Grower Jobs In Co

[Minkus]

Hi guys,

To be perfectly honest, I'm a young guy just trying to see what the options are like elsewhere. Had a few questions about the state of the job industry in CO for growers in licensed facilities:

-How quick does it take to get badged (after CO residence can be established)? I've gone through a few old threads on the topic, but wanted to see what the current badge-ing process is like.

-What's the average starting salary for growers? Not the boss man, but your standard cultivator.

-If you're willing to go with the jobs are, where's the best places to look into? I know Denver is somewhat of an epicenter, but is flexibility and willingness to stay wherever and work wherever helpful?

-Where's the best places (if any) to find postings? I've seen CL, cannahire, etc. all suggested, and I know networking is the most optimal.

Not looking to start a debate as to whether or not the jobs are worth it, and I understand it's very much a "who you know" more than "what you know" in terms of entry-level grower jobs, as they're generally looking for people who have an idea of what's going on but will listen, absorb, and learn. It may very well be the case that CO is a horrible place to try and break in right now.

 

[muir]

well first you have to go to the DMV and get your residency in check. Then the badge process takes a phone call to make an appt, then 150$ and the next day you pick it up.

However, if you want to grow you should be in Denver, but you'll be a helping hand because they do things they're way and have master growers.
it's very important to be open to ideas as a grower. I'm a grower from Virginia, also used to push some decent weight, but I can only get a trimming position... I guess I gotta bring in samples of my bud.

Best bet is to stay where you are, grow $20k worth of bud, flip it, then come out here and get your cultivating license for commercial wholesale. only cost bout 8 grand after the first year.

No felonies or priors related to Marijuana or you'll be denied.

I'm just saying fuck it and got my girlfriend 12 plants on top of her 6 mature for rec, and I'm getting my red card and asking for a 24 plant ext..
we're moving into a house and having 2 seperate rooms for it...


Big brother will get My money either way so why bother

Off point.. anyways, to answer your question. There are growing jobs all over out here, but best way is to start from the bottom then show the managers your dope at what you do and should give you a couple tents to fuck with.

Trimming is 12$ an hour or 120 a pound

Budtending is 12-15 plus tips

Growing starts at 12 and master growers prob make 2k a week.

most dispensaries have a 20 pound harvest once a week.

if you think "flipping 20k worth of herb back home" is enough to move out here and start a warehouse grow, you're tripping. Don't kid yourself or the OP.

 

[Texas Kid]

You can get badged in 1 day thats no big deal.

Growers $12-$15 an hour after a probation period usually

Trimmers $10-$12 to start and a little more once your kickin it, tons of trimmer jobs

There is no such thing as a cultivation license for commercial wholesale, not sure where in the world that came from but it doesn't exist.

There are no tents in production warehouse grows.

Denver has a 12 plant max per residence no matter what kind of count you get.

Production grows are looking for guys that can turn the crank, do exactly as they are told, not piss and moan how they are the best grower and would change this and that, show up to work on time, work all day, be extremely clean, not be high, not want smoke breaks every hour. Personally in my spots, if you smoke cigs your not even considered, dreads are deal breaker as well, if your late twice your out, and I usually want to see at least 2 years of commercial production grow experience, basement growing doesn't really count for anything. Production AG is a different animal all together

 

[SoiledMyself]

Just a kid here trying to do what I love for a living and getting a cultivation op going on your own ain't all peaches and cream , dealing with local municipalities as well as the state is quite the headache on top lovin the plants properly , lots of people still haven't accepted cannabis as something normal or good yet and I get treated like a schmuck sometimes......still wouldn't trade it

 

[Texas Kid]

I don't want to argue but its obvious you know very little about big warehouse grows and even less about the licensing process in Colorado.

 

[GrowGod]

Cultivation commercial licenses aren't being handed out, there's a certain number of them per county.
As of September 2014, only dispensaries can have grow sites.

As of 2015 They are reconsidering allowing that license for the open public, because they realize it could be a lot more money in the economy if growers could sell to dispensaries.
Its a wholesale commercial license. a license saying you can grow it and sell pounds to a dispensary.
it's 18k for the first year and 8k the following years...

Say what? I've heard nothing about them allowing the public Ito sell to dispos????

 

[GrowGod]

Aperrently!

