HELP. Becoming a medical marijuana grower in the state of Oregon?

Discussion in 'General' started by GETTHEGOAT, Jan 30, 2013.

  1. Really this is has been my main idea for a career, and what I want to do is supply for dispensaries and collectives in Portland, do you have any info on how I would go about that? I'm 18 and I was going to get a degree in horticulture and I'm wondering if that's suffecient, if an associates or bachelors degree would be fine? Thanks!
     
  2. That would be an amazing job I would like to know how to
     
  3. [quote name='"Chinc"']That would be an amazing job I would like to know how to[/quote]

    I think I found my business partner, what's up man?
     
  4. I'd imagine the main key is networking. I live in Oregon too, and I unfortunately almost never hear about dispensaries and collectives around here, let alone job openings at places like that.

    I mean, given that you're in Oregon, guaranteed they already have a shit ton of growers ready and willing to supply weed for them. So I think networking is the key. Getting to know fellow marijuana smokers and people in the business and maybe showing off your product in the hopes that someone will recommend you as a potential grower. :confused_2:
     
  5. [quote name='"junkiedays"']I'd imagine the main key is networking. I live in Oregon too, and I unfortunately almost never hear about dispensaries and collectives around here, let alone job openings at places like that.

    I mean, given that you're in Oregon, guaranteed they already have a shit ton of growers ready and willing to supply weed for them. So I think networking is the key. Getting to know fellow marijuana smokers and people in the business and maybe showing off your product in the hopes that someone will recommend you as a potential grower. :confused_2:[/quote]

    Thank you. Do you think my schooling will be good for growing? Couldn't hurt? Horticulture? Associate-bachelor? :smoking:
     
  6. Whats up mayne. i know a medical marijuana grower in my area he has about 20 cars there a day its crazy
     
  7. Im sorry, but you cant expect to grow dispensary quality herb your first time growing. You're 18, you have so much to learn about growing. Not to mention you can read and learn all you want, but until you do it, you'll never have the experience.

    Personally im a medical grower ib Michigan, on a small scale, and let me ask you a couple questions..

    First, where will you get the money to buy a home to grow? Because you can't grow the amount of herb you'll need to even break even for the investments you'd have to make. How about equipment? Can you afford $5000-$10,000 in lighting equipment, nutrients, soil/DWC equipment, ventilation, carbon filters, ect ect ect. Can you afford the $300-$900(depending how where you live ) electricity bill per month to run all equipment?

    All in all, you can grow 6-12 dispensary quality plants for the start up cost of around $750-$1000. That doesnt include the extra $50-75 a month extra on your light bill.

    In order to become a supplier to a dispensary you would need at least a perpetual crop of 36-50. You'd be looking at needing $15,000-$20,000 for everything to make it to the first harvest and thats not even including the price of a house to grow in.. just a low ball estimate to get equipment, build a room, electricity, and other random necessities. Not to mention even being legal, when you hit the 50-99+ plant mark you are more likely to be targeted by the Feds.

    Im not here to crush your dreams, but i wont sugar coat it, because it is simply that, just a dream. What happens when marijuana becomes legal country-wide and prices drop enormously because of mass production by large companies?
     
  8. I'm 19, and I'm looking to move to Washington in ~2 years and starting my own grow for personal use. Even something at a small scale like that seems a bit intimidating, I'm sure commercial production of marijuana is much more complicated. :p

    Could he possibly use some equipment to produce produce when marijuana attains legality?
     
  9. [quote name='"Spaced"']

    Im sorry, but you cant expect to grow dispensary quality herb your first time growing. You're 18, you have so much to learn about growing. Not to mention you can read and learn all you want, but until you do it, you'll never have the experience.

    Personally im a medical grower ib Michigan, on a small scale, and let me ask you a couple questions..

    First, where will you get the money to buy a home to grow? Because you can't grow the amount of herb you'll need to even break even for the investments you'd have to make. How about equipment? Can you afford $5000-$10,000 in lighting equipment, nutrients, soil/DWC equipment, ventilation, carbon filters, ect ect ect. Can you afford the $300-$900(depending how where you live ) electricity bill per month to run all equipment?

