sandy ocean
Guest
Sandy ocean
6 years ago

YES!!!! From what I understand those grows are permitted. As it seems to me they have more permits than most people I know. ” drink the kool-aid!”

Sandy ocean
Guest
Sandy ocean
6 years ago

Oh, it also seemed they were on their way out. But no they headed right back in.

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest
Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
6 years ago

Wood Chipper The Hippie Harsher-

much cheaper to use tomahawk missiles, Apache helicopters, MRLS, etc…

Enough is enough!

laura
Guest
laura
6 years ago

it that next?

Rolo
Guest
Rolo
6 years ago

Who ever took that photo is obviously enjoying the fact that these poor people are getting raided and the photographer is probably the guy who dropped the dime too. Yep. In fact, he is probably an undercover narc, posing as an upstanding community contributor, who is really just here to wreak havoc on poor defenseless mom-&-pops. Or maybe he’s just a photo-journalist or concerned neighbor… either way, let’s publicly shame him based on false accusations and paranoid delusions.

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest
Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
6 years ago
Reply to  Rolo

Could just be someone that understands weed is a bad thing and they’re cleaning up the community by busting dopers.

Be Marie
Guest
Be Marie
6 years ago

The large permitted grow near where we live in Mendo Co more of a nuisance than any of the unpermitted grows in the area. The absentee ringleader not a steward of the land or community member. Mendo Co DA and Sheriff issuing permits to this group with numerous LLC s and Non profits to hide the money. Is everyone aware that these permit numbers given to the huge grows are not public record and cannot be accessed . You can see the permit numbers from a plane but citizens cannot get any info into what county officials have permitted them to do. To protect the mega grow, not the neighborhood. Nobody even to complain to. Does that make the county co-conspirators ?

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  Be Marie

That’s sad to hear, sorry you have to live next to that. Wtf would a big grow owned by someone who doesn’t live here be legal? Lame!

humboldtstickman
Guest
humboldtstickman
6 years ago
Reply to  Be Marie

Sounds like griffin, douche extraordinaire. Selling his land to a bunch of outsiders that have no clue the place got visited by choppers 3 consecutive years,..

humboldtstickman
Guest
humboldtstickman
6 years ago

You got to pay to play, otherwise expect us showing up with the chipper is the word.
Sorry no more permits this year!

Ben
Guest
Ben
6 years ago

Enforcement is the problem on night lighting, generator noise and erosive excavation practices.. “No money” the County says.. When big business production begins in the valleys (no corporation will put grows at the end of dirt roads) the enforcement money will suddenly appear to eliminate bootleg grows.. Ernie shows the history in his post.. A new CAMP will appear and it will stick around until the corporations are satisfied the “problem” has been suppressed..

Nanigirl
Guest
Nanigirl
6 years ago

Why are they waking this farm when it is legal as of 2017