 

[Minkus]

well first you have to go to the DMV and get your residency in check. Then the badge process takes a phone call to make an appt, then 150$ and the next day you pick it up.

However, if you want to grow you should be in Denver, but you'll be a helping hand because they do things they're way and have master growers.
it's very important to be open to ideas as a grower. I'm a grower from Virginia, also used to push some decent weight, but I can only get a trimming position... I guess I gotta bring in samples of my bud........ pound harvest once a week.

Two things: One, that plan doesn't sound like it would work, and two, bringing in samples from a home grow means nothing as a real commercial scale operation is entirely different.

if you think "flipping 20k worth of herb back home" is enough to move out here and start a warehouse grow, you're tripping. Don't kid yourself or the OP.

Don't worry, the entire post made it apparent that he's not someone in the industry (as he even later said, he did a "paper" on it).

You can get badged in 1 day thats no big deal.

Growers $12-$15 an hour after a probation period usually

Trimmers $10-$12 to start and a little more once your kickin it, tons of trimmer jobs

There is no such thing as a cultivation license for commercial wholesale, not sure where in the world that came from but it doesn't exist.

There are no tents in production warehouse grows.

Denver has a 12 plant max per residence no matter what kind of count you get.

Production grows are looking for guys that can turn the crank, do exactly as they are told, not piss and moan how they are the best grower and would change this and that, show up to work on time, work all day, be extremely clean, not be high, not want smoke breaks every hour. Personally in my spots, if you smoke cigs your not even considered, dreads are deal breaker as well, if your late twice your out, and I usually want to see at least 2 years of commercial production grow experience, basement growing doesn't really count for anything. Production AG is a different animal all together

TK, thank you for the cogent response. I'm definitely familiar and understanding of the fact that his is a commercial agricultural operation, not a basement but larger. I'm a clean cut guy who most wouldn't even guess has a passion like this, and I have an excellent work ethic.

I haven't got "commercial production experience" per se depending on how you define it, I'd say the largest I've worked on has been 2500 square feet or so. But as for the inner workings of commercial production, the hardware, the systems, the process flow, etc. I think I have an excellent handle on. While I might not have the 2 years of legal commercial experience, I definitely have an open mind, a frighteningly quick ability to learn, no grower ego, and an understanding of the systems that go into it (done extensive study on large-scale greenhouse management techniques, as well as education through inquiry on a lot of these hardware pieces that go into this (environmental controls, lighting, irrigation systems, etc)

Would I even have a chance, or would I just end up as a trimmer for the rest of my career?

 

[Minkus]

Yeah, idk. All I know is it costs $18k the first year $8k after that. It might just be for already owned dispensaries for their grow support, but idk.. oh well. Apparently I know nothing about a warehouse grow, and I know nothing about the industry, considering I've put in extensive research and am at the point to where Investors would want to make money off of me And my brilliant ass Mark Twain shit that comes out of my head. But hey, what does that mean In the real world?

Even in my state, I see lots of people willing to throw money at terrible ideas, people who have no clue so they think it makes sense. Honestly, a lot of the statements you've been making come off contradictory to most warehouse grow experiences, which is what doesn't make sense. But like I said at the outset man, this isn't supposed to be a debate, so let's all chill out. No need to start arguing over the internet over who's better haha

 

[ubi]

good luck trying to make over 30k a year as just a cultivator.
like TK said 12-15 an hour. they just want someone to do what they say.
sure bring in your home grown. doesnt mean that you will start any higher than 12-15.
i was making 15an hour with one other dude in a 100 light warehouse.(was there almost 2yrs to get to that point) and there are others who only get 2 people per 300 lights. so if your making more doing something else.STICK WITH IT! best bet grow your own where your at now and slang that shiz.
(i was a stagehand back in fla. worked only 6months out of the year and made more there, than when i was a grower here.:().
open a business or start a good trade so you can offer your own service.
Your either building some one else's dream
or
Your building your OWN.;)

 

[SoiledMyself]

I am attempting to get a Cultivation license in a pretty unpopulated area but has a solid influx of tourists , not trying to go big just 10 lights or so and a greenhouse , just make a solid living supplying the highest quality of elite strains I can, I have space and some investors interested as well as small scale organic experience ,just curious if anyone thinks that "boutique" operations have a chance to survive , or any words of encouragement lol... Minkus if you come and work hard with that experience you won't be just a trimmer unless thats what you want, just have to be willing to start humbly

