MC`s Forest Adventure

[markscastle]

Just some before pictures. I got the weeding done and will be putting the sides up higher this year for better circulation. I need to add some manure and cultivate as soon as I get my truck back from the shop. then I can pick up my clones and plant!

 

[markscastle]

OK not much to look at yet but here`s some pictures of the last few grows to wet your apatite.

 

[markscastle]

This year I WILL be doing a screen of green style! I know I`ve said that every year and somehow the plants get out of control before I can get the screens up, but really mean it this time! They get to dam tall even when I`ve bent them over. I think I can increase yield with a SoG grow style and save some roof space. I also want to end earlier and put the ends back o and try a winter grow this time. I have one heater and need to find two more ,some fans and more lights to keep the girls in veg longer before letting them go into flower. I`m likely to not have as much time next spring while I work on the property. so if it works out well I won`t do a spring planting? or maybe a smaller one? Hell I`m just as likely to do a larger one knowing me!

 

[markscastle]

Krap got a good look at the clones and he is short his count for what I ordered. I`ll be doing good to get 20 good clones out of what he has set aside for me. I`ll have to find about 40 more good clones. The hunt will be on as soon as I can get my property surveyed. It`s also going to cost extra to survey as he wants the brush cut back in order to survey. I`ll have to hire someone to do the brush along the survey lines. I contacted the logger and he is waste deep in work. I don`t know when he will even be available to cut firewood and log the property. may use some of his crew to do the brush work.

 

[markscastle]

Dam it is raining again this morning. No surveying going on and can`t get much else done. May work on the hash today is all. Looking ahead it looks like rain off and on all throughout the month. For all of that it isn`t enough to put a dent in the level of the lakes. May help with ground water levels a little this summer ? if the high mountains get snow it will sure help with the drought !

 

[markscastle]

Ended up picking up my truck from the shop and fetching my 38 and shot gun from the gunsmith`s. Didn`t bring in the Rifle yet. Now I can fetch water ,get fertilizer and take my trash to the dump!

 

[GrowGod]

Hey Mark now that's what I'm talking about!!:) Old grow looks great can't wait to see what you do this summer! I'm so sick of growing indoors man the joy to do this outside!

 

[markscastle]

I`m going to be doing my outdoor as usual with the outlook that I might pull it off and I might get a visit from the code enforcement. If I do I`ll get a $500 fine for the first day and cut everything over the 150 sq. ft. allowed. It becomes $1000 per day after that. Regardless as cooler Fall weather starts I`1ll be putting the ends on the greenhouses and dropping the sides down , getting ready to convert it back to true greenhouses for a winter grow. I still need two more heaters some circulation fans and some more lighting to add to the equipment I already have. At that point I`ll be doing more of an indoor style grow than an outdoor. I`m thinking employing indoor Techniques to outdoor growing could be rewarding. Being at 4200ft. I`m thinking CO2 would be one thing that would be a game changer. CO2 is heavier than air and even the air is thinner up here so the co2 must also be less than in the valley. One thing that thin air does is allow more of the ultiviolet spectrum of light through you don`t get on the valley floor. I believe this is why plants produce more trachoma on cannabis plants grown at altitudes. I think the lower co2 is why plants grow smaller and slower. I`m hoping that adding co2 allows for more rapid growth while still getting more of the red light band still increases resin production . If this holds true hemp would be farmed in the valley and medical would be ideal in the upper elevations. I also want to find out if like weatherization of IBL`s helps speed growth , does altitude adjusted growing transfer from generation to generation? We have learned a lot about growing cannabis in the last 40 yrs., but there is so much not answered and so much more we can learn!

I`m inspired by some of the work Heath Robertson has done in the UK with grow room setups and grow styles. What a lot of people don`t know about him is he is also a talented breeder. I don`t think he has done much as a commercial breeder.

 

[markscastle]

It continues to be stormy and my motorhome`s generator is out. They had to order a new voltage regulator for the Honda Generator so looking into getting a diesel generator. With the weather solar isn`t working to charge the batteries well. I run the jumpers off one of the trucks to charge the shore batteries and the battery bank for the charge inverter , this allows for limited power and 12v for the RV. Not getting much done as it`s wet and cold.

 

[markscastle]

I think we can but most if not all county and city anti- cannabis land code actions to bed without supper in Federal Court , just need to get a tort filed against one of them as a test claim.

 

[markscastle]

Bought a 7.5 KW diesel generator today. It`s an old Lister made in the UK and is on a trailer but has no weather cover. Going to put something up over it and buy a 500 gallon fuel tank . Maybe a transfer tank as well. It`s phase 1 output but has wiring for a hook up to the office trailer panel( Phase 3) and extra three prong outlets for extension cords(phase 1). Thinking I`ll run power to the office trailer for a grow room and run an extension cord to the motor home off the office trailer. I`ll run some power to the greenhouses as well for fans but will need an other source of power for lights and heaters, etc. I should be able to fix a grow room up in the office trailer for clones and seedlings for now. Maybe even a separate small flower room for breeding. I`ll use the Honda EB6500s for backup or when I`m running the AC in the summer if it ever gets done at the shop. Like to do away with it and get a separate diesel , maybe a Kubota Low Boy 2 with 11 KW. Looking anyway. That way I`d have enough power and be all diesel .Diesel stores well enough and it doesn`t go up in summer as much as gas does. I think I can also get a farm reduction and run red diesel at a savings of about 50% also. You don`t want to get caught running any red diesel in the tank on the road ,but I`m running all gas engines anyway right now. I`d like to change that over at some point as well.

