Matt Rize
Member
I have 12 hours before its back to the scissors, so I wanted to tell you guys what it is like here (norcal) and how we do it.
Trimming is a serious industry here, we should have a union. But we don't, and work "conditions" can be very different . Out in the rural areas it gets kinda ridiculous. Some places people walk up and down the streets with plants and trimming is a community project. Some places people hide everything and close the blinds and act all sketchy. Some people trim using natural light, some trim in the "zone" under HIDs and the rest.
I trim with the blinds open and the backdoor open, and I live in the heart of downtown in a school zone. But nothing I do is illegal (no more solvent extracts), so its all gravy. My neighbors are my friends and we watch out for each other, BIG TIME. They ran off the bike cops for me... had to seal the room after DJ's Blueberry proved too powerful. My neighbor sits on his back deck and watches me bring mature plants into the house from the zone during the school day... and we laugh.
Pay for trimming varies greatly. By the hour from $15 to $30/hour. And by the pound usually around $250, but as low as $180 for jerks. I won't work for more or less than $20/hour, fair IMO as a grower/trimmer. I don't work for weight because I take it as an insult and make sure to do 2 pounds in a 9-5 day, which is brutal on me. I won't work in cramped or stupid conditions either, and have been known to move the whole trim to my house.
Up north you have to camp out and work as much as you can. Down here people are civilized and trimmers go home after work. Some like to work at night, but not-sketchy people work normal hours (9-5+).
I am lucky enough to have joined a really hard working crew, we joined forces more correctly. We pretty much go from spot to spot and bang out harvests. If we have to, we can each do 2 pounds a work day, and we trim so effing tight that our outdoor work is sold as indoor. Our first time at locations they have friends there, then we never see the friends again and it is just us. My motto is "everyone want to get paid, only a few want to work for it."
Did I neglect to mention that I work with mostly sexy women between 21 and 44 years old? One is an effing burlesquer and nude art model. It certainly doesn't hurt that most growers are dudes. None of us smoke tobacco, and one guy dips so that doesn't slow him down. Sometimes we chew raw coca leaves when we do long days. Mate is normal in the afternoon, and in the morning it is fresh juices and kombucha. Lots of microbrew too, lol.
We all show up with everything we will need for the day other than lunch, which is provided by the employer, and we are organic non-GMO food people. The girls have trim outfits, even some dudes wear coveralls. I don't worry about it, I love the stink of Cannabis on me.
Supplies for trimming may include:
micro scissors,
razor blades,
pipe/herbs (not everyone has ganj... or enough for me )
reading glasses (to protect eyes from flying trichomes),
scissor sharpener,
finger glue,
beers (that's how we roll),
some herb infused water,
chocolate (it is mostly women)
drinks,
snacks,
cell phone in a ziploc (still works and wont get sticky)
computer elbow wrest,
home-made lavender oil solution for cleaning hands/scissor,
apron,
chalice or other water-filter glass.
MY CURRENT SCISSOR SET UP:
I have tried everything. The small ones without springs, Humbodlt Nutrients just made a fiskar knock off, Hydrofarm, Hydrofarm knock off, Fiskars, Fiskars coated, Fiskars cool colors, everything.
What I have found, and every woman that I have ever trimmed with now agrees, is that you have to personalize your scissors.
First: But a Hydrofarm scissor ($10)
Second: Buy a Fiskars replacement spring (free if you ask nice)
Third: Take out the Hydrofarm spring, replace with Fiskar's spring
Fourth: Notice the work load has been reduced significantly.
Fifth: Keep them clean and oiled. This is your sword.
You will never trim with a Fiskars again, I promise this. The Hydrofarm scissor have longer blades, and the points are slightly rounded which reduced finger shredding (trust me, happens plenty the way we roll). Fiskars sharp micro-point is still valuable for big leafing and all other garden tasks.
To further reduce the work load you can remove one to three twists from the spring. You will have to twist the cut-end smaller so that it properly seats. This personalization reduces the work load, and if you do this full time...it makes your life quality better.
Message: use a hydrofarm ($11) with a fiskars spring (<$1). Keep them clean and oiled.
ps: this really is just MY OPINION, and one of the crew keeps up with us using a spring-less ARS (always really sharp).