 

[muir]

I am attempting to get a Cultivation license in a pretty unpopulated area but has a solid influx of tourists , not trying to go big just 10 lights or so and a greenhouse , just make a solid living supplying the highest quality of elite strains I can, I have space and some investors interested as well as small scale organic experience ,just curious if anyone thinks that "boutique" operations have a chance to survive , or any words of encouragement lol... Minkus if you come and work hard with that experience you won't be just a trimmer unless thats what you want, just have to be willing to start humbly

I think a boutique business model is viable for me. I can't say for other markets but for me, I think it is..... but I am opening a shop and a grow. all tiny and vertically integrated with no intent to buy or sell wholesale. If I can offer any advice its....
1) have way more capital than you think you need. I applied in December and I may have my CO in a month making it Sept or so before I can sell my first nugget. Thats 8-9 months of floating the bills and fit out for a property that was almost all ready to go when I started the licensing process. Nobody gives a fuck that your bleeding money and in a hurry.

 

[Minkus]

good luck trying to make over 30k a year as just a cultivator.
like TK said 12-15 an hour. they just want someone to do what they say.
sure bring in your home grown. doesnt mean that you will start any higher than 12-15.
i was making 15an hour with one other dude in a 100 light warehouse.(was there almost 2yrs to get to that point) and there are others who only get 2 people per 300 lights. so if your making more doing something else.STICK WITH IT! best bet grow your own where your at now and slang that shiz.
(i was a stagehand back in fla. worked only 6months out of the year and made more there, than when i was a grower here.:().
open a business or start a good trade so you can offer your own service.
Your either building some one else's dream
or
Your building your OWN.;)

Personally I have no intention of trying to grow my own and go that route - I'm looking for the experience so that when I go to start my own dream, I've got some credibility rather than just another guy with slick talk and a bunch of "theoreticals".

I am attempting to get a Cultivation license in a pretty unpopulated area but has a solid influx of tourists , not trying to go big just 10 lights or so and a greenhouse , just make a solid living supplying the highest quality of elite strains I can, I have space and some investors interested as well as small scale organic experience ,just curious if anyone thinks that "boutique" operations have a chance to survive , or any words of encouragement lol... Minkus if you come and work hard with that experience you won't be just a trimmer unless thats what you want, just have to be willing to start humbly

I'm always willing to start humbly, hell that's what I'm trying to do in my own state currently, even.

As for 10 lights or so and a greenhouse, greenhouse is honestly the way it's going now. I'd get you some land (and water rights, if you're able to, as that's going to be a big issue down the road I've heard), and keep going the greenhouse route. Get into process optimization, and be a low-cost provider. If you've got a good boutique product that's produced at a low cost, people will want it. And if they don't want the best, and they just want similar to the rest, you can cut your costs down further and just build more greenhouse space. You guys have a lot of sunshine out there, make use of it!

I think a boutique business model is viable for me. I can't say for other markets but for me, I think it is..... but I am opening a shop and a grow. all tiny and vertically integrated with no intent to buy or sell wholesale. If I can offer any advice its....
1) have way more capital than you think you need. I applied in December and I may have my CO in a month making it Sept or so before I can sell my first nugget. Thats 8-9 months of floating the bills and fit out for a property that was almost all ready to go when I started the licensing process. Nobody gives a fuck that your bleeding money and in a hurry.

I think you're definitely spot on about making sure you've got a hell of a lot more capital than you need, there's so many unpredictable things in this industry that you'll definitely need to be prepared for whatever gets thrown at you. Have you thought about the future of wholesale, though? Wholesale growers and edible producers are probably going to be some of the more profitable businesses in the future vs. the retail spots I think, so the trick is to get a profitable low-cost method down that produces a decent product and can match the right price points that the retailers want. Hell, combine the two and use your low-cost product to run an edible business and cut out paying the premium to get what you want to cook with.

 

[Texas Kid]

Remember that $15 and hour is over $30k a year...so sometimes I'm not really sure what alot of folks expect..I know college grads that can't find a job in their field making $30k a year and end up waiting tables, working construction, delivering pizza, or working in a grow op. etc...$30k a year to basically trim a plant and keep things clean, really..sounds like a dream to me..people should adjust their expectations to reflect the reality of what your actually getting paid to do...can someone actually rationalize to me why that is a slave wage or unreasonable? is it because you think someone at the top is getting rich or something? trust me the guy at the top with millions at risk hasn't even recouped his money and is fighting like hell to make the whole thing work out and keep churning just to keep his kids fed and his wife off his back.

