Grow opportunity - need advice

midwestkid · Sep 18, 2019

So I got an opportunity to manage a big hemp grow and now I'm scared shitless...
Currently I work in the engineering field and have always grown on the side as a hobby. Now I have a chance to grow on a large scale and I'm in negotiation with the financial backer and it all seems overwhelming.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Here's a list of fears and concerns in no particular order.
How much money do I ask for? Do I need a lawyer? How many people will I need for help? What is the best strain? What if the crop goes "hot"
Will he fire me once I get this farm up and running?
And 1000 other thoughts like that.
Let me know if you guys/girls have ever been through this and what to look out for. Thanks in advance!

highsteppa · Sep 18, 2019

How many acres are you looking at? I may be able to help as myself along with some family have been working 57 acre hemp farm. Not huge but still industrial scale.

TychoMonolyth · Sep 18, 2019

Know that fears are normal.

When I'm asked to do something, I research it to hell and back. Even if you only get halfway, you can be confident you'll know more than most. So head up, speak with authority and if you don't know the answer to a question, don't lie, own it and say "I don't know. I'll get back to you on this."

You're in the engineering field? Good. You probable know MS Excel. Start a spreadsheet with the goal of having a 5 year projection.

Call a seed company and ask for a quote for X acres. Talk to a farmer about costs. They're super knowledgeable about planting, fertilizing and harvesting costs, SALES AND CONTRACTS. Contact other hemp farmers, I'm sure there's an association or something. lots of work up front and dont make a bank appointment for next week. You need at least two months lead time to get to know the numbers intimately for the bank.

They'll want a business plan. DO IT. I don't care if you don't know how to write one. Just start it and it'll come together. Trust me. Google is your friend.

There's more but you'll discover it as you move along.

Good luck.

As for getting let go, he probably will. But you'll have to work that into your price. Get a contract. ALWAYS. Even if he does let you go, you'll have valuable info for other farmers as a Hemp consultant in an emerging market. Sound like a sweet position to be in. Try to work a small retainer into your contract.

midwestkid · Sep 18, 2019

Highsteppa how many people does it take to run a 57 acre grow? What strain(s) are you growing?

I haven't been to this facility yet but it use to be a turkey farm. Not really sure on the size/scale just yet

midwestkid · Sep 18, 2019

Tychomonolith thanks for the thorough response. I appreciate your feedback. You make a lot of valid points. And yes ultimately I believe it's a good position to be in. I can always fall back on engineering and chances like these don't normally fall in your lap.

I'm doing a lot of reading and video watching right now. I just have always kept my eye on the drug cultivars and now I need to shift focus... growing pains...

What strains are people having success with? I've heard good things about Oregon CBD.
Anyways any relevant info is appreciated.
Thanks again

TychoMonolyth · Sep 18, 2019

I have no idea about strains. I see them starting to farm it here. Look in my pictures for a Hemp album. I have a few shots.

highsteppa · Sep 21, 2019

midwestkid said:
Highsteppa how many people does it take to run a 57 acre grow? What strain(s) are you growing?

I haven't been to this facility yet but it use to be a turkey farm. Not really sure on the size/scale just yet

Labor wise we have 15 +\- people and they are busy from planting to weeding to harvest. 3 people upper mgmt, accountant, and luckily my cousin/partner is a lawyer.

How many acres are you looking at farming year 1? What type of water source do you
have? Get a soil test asap.

Are you going to run it all or mostly concerned with the growing end?

TychoMonolyth · Sep 21, 2019

As long as you're not doing it old school, all you need is maybe 3 for 57 acres, and your top heavy on the management side unless they're running tractors too.

