F
fry like an egg
I am going to be up there in the very near future to get things finished up on our beautiful Rocky Mountain home to retire!
I ain`t scared of no ghost
I ain`t scared of no ghost
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Another want to move to CO thread
- Thread starter Spicoli
- Start date
iwannaretire
Member
i just moved FROM Colorado. I didn't put a full court press on because I had a day job but I found it a very difficult/impossible commercial scene to break into.
Everyone seemed very closed off compared to say California. I hope to be back to live out my years in Colorado but not to grow commercially...if u can pull it off moving there w/o connections I salute your social skills..
Everyone seemed very closed off compared to say California. I hope to be back to live out my years in Colorado but not to grow commercially...if u can pull it off moving there w/o connections I salute your social skills..
Total cashflow for illegal cannabis is obviously much, much larger than if it were completely legal like, say, tomatoes. That's not just about growers, smugglers & dealers, but about the whole apprehension/ prosecution/ defense/ adjudication/ rehab/ prison/ industrial complex of the way it is. That doesn't even cover the high markup quasi-legal medical side of it, or indoor grow supplies, either.
That carries all the way through, even to the price of seeds. High end hybrid tomato seeds are $6.95 for a pack of 10.
It's also a rich source of political power & graft, both here & outside our borders. A lot of different people have vested interest in illegal cannabis & will fight to keep it that way.
In Colorado, the part where most of 'em lost, big time, is the provision of A64 that allows personal grows. Only the grow supply guys & the power company get to keep their piece of the pie. Everybody else gets less, except for retail, which may not fly, at least not for awhile.
Your post is SO right on. No matter if it's legal or illegal, you still have to have the connections and outlets to make it all jive.
Cali growers still have some opportunity to move weed to the dispensaries on an >individual< basis, and because of that, their market remains more "open". Colorado was well on the way to the same type of vibe until the State and the dispensaries chose to tighten it up and make it a closed loop with ONLY those licensing and sucking the State dick being allowed the right to sell to other patients. Everyone else got tossed to the wolves.
If the same shit happens in Cali, and it will, things will be far more "closed" in and insular, just as they have become here after the open sales were nixxed.
time will tell but things don't seem to be going in favor of the small guy, that's for sure.
F
fry like an egg
Just to be clear I am not going for commercial anything just to retire and meet a few good friends to trade with
and these new laws 
guerilllataktic
Member
I will stay where i am
F
fry like an egg
Hey Monsoon,
You have had nothing but good info for anyone moving up here. No offense taken in any way. High elevation is where we will be. It might be cold but it will be safe. I am a jack of all trades master of none so I can keep things going
You have had nothing but good info for anyone moving up here. No offense taken in any way. High elevation is where we will be. It might be cold but it will be safe. I am a jack of all trades master of none so I can keep things going
J
Johnny Redthumb
Lots of growers move out here cuz they think they can compete but only end up contributing to mediocrity. I'm sure your friends back east say your pot is amazing, but its only as amazing as their options. Most "good" growers will come to CO and grow B+ at best. Many will fail or stumble because of the unexpected temp extremes, bugs they never heard of, or just lack of humidity and no real understanding of the market. Even on the forums, most peoples' pot is shit or not impressive at best. You can bring seeds and think you'll find something amazing, but hardly anyone cares and its mostly a clone only market. If you dabble in tradding clones with locals or buy from cl or dispensaries, you'll most likely end up with fakes at best and all sorts of disease at worst. Too many stupid people that think they have "dank" weed already moved here and were willing to compromise themselves and the markets just to get rid of their "dank" weed. "Its all good bro, life is awesome, 1500 pounds, as long as I make enough for a lift ticket"... That attitude has ruined the scene.
I'll try to offer a little perspective here as a Colorado resident, MMJ patient and MMED badge holder:
I moved to Colorado with green dreams clouding my brain and every dollar to my name in my pocket. While (like everyone else) I had aspirations of working in the blossoming MMJ industry, I had very little cultivation experience (i.e. nothing more than .4KW in a closet), few prospective employment opportunities and absolutely no connections in the industry. I applied for 20+ craigslist jobs, zero replies.
I found a landlord that was sympathetic with my situation (no verifiable income but cash in hand) and invested my remaining loot in my "dream" 4KW 10x10. After crunching out my first harvest, I was able to land a job as a budtender at a fairly reputable dispensary. I was working in the grow within a month and acquired my MMED badge a couple months later. Getting a badge is not as difficult as some make it seem to be, just google Colorado MMED Occupational Licensing.