The guys that are making the big bucks growing spend more time than you can imagine sitting in meetings with spreadsheets, in front of computers, justifying expenses to investors and owners, tweaking production flow and controls to maximize output and quality with greater efficiency and consistency. And one of the biggest issues jeopardizing all your efforts is getting people just to show up on time to work, show up every day, do their job, and not be getting high in the parking lot, snagging nugs while trimming, acting on there own behind your back because they know better or read something in high times, bitching about how they should be running the show and how they are the best grower ever and how if they where in charge they would change the game. I hear it every day from just about everyone who walks through the door.

Much respect Muir!! your a warrior in the game and you earned it my friend

 

[muir]

Thanks TK. I find that kind of funny cause from my perspective I feel like a kid who's been stuck on the sidelines watching the game for all the years since closing my med shop. It is only by the grace of some HIGHER power that I was able to hold on to my property all these in between years (there's millionaires stalking this town hard). I do think it'll be cool once this thing is finally realized as there's been some lean years along the way.

 

[Minkus]

Remember that $15 and hour is over $30k a year...so sometimes I'm not really sure what alot of folks expect..I know college grads that can't find a job in their field making $30k a year and end up waiting tables, working construction, delivering pizza, or working in a grow op. etc...$30k a year to basically trim a plant and keep things clean, really..sounds like a dream to me..people should adjust their expectations to reflect the reality of what your actually getting paid to do...can someone actually rationalize to me why that is a slave wage or unreasonable? is it because you think someone at the top is getting rich or something? trust me the guy at the top with millions at risk hasn't even recouped his money and is fighting like hell to make the whole thing work out and keep churning just to keep his kids fed and his wife off his back.

The guys that are making the big bucks growing spend more time than you can imagine sitting in meetings with spreadsheets, in front of computers, justifying expenses to investors and owners, tweaking production flow and controls to maximize output and quality with greater efficiency and consistency. And one of the biggest issues jeopardizing all your efforts is getting people just to show up on time to work, show up every day, do their job, and not be getting high in the parking lot, snagging nugs while trimming, acting on there own behind your back because they know better or read something in high times, bitching about how they should be running the show and how they are the best grower ever and how if they where in charge they would change the game. I hear it every day from just about everyone who walks through the door.

Much respect Muir!! your a warrior in the game and you earned it my friend

Texas Kid, I'm honestly 100% in agreeance with what you've said, after my experience so far in the industry. A lot of people don't realize that this is a commercial agriculture endeavour - go ask someone who works in a greenhouse/plant nursery what they make (and their work is SEASONAL, while indoor cannabis cultivation is year round). I've been doing the spreadsheet, computer, expense calculations, design work, etc. for a while now in my state and realize how much work goes into it. My conundrum is that everyone's looking for a horticultural degree - I haven't got one, but I've gone toe-to-toe during design meetings with growers with their bachelor's and masters, and held my own like a champ. So while I've got my opportunity here, despite the volatile situation I'm in, I'm trying to look into just saying "fuck it" and putting my time in going down to the grunt work again in a licensed spot out in CO, just to have it on my resume to justify it to guys up top who are too blind to recognize that I've been delivering top-quality work and know what I'm doing.


There's a lot of guys who think you should be raking it in in this industry - hell, I've been getting messages from people telling me to just move to CO and ship back illegally (which I refuse to do). To me, this is my passion. Cannabis, specifically, but if someone told me I'd never have a damn chance then I'd be doing tomatoes or cut flowers in a greenhouse. But as long as I've got an inkling of a chance, even if it means starting at $15 an hour to build a resume and then showing my design chops when opportunity knocks, that's what I'm willing to do. I'm young, I've got the time to put in 5 years - hell even 10 - to get where I need to be.

The way I see it, to live the dream, you have to put the work in. It's not just printing money, it's not just showing up, having a little basement experience, and thinking you're the shit. Everyone sees people where they are, not realizing they had to do a lot to get there.