Trimming is a serious industry here, we should have a union. But we don't, and work "conditions" can be very different . Out in the rural areas it gets kinda ridiculous. Some places people walk up and down the streets with plants and trimming is a community project. Some places people hide everything and close the blinds and act all sketchy. Some people trim using natural light, some trim in the "zone" under HIDs and the rest.
I trim with the blinds open and the backdoor open, and I live in the heart of downtown in a school zone. But nothing I do is illegal (no more solvent extracts), so its all gravy. My neighbors are my friends and we watch out for each other, BIG TIME. They ran off the bike cops for me... had to seal the room after DJ's Blueberry proved too powerful. My neighbor sits on his back deck and watches me bring mature plants into the house from the zone during the school day... and we laugh.
Pay for trimming varies greatly. By the hour from $15 to $30/hour. And by the pound usually around $250, but as low as $180 for jerks. I won't work for more or less than $20/hour, fair IMO as a grower/trimmer. I don't work for weight because I take it as an insult and make sure to do 2 pounds in a 9-5 day, which is brutal on me. I won't work in cramped or stupid conditions either, and have been known to move the whole trim to my house.
Up north you have to camp out and work as much as you can. Down here people are civilized and trimmers go home after work. Some like to work at night, but not-sketchy people work normal hours (9-5+).
I am lucky enough to have joined a really hard working crew, we joined forces more correctly. We pretty much go from spot to spot and bang out harvests. If we have to, we can each do 2 pounds a work day, and we trim so effing tight that our outdoor work is sold as indoor. Our first time at locations they have friends there, then we never see the friends again and it is just us. My motto is "everyone want to get paid, only a few want to work for it."
Did I neglect to mention that I work with mostly sexy women between 21 and 44 years old? One is an effing burlesquer and nude art model. It certainly doesn't hurt that most growers are dudes. None of us smoke tobacco, and one guy dips so that doesn't slow him down. Sometimes we chew raw coca leaves when we do long days. Mate is normal in the afternoon, and in the morning it is fresh juices and kombucha. Lots of microbrew too, lol.
We all show up with everything we will need for the day other than lunch, which is provided by the employer, and we are organic non-GMO food people. The girls have trim outfits, even some dudes wear coveralls. I don't worry about it, I love the stink of Cannabis on me.
Supplies for trimming may include:
micro scissors,
razor blades,
pipe/herbs (not everyone has ganj... or enough for me )
reading glasses (to protect eyes from flying trichomes),
scissor sharpener,
finger glue,
beers (that's how we roll),
some herb infused water,
chocolate (it is mostly women)
drinks,
snacks,
cell phone in a ziploc (still works and wont get sticky)
computer elbow wrest,
home-made lavender oil solution for cleaning hands/scissor,
apron,
chalice or other water-filter glass.
MY CURRENT SCISSOR SET UP:
I have tried everything. The small ones without springs, Humbodlt Nutrients just made a fiskar knock off, Hydrofarm, Hydrofarm knock off, Fiskars, Fiskars coated, Fiskars cool colors, everything.
What I have found, and every woman that I have ever trimmed with now agrees, is that you have to personalize your scissors.
First: But a Hydrofarm scissor ($10)
Second: Buy a Fiskars replacement spring (free if you ask nice)
Third: Take out the Hydrofarm spring, replace with Fiskar's spring
Fourth: Notice the work load has been reduced significantly.
Fifth: Keep them clean and oiled. This is your sword.
You will never trim with a Fiskars again, I promise this. The Hydrofarm scissor have longer blades, and the points are slightly rounded which reduced finger shredding (trust me, happens plenty the way we roll). Fiskars sharp micro-point is still valuable for big leafing and all other garden tasks.
To further reduce the work load you can remove one to three twists from the spring. You will have to twist the cut-end smaller so that it properly seats. This personalization reduces the work load, and if you do this full time...it makes your life quality better.
Message: use a hydrofarm ($11) with a fiskars spring (<$1). Keep them clean and oiled.
ps: this really is just MY OPINION, and one of the crew keeps up with us using a spring-less ARS (always really sharp).
Nice 1 Jonny