Since then, I have worked for several different dispensaries in several different capacities, and I wouldn't wish apprentice or trim work upon my worst enemies. It is an all labor, no glory type of deal. You won't get paid worth a damn and will mostly likely get treated like a sweatshop slave unless you're working for your buddies. FOH positions are a little more bearable, but good luck getting a job as a receptionist or budtender unless you're a cutie with nice rack. No offense to the ladies
Moral of the story: why work for some cash-cropping prick(s) when you can just run your own show? While it's true that the bottom is falling out of the market here price wise, you could always work something out with your connections back home (not that I'm trying to advocate anything illegal here hahaha). If you want a large lady count, get yourself a medical card. If you're a tree farmer like myself, you can make the legal limit of six plants go a long way. Hell, a huge number of my friends and associates crush triple figure plant count gardens with no paperwork.
What you're able to accomplish depends on your budget, your connections, your skills, and (most importantly) your landlord. You'll find that many Colorado landlords are not cool with cultivation, even with the laws being as they are AND/OR with proper paperwork in hand. Check craigslist and you'll be surprised on how frequently "NO MMJ/NO CULTIVATION" comes up in rental ads. I regularly tell my clients, "I can make any space work as long as it is a friendly one". If you have the finances and can't foresee yourself moving any time soon, I would highly recommend a lease-purchase or rent-to-own agreement. Less likelihood of random landlord pop-ins that way.
That all being said, why not move here? Colorado has everything a man like myself desires: amazing beer, beautiful women, crunchy music, dank nuggetry, epic views, friendly people, great weather, hetty laws... the list could just roll on and on... between the Cannabis Cup, Amendment 64 and the Red Rocks season this year has been legendary already! If there was an ocean here, I would never have a reason to leave!
"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later."
-Mitch Hedberg
Well said, I moved here 3 years ago with my own connections, money, and 7 years growing experience. Best decision I have ever made, so far..
You only get better by playing a better opponent.
B+ is fine, especially after decades of C, D and E. I like cannabis, so I like it all.
mericanfiend
New member
You couldn't be more correct comrade. Nearly every "grower" I meet here is convinced they have the greenest thumb and the dankest of the danks. Delusions of grandeur abound out here in these hills. In reality I run into a lot of overfed, underflushed and uncured finished product that's quite frequently caked in powdery mildew with a nice botrytis cream filling to boot. Not shitting, I worked for a "master grower" aged twenty-four who was convinced that PM was flavor crystals and claimed that every finished flower gets gray mold in the middle. I quit that fucking job after two months, the final straw being an argument in which he asserted that the massive springtail infestation (which he called nematodes hahaha) he created by ridiculously overwatering every day wasn't affecting our yields! Sadly, this seems to be a common mentality... but there are always diamonds in the rough!
Oh yeah brother, I've never regretted it for a moment! Nice work!
I love your attitude! I have been inspired by some of the best, and inspired even more by some of the worst! And there are definitely plenty of worthy "opponents" around!
RedBeardy5
Active member
powdery mildew is the cream of the crop lol
mericanfiend
New member
Hahaha you said it man!
To anyone who doesn't like the $1500/lbs, if you are willing to take the risk, you can easily get $3,000-$4,000/lbs along the east coast. Be prepared to spend some time in prison though if you get caught, but the rewards are great. I know a grower in CO who has been contemplating leaving for greener pastures over here in the East. Worries me though, b/c one thing I noticed of growers in the quasi-legal states is that they become more lax on security and commonsense b/c of the false sense of safety they get from their states. The police don't f*ck around out here in the tri-state region. Even possessing anything over 30grams will get you charged as a drug dealer around here.
SoiledMyself
Member
^ This....Moved from the east coast to Colorado and the things I see make me shake my head sometimes.
Indeed. I follow your grows quite avidly. If I ever wanted to step up to something other than personal consumption growing, I'd emulate your methods as best I could. Stunning performances!
It's a privilege to live in Colorado. MMJ & A64 just make it even more so.
I'm sure. The drug trade has always attracted dreamers, schemers & delusional fools of all sorts- and that's when they weren't high. That's why the prisons are full, and why I got out of the business decades ago. Always dealing with fuckups & unnecessary risk.
I'm sure that Colorado & Washington will get more than their fare share for some while. Meanwhile, I'll stay Colorado legal in all respects, sit back & watch the parade.
For people who are retired or have saleable skills, that's a great reason to move to Colorado. No hassles. Just do your thing in peace. Otherwise, probably not.
mericanfiend
New member
Couldn't agree more! Ironically, the majority of new customers that walk through the door at the gro sto are baby boomers my parents age, either on the verge of retiring or fresh from doing so. Many of them moved here specifically so that could grow in peace! Some of my coworkers think the influx of old-timers is annoying but helping them out truly brings a smile to my face!
RedBeardy5
Active member
Nice that means there will be a lot of good bud to try!
