I survey and prepare easement dedication docs for a couple of small rural electric co-ops.?ÿ Their service area is spread across five counties in south central Oklahoma. For almost a year now I have prepared on average two surveys a week for what the work orders call "grow houses".?ÿ I quit counting at 80 or so, so it's probably over a hundred by now.?ÿ It is apparently a thriving business.
What is so interesting to me is the broad spectrum of "invested capital" that I see at these sites.?ÿ I have seen 10k+ sq. ft. windowless steel buildings with 20' ceilings and a million bucks in HVAC equipment; complete with two 8' perimeter fences topped with concertina.?ÿ I have also seen acres of low-budget pvc pipe & visqueen greenhouses that apparently also get the job done.?ÿ I should have been keeping track of their locations because I'll bet you there is at least one or two grows in almost every township is a couple of counties.?ÿ I have a feeling the growers are avoiding setups within municipal limits due to the cost of meeting codes and regs.?ÿ?ÿ
And the proprietors of these endeavors vary greatly also.?ÿ I had one smug idiot tell me I was fixin' to get shot until he saw the co-op sign on my truck.?ÿ Another spent almost an hour proudly showing me his homemade automatic computer operated watering system.?ÿ I guess it takes all kinds.?ÿ?ÿ
I haven't smoked weed since 1974 and have no interest in it now.?ÿ And I don't know what the cost is at the dispensaries.?ÿ But if they're selling all that they're growing someone is making a lot of money.?ÿ And that means the State of Oklahoma should be raking in their share.?ÿ As of October one source puts the State's tax revenues at 34.5 million bucks.?ÿ A nice "shot in the arm" for our fair state, fer sure.?ÿ And the local 7-11s have doubled their shelf-space for Little Debbie's and Hostess Twinkies.
After watching the oil & gas business tear the snot out of the countryside for years it's good to see so many folks making good with a "cottage industry" that doesn't make the wind smell like dirty diesel and leave a mess.?ÿ One county deputy did drop in on me while I was surveying at a new grow site a month or so ago.?ÿ He told me he was just keeping his eye on the place.?ÿ I asked if he was watching for any nefarious drug activity. He laughed and said no.?ÿ It was his brother-in-law's place and he had promised to make sure nobody was stealing any building materials.
This world has really changed in 45 years.?ÿ And in some ways maybe for the better. ;)?ÿ ?ÿ
I have never had a problem with medical marijuana and the government should never come between a doctor and patient. If the doctor feels like smoking weed or peyote or eating marijuana brownie is the proper prescription then smoke a doobie by golly.
And quite frankly the recreational use of it does not bother me much either. I do however think the states should treat it exactly as they do alcohol sales so folks know what they are getting. I have no clue if it is a gateway drug.
I've never smoked though and have zero interest in trying to inhale any form of smoke, but a brownie or a gummie, yep, that I will try.
Speaking of cottage industries I am seeing a return of micro breweries and distilleries and that pleases me. I read that before prohibition that nearly every town across the country had a brewery and distillery and sometimes a couple of them if it was a decent sized town. And every town had their own unique variety of beer. Well it has taken nearly 100 years but we are slowly recovering from the foolishness of prohibition and the unbridled zealotry of Carrie Nation. And wineries are popping up more and more.
Bout time they started controlling the weed in their easements:)?ÿ Lots of sun in the middle of vast, remote forest tracts have made them ideal growing areas in the NE (rumor has it).
Some national news show recently reported the California weed growers were outproducing the legal demand.?ÿ Some producers were really crying because their investment was not as golden as they had expected.?ÿ Perhaps we now need a special government program to bail out the ailing weed growers.
Some national news show recently reported the California weed growers were outproducing the legal demand.?ÿ Some producers were really crying because their investment was not as golden as they had expected.?ÿ Perhaps we now need a special government program to bail out the ailing weed growers.
There is no doubt that the local market will suffer from all the historic ills of agricultural supply and demand.?ÿ I believe we have a law in Oklahoma that prohibits sale and transportation of cannabis outside of the state.?ÿ I guess that keeps things kind of bottled up.?ÿ I will be interested to see how many of these grows survive long term.