Sorry, I must just sound like I'm rambling now at this point

 

[Minkus]

Thanks TK. I find that kind of funny cause from my perspective I feel like a kid who's been stuck on the sidelines watching the game for all the years since closing my med shop. It is only by the grace of some HIGHER power that I was able to hold on to my property all these in between years (there's millionaires stalking this town hard). I do think it'll be cool once this thing is finally realized as there's been some lean years along the way.

Best of luck man! Hold out and hold strong, don't let a bunch of money-men looking to cash in on real estate get the best of you.

 

[ubi]

Slick talker? yes.
banking off my cheap labor? no way.
knowing that it doesnt take a genius to operate a grow.
not priceless, but everyone here seems to think 15 an hour is awesome.:).
yes 15 an hour is over 30k. 31200 to be exact. as long you dont miss any time, what so ever. (we all have emergencies and well sometimes in this state weather is a big issue also)
but its not like most laborer jobs. Mostly in part by the product being sold is not your normal agricultural product. With a much higher markup than most other retail items or services. If the owner at the top hasn't recouped, then explain why, and show some profit loss statements. Let the employees know where the company is at, so that the good people who are on time everyday and do there job, have more of an incentive to work harder and proliferate production. So that someday maybe they could get a raise. Or is it the typical business model of now a days. Pay as little as possible, sift out problematic people to find good hard workers, then give small pay incentives to give the false hope of getting ahead someday. Yet to be replaced by another young highly educated hopeful just needing a notch on their youngster resume. In a field they are so glad to be employed in.
I understand the risk of being an owner/operator with millions on the line. Its under a LLC. right?where personal asset protection has been subverted. And some of those really good employees have wives and kids too. Managing a grow of a hundred flowering lights is no walk in the park. Keeping up on spreadsheets and managing investors isn't either.
It just seems that the laborer just keep getting cheaper, and cheaper.
By the thought of its just labor, mindless work. That is a dream job i dont have to think.
Really??? There is always something to be done or improve upon in a grow. Or something going wrong . And if the owner has not recouped said investment within years of operation. Okay, let the employees know. If your making good head way on your said investment, then whats the problem with paying the people who grow the product, that is building your business investment, a good living wage. say 20 to 25 an hour (40k to 50k). Especially if your growers are bringing in hot elite genetics, providing great yields and potency. And said owner/operator doesn't even have to set foot in the grow, knowing that all is under control.
Where is the love?

 

[Underthesun]

Not arguing or anything like that, and can totally see why you would want a job growing...it would be rad to make good money doing what you love. But I second the notion that growing commercially seems like a lot more business than actually growing. My buddy that runs a few dispensaries and extract labs is constantly busy, has to dress nice, on the phone all day and weekend meetings. I quit my desk job making real good money too avoid a life like that. So for me, a nice personal grow and working for myself doing what I love in my woodshop is the greatest thing in the world. To each their own, but the commercial industry looks to me to be just like all other commercial industries...lots of bullshit. Just not for me. Good luck with your dreams my friend and don't let me talk you out of anything.

 

[Texas Kid]

Show the employees profit loss statements? higher markups than any other product or service? explain why they haven't recouped millions and millions of dollars? you really don't understand business or the basic business model at all. You think laborers should be have each of their wages justified to them by ownership by opening up the books? what world do you live in? that's not how at works in any business, in any industry. This is a hyper regulated, super expensive industry with over the top overhead and due to no traditional banking available, unlike any other industry since the history of business, is self funded. What if the owner showed you how he was carrying you until sometime long down the road he might possibly have the prospect of breaking even and even that can be a dream for a lot of operators. You want $40k-$50k because you hustled some beans or cuts on the internet or from you boys and show up to work enough so you can miss a little when needed? elite genetics, now your really cracking me up. You really couldn't have illustrated my point any better..people need to adjust their expectations and get real about what they are actually hire for and paid to do. $20-$25 and hour for housekeeping basically? your living in a dream world

Horticulture degrees, especially fresh outta college is the kiss of death in a commercial AG grow op, at least that is my experience..they leave a trail of death in a warehouse and then bounce when all those book smarts and inflated ego don't exactly work like they thought it would.

Fedex is hiring..$11.25-11.75 an hour and their margins on their products and services would make you head spin and trust me no one is in the big management meeting demanding that they open the books to justify the worker bees wage.