I was thinking of getting an old power wagon and converting it to a Cummins engine. I might replace the engine on the 75 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 with a diesel from an m1009 and add a turbo charger instead. It already has the 5/4 ton 4x4 axels off of an m1009. Tossed between a 454cu in and a diesel . It`s a step side so it isn`t a real carry kind of truck but it could be used as a trailer puller. It has an 383 HP Stroker motor in it now I guess. Not sure what that is unless it`s some kind of a rebuild as Chevy didn`t come out with a 383 that I know of. Looks like a 350 with a bunch of chrome and aluminum dressing on it. Some kind of race engine, not what I want to use the truck for. I could just use the engine(350 cu. in.) out of the wrecked 85 Silverado, it only has 90,000 miles and everything would fit in the 75. Transmit ion and transfer case as well. I wouldn`t need any of the smog stuff off the 85 as the 75 doesn`t require any smog.

I also picked up some of my clones for this year`s grow. I only got about 25 of them in the Blazer.

 

[liketosmoke]

Hey mark did you see this.
Santa Cruz, California – May 16, 2015 – The first successful Santa Cruz County referendum in 13 years has suspended an ordinance adopted by the County Board of Supervisors to ban all commercial cannabis cultivation. The ban was adopted on April 14, 2015, and was to go into effect on May 15, 2015.

 

[markscastle]

No I didn`t see that but, heard a city reversed it`s decision to ban outdoor after a large negative response from constituents. Butte rolled over for a time and then hit back when organization was down. Some people filed a law suit but it has been dismissed. I think if a proper law suit was filed it would have a good chance. I also think the people of Butte have the numbers if they would just get organized! Once they got an agreement they just thought the issue was all over, they should have had a re-call of the County Supervisors . I knew there wasn`t anything stopping them from going back on there word at the time and low and behold.... they did !

 

[markscastle]

Land is for sale everywhere in Butte County now and prices are dropping like a rock! Moneys won`t be flowing and then people who don`t grow will find out just how much the growers supported Butte County. I think when that happens the code enforcement will be cut back and only go after the worst offenders of the county land use codes. I don`t see the county stopping or amending the codes though. I think it will come down to allowing smaller to mid size growers that stay out of trouble and stopping any influx from out of county. For now I expect they will enforce the land use laws with a fervor and they think they will actually make money off fines vs. expenses. I don`t think that will be the case. I also think that the degree of laws and enforcement of land use laws will increase votes state wide for some form of legalization in 2016. Kind of cutting off the head to heal the foot when it comes to anti- cannabis efforts. They aren`t going to like it much when it happens but they asked for it!

 

[markscastle]

Went to town, kind of late today. I should have started out sooner because the parts stores were mostly closed by 5pm. I got an oil filter but couldn`t find and air filter or fuel filter for the listor generator. I did get one ordered , should be in tomorrow. Dropped off the rifle to get the new trigger system but in. It should be done around Thursday? Surveyors should be back at it tomorrow. I`m looking at finding some chicken manure and adding some water storage soon for the grow. I`m also on the lookout for a teenager (18+) to work for me off and on, just a local kid to do some of the tuff stuff. May also have my kids come up and get some stuff caught up for me soon. Really need to get the power working again so I can finish up the hash!

 

[GrowGod]

Can't wait to see the hash pics! If I was close I would help you. I'm sure you won't have a problem .:)

 

[markscastle]

No problem except health slows me way down these days. I did get a new scandisk card for the Nikon and some fresh batteries !

 

[markscastle]

Dam I put all those parts on the old Lister generator and now it has cracked fuel lines. It still needs a battery, a tire( as one is weathered from the sun) and some of the wiring needs attention as well. It had a bad fuel pump at one point and someone just put an electric one it leaving the old one still on. well the electric one works but they did a sloppy job and didn`t use new lines but used part of the old fuel lines that are weak. I still think it is a good generator, just going to need some work to get it into shape! I was hopeful I could get it to run and use it right away but that wont be the case. I really want to be doing other things right now! Maybe they will finish with the Honda and I can get my hash done . Waiting on one more trip south !!! I`ll probably have to wait and work on the garden more at this point now. That`s if it ever stays cleared up enough. For all the clods and rain it isn`t going to put a dent in the drought and is just becoming annoying !!!

 

[markscastle]

I got two new water tanks delivered so I now have 3600 gallons of storage. I went to town and picked up a new battery for the diesel generator and they had my Honda EB6500 done so I picked it up also. It`s all hooked up and running now. I can now get some work done!!!

 

[markscastle]