57 acres is really a one person job.

herbgreen · Sep 21, 2019

This where most of the farms get seed for hemp cbd flower crops

https://www.oregoncbdseeds.com/

they may be able help or figure out who the farms are and call them up but this coming up on the busy time of year

You need to talk to a few differnt folks but this is really really new

good people in this somebody will talk to you for sure :biggrin:

.

herbgreen · Sep 21, 2019

Just remember this stuff may be classifed 'hemp 'but this is about cbd terpene rich unique phenos and complex breeding

Podcast interview with one of the hempfarms

https://soundcloud.com/the-cannabis-connection/tweedle-farms-02082019

.

art.spliff · Sep 21, 2019

Use this board as a resource ~10-50% of your work time and allocate the rest for phone calls, working in the field, etc.

Ask for a living wage + benefits what you think you are worth, some people are accustomed to a paycheck while some people earn cash. Paperwork, try and make the most of it instead of it slowing you down. Whatever a decent rate is, e.g. if you ask for a lot of money, then feel obligated to meet your own expectation, try and lessen that. Salary + benefits + some% of the profit
Or
You're able to cover your own expenses, as a property manager it's yours and the other party is the money person an accountant, investor, partner. In this case you may stand to lose or gain more, there may be no fixed salary or buffer for financial loss or mishaps, if the crop goes under one year then no income, so better have 2-3 crops in different locations or spend less than your budget in your initial plan. Say 50/50. At the end of the day we are all human beings, better to get ahead of a good relationship in the beginning. If something about it doesn't seem quite right weigh your options, you can always start cultivating hemp somewhere else for a year or two to gain experience at which point it won't matter if you have managed someone else's farm or not. Good luck

art.spliff · Sep 21, 2019

It's another way of saying contracts can be deceiving, you are somehow held accountable or liable for something you said, or what someone else expects of you. Lawyers and contracts or not, it's the same thing as if it were a ninja mob or cowboy film, half suspicious, one person might be street wise and another has a personal lawyer, it could be the same thing. There is just something about working for someone else,

midwestkid · Sep 21, 2019

Thanks for the input. All valid points. It's a start up, so I would be in on the ground floor. I'm just unclear at this point what my responsibilities would be. I'm still unclear on the size and scope.
I just sent an email of questions and concerns to the owner and hopefully this will shed some light on things.
My main focus is trying to find leads on proven seed stock that produces high cbd plants at this point.
I'm also considering how to assemble a contract that covers me so I will still be compensated if I create an infrastructure and am then fired because I'm no longer necessary.
Any leads on genetics?

highsteppa · Sep 22, 2019

TychoMonolyth said:
As long as you're not doing it old school, all you need is maybe 3 for 57 acres, and your top heavy on the management side unless they're running tractors too.

57 acres is really a one person job.

I’d love to hear of your personal experience that has led you this conclusion. It’s not corn.

highsteppa · Sep 22, 2019

TychoMonolyth said:
As long as you're not doing it old school, all you need is maybe 3 for 57 acres, and your top heavy on the management side unless they're running tractors too.

57 acres is really a one person job.

I’d love to hear of your personal experience that has led you this conclusion.

TychoMonolyth · Sep 22, 2019

Corn schmorn. It's all the same.

Prep the field, plant and harvest with farm equipment. If you do it manually, you'll need a hundred people. 50 acres is quite small. But it's huge if you do it manually.

You're not growing bud. It's hemp. And is it an oil crop (seed/feed) or a fibre crop? They're both very different.

I suggest you take a ride and visit a hemp farm.

highsteppa · Sep 23, 2019

I don’t have to visit a hemp farm as we’re surrounded by them. Bud is exactly what we’re growing, even the stuff that’s getting combined. It’s cool, I think your prob looking at hemp for seed or dual purpose seed/fiber

midwestkid · Sep 23, 2019

I am under the impression we will be growing flowers for cbd production. No fiber or seed.
What varieties are you growing highsteppa?

highsteppa · Sep 23, 2019

Mostly a clone of Otto 2 pulled out of 15k plants. Mixed batch of others

midwestkid · Sep 23, 2019

Highsteppa. Can you explain how you go about running clones on that scale?

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