Its the smell of the process that annoys me. This new stuff is not like the old stuff and the odor from the grow sites is obnoxious at best.?ÿ
OK probably has some catching up to do on OR. Dispensaries on every block, seems like. They make Starbucks seem rare. And, yes, there have been surpluses reported.?ÿ Things will level out over time.?ÿ
I've been messing around for a couple of years now making wines, beers and meads. It's a lot of fun and I'll be pitching a batch of prickly pear cactus fruit mead this weekend. I've had some very good successes and one or two that got dumped after the first taste. One of the books I've collected has a recipe for cannabis infused wine. Apparently the cannabis won't impart its useful components to water, but alcohol on the other hand, it will, though it takes some time. Recommends aging for 6-12 months. Haven't tried brewing it yet, but it is legal here now and that I think I better get on it if I have to wait a year to imbibe! I'm just speculating but I can see in a decade or so when you go buy a 6 of Bud, you'll have the choice of Bud or BUD!!!
I have read that the THC is heat activated and will not work unless it is heated to a certain temp to release the magic stuff. I have no clue if alcohol will do the same as heat. I think they call them terpenes.
Some family members make wine and it is not bad and it is surprising what you can make wine from.
Google Canada and their over-production of weed. Apparently they have decades worth of supply already in warehouses and are still building greenhouses. Never did figure out the economics of it, but it appears that they expected more demand.
And I don't know what the cost is at the dispensaries
In FL it's an average of $50 for 3.5 grams. or 1/8 oz.?ÿ In terms we understood that comes out to $400/oz or "bag". I remember when it was $25 a bag but it wasn't "bud" like you can buy today. Back in the day a bag o weed and Annie Green Springs "wine" was the choice dujour. Ahh....I can remember the coughing and hacking like it was yesterday. ?????ÿ
I've had fellows ask me if they were still going to test for THC in their urine when it is made legal.?ÿ I told them that in my best guess that yes it would still be tested and still be cause for discipline if found present.?ÿ I know that THC stays in the body longer than alcohol but it still affects cognition, judgement and motor skills.?ÿ After you retire, what you do is your business.?ÿ
I do know that the company for whom my wife works (they provide equipment for the armed forces) still test for THC at their plants in California and Colorado and that continued test failure is grounds for dismissal.
Andy
I guess technically it's a tincture, not all that different than any other but with the relatively low alcohol content of wine, it takes considerable time to effectively dissolve the compounds into suspension. I believe there a couple of California wineries already offering these, and more to come.
Under the influence is probably here to stay no matter if legalized or not. It is the big cash cow for law enforcement to keep drivers and operators of equipment and boats and any other moving vehicle or craft. The courts are always full and the probation officers are receiving fortunes in penalty payments that last long after their retirements while keeping many under their thumb to work for free and to force them to be their confidential informant or deal with child services, jail and disruption of families.
Locally, we can not be in our boats sitting in there getting away from it all way up in some obscure slough enjoying nature without expecting to be found by the game warden or lake patrol checking for a fishing license and testing your sobriety. They give you a ticket, carry you to lockup and impound your truck, boat and trailer. Beer is and has always been fish bait where I was raised. They done took the fun out of fishing anymore.
Every company is in the hot seat to test regularly and keep a record simply to keep insurance and any worker involved in an accident or mishap at work is immediately tested thru a blood sample.
And I don't know what the cost is at the dispensaries
In FL it's an average of $50 for 3.5 grams. or 1/8 oz.?ÿ In terms we understood that comes out to $400/oz or "bag". I remember when it was $25 a bag but it wasn't "bud" like you can buy today. Back in the day a bag o weed and Annie Green Springs "wine" was the choice dujour. Ahh....I can remember the coughing and hacking like it was yesterday. ?????ÿ
Wow.?ÿ That's big business.?ÿ We use to buy "lids" (whatever that meant) for 10 bucks that were suppose to be an ounce.?ÿ As for the Annie Green Springs...I bought a lot of it but never drank it.?ÿ We used it for "bait" to lure the young ladies from the pool hall into the back of a friend's van.?ÿ
I guess we all have our memories....sigh... 😉