    All in all, you can grow 6-12 dispensary quality plants for the start up cost of around $750-$1000. That doesnt include the extra $50-75 a month extra on your light bill.

    In order to become a supplier to a dispensary you would need at least a perpetual crop of 36-50. You'd be looking at needing $15,000-$20,000 for everything to make it to the first harvest and thats not even including the price of a house to grow in.. just a low ball estimate to get equipment, build a room, electricity, and other random necessities. Not to mention even being legal, when you hit the 50-99+ plant mark you are more likely to be targeted by the Feds.

    Im not here to crush your dreams, but i wont sugar coat it, because it is simply that, just a dream. What happens when marijuana becomes legal country-wide and prices drop enormously because of mass production by large companies?[/quote]

    Well no I didn't expect to grow high grade stuff right off the bat, I know my first few grows aren't going to be that great at all, but right now I'm just focusing on starting up and having something to work with before I get into it. Id just really love to supply for a dispensary down the line.

    As for the equipment, I don't know... that's still something I need to figure out. Just starting out with a couple plants I know I won't need all of that but I still need to learn what ill need and how much it'll cost, I figure to start id grow with one of my relatives until I got my own place. You gave me a lot to think about. Thanks
     


  10. I just want to say...

    Have another plan in mind.

    Don't for one second assume that you'll be able to get a foothold in the marijuana business and just grow weed to sell to dispensaries for the rest of your life.

    Hope for that if that is what you want, but don't bank on it. Don't put all your eggs in that basket. :p
     
  11. [quote name='"junkiedays"']

    I just want to say...

    Have another plan in mind.

    Don't for one second assume that you'll be able to get a foothold in the marijuana business and just grow weed to sell to dispensaries for the rest of your life.

    Hope for that if that is what you want, but don't bank on it. Don't put all your eggs in that basket. :p[/quote]

    But weed is my life, there's nothing else for me, nothing else I'm more passionate about, and I should definitely put all my eggs in just this basket! Even if I end up homeless I'm going to keep trying and trying until I'm successful in this industry, it doesn't matter if I'm not growing, ill become a budtender or ill open up my own dispensary even with how much there is and how much there will be. The world is just starting to accept marijuana/hemp again and I'm alive to see it, I should take advantage of that right?

    ... also I know I'm young so don't think this is a phase please. I feel like that's what people think when I tell them how interested I am in cannabis
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. #12 *guest, Jan 31, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2013

    Because it is just a phase. Most of us have been there. You gotta realize that you're after a job that tons of other people are also going after just as hard. Just browsing this site, you can see how many people on GC alone want to grow weed for a living or start up a dispensary or what not.

    Fact of the matter is, if everyone could get a job doing what they love the most, we'd have way too many budtenders and not nearly enough fast food employees or garbage workers or janitors or what have you.

    If you're not preparing a backup plan, then you're putting yourself in a bad situation.
     
  13. GC has a great beginner section in the growing forums.

    Space is on point, you have at least a couple years before you can grow Quality herb. Ppl dont learn it after a couple grows. It takes exp. Typically a year before you start to understand the plant.

    Id recomend you buy a tent, start small for yourself. Get at least 10 Harvest under ur belt. Then maybe if you feel confident enough you can upgrade to bigger space. Goodluck.
     
  14. [quote name='"junkiedays"']

    Because it is just a phase. Most of us have been there. You gotta realize that you're after a job that tons of other people are also going afterjust as hard. Just browsing this site, you can see how many people on GC alone want to grow weed for a living or start up a dispensary or what not.

    Fact of the matter is, if everyone could get a job doing what they love the most, we'd have way too many budtenders and not nearly enough fast food employees or garbage workers or janitors or what have you.

    If you're not preparing a backup plan, then you're putting yourself in a bad situation.[/quote]

    Nah. I can do this. Thank you though!
     
  15. [quote name='"Skywalkerss"']GC has a great beginner section in the growing forums.

    Space is on point, you have at least a couple years before you can grow Quality herb. Ppl dont learn it after a couple grows. It takes exp. Typically a year before you start to understand the plant.

    Id recomend you buy a tent, start small for yourself. Get at least 10 Harvest under ur belt. Then maybe if you feel confident enough you can upgrade to bigger space. Goodluck.[/quote]

    Alright. I've been more focused on education and I was thinking to wait until I got my degree but experience is important, so ill probably start growing soon. Thanks
     
  16. Growing for a collective is still veryyyy underground these days. You def gotta know connections or Its gunna be harder.

    Im a small time cali med grower but im getting a couple greenhouses this summer. Iv been growing for 3years. 1.5 years straight on preptual cycle every month. So iv had at last 14 Harvests with in the last 14 months. I can grow in Organic soil, soiless, hydro. Soon to be coco.

    Going to college is way better then trying to be a grower for a collective. Take the degree, learn more than just growing weed. Learn about botany itself.

    I owe all my growing skills to GC tho, start subscribing to journals your interested and go from there. Theres soooo much to learn about this plant. Baby steps my friend.
     
  17. #17 Tomato Dog, Jan 31, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 31, 2013
    First - get a medical card
    Second - start activating and support your local medical/collective forums. post,
    Possibly attempt to get your foot in by snagging a low level job in the field, it may not be the job that you WANT to get, whether it be lugging bags of soil, digging large holes, lugging equipment, etc...
    you have to gain form of TRUST from the medical community in your area to get anywhere, hard work pays off and if you have that kind of attitude and put in this form of effort I guarentee you will be on the way.
    anyhow just Get a Job and Save, Save, Save
    Third - Learn, about everything that your eyes crosses path with. Search for Tips/Techniques, and read or follow well seasoned member grow journals.
    Fourth - Start growing 1 or two plants and get the grasp of things.
    Fifth - Dont let anyone know what your doing that you know, (I suggest not going to parties or bars)
    really, you have to change the entire lifestyle in order to do that sort of thing.

    But your best friend during the whole process will be education, so I say yes go for a horticulture degree if you feel like you are truly interested in the cultivation aspect of marijuana and not just what it does. Your plants will respect that when you are patient with there needs.
    Growing is really beautiful, once you start you gain a whole new repsect for marijuana, and become more in tune with the world in general. Lets just say it gets me high just growing, not smoking.
     
  18. [quote name='"Skywalkerss"']

    Growing for a collective is still veryyyy underground these days. You def gotta know connections or Its gunna be harder.

    Im a small time cali med grower but im getting a couple greenhouses this summer. Iv been growing for 3years. 1.5 years straight on preptual cycle every month. So iv had at last 14 Harvests with in the last 14 months. I can grow in Organic soil, soiless, hydro. Soon to be coco.

    Going to college is way better then trying to be a grower for a collective. Take the degree, learn more than just growing weed. Learn about botany itself.

    I owe all my growing skills to GC tho, start subscribing to journals your interested and go from there. Theres soooo much to learn about this plant. Baby steps my friend.[/quote]

    Will do, thank you
     
  19. [quote name='"Dopeman"']First - get a medical card
    Second - start activating and support your local medical/collective forums. post,
    Possibly attempt to get your foot in by snagging a low level job in the field, it may not be the job that you WANT to get, whether it be lugging bags of soil, digging large holes, lugging equipment, etc...
    you have to gain form of TRUST from the medical community in your area to get anywhere, hard work pays off and if you have that kind of attitude and put in this form of effort I guarentee you will be on the way.
    anyhow just Get a Job and Save, Save, Save
    Third - Learn, about everything that your eyes crosses path with. Search for Tips/Techniques, and read or follow well seasoned member grow journals.
    Fourth - Start growing 1 or two plants and get the grasp of things.
    Fifth - Dont let anyone know what your doing that you know, (I suggest not going to parties or bars)
    really, you have to change the entire lifestyle in order to do that sort of thing.

    But your best friend during the whole process will be education, so I say yes go for a horticulture degree if you feel like you are truly interested in the cultivation aspect of marijuana and not just what it does. Your plants will respect that when you are patient with there needs.
    Growing is really beautiful, once you start you gain a whole new repsect for marijuana, and become more in tune with the world in general. Lets just say it gets me high just growing, not smoking.[/quote]

    THANK YOU, so much info
     
  20. right now, i'm ready to go legal on very small scale in a southern state, i'm just waiting on the laws to change a little bit more, i can operate illegally right now.. i do not want to risk that.
     

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