MC`s Forest Adventure

[markscastle]

No snow ,no frost! weather report shows 9-10 days of sunny weather! :-) a day or so to dry out and then the fun begins.

 

[Yellowjacket]

Well get done what preparations ya can so it will all go smoothly once ya get going. Heres to a week of clear sunshiney days w gentle breezes just enough to keep ya from sweating.

YJ

 

[markscastle]

I`m starting seeds today while I continue work on my beds. I have a backup plan with local clones and using some volunteers if I can`t get my starts sexed in time for planting. The weather should be good for awhile and everything is a go at this point. I`m thinking 60 plants with 6 backup plants sexed and the rest of my 99 unsexed at this point. This keeps me just at the limit allowed . I really want to grow the seed I`ve solicited because I know what to expect and they are strains I plan on sending into the Farm so some pics would be nice to have.

 

[joeca1i]

looking good.

 

[markscastle]

Not looking that good ...yet! And it won`t for a few weeks ether. It`s been very cold but not freezing. I` sick with an abscess and my bones are hurting from the cold. I decided to hold off on starting the seeds an few more days as it should warm up by then. I just can`t seem to get much done and am slowed down like an old man. Hell I hate to be wasting time but what can I do? Dam artic cold front !

 

[joeca1i]

yeah cold suck unless your this guy.

 

[markscastle]

Maybe I should drink some vodka? It could worm me up or...? No I think maybe some Sailor Jerry spiced rum 92 proof and a little coke with ice. No swimming though!

 

[markscastle]

OK here is a thought. I want to run the best of the strains I ran in last Fall`s seed /bud grow. Spring is way to cold and stormy up here in the mountains to start from seed ,sex , and clone with time to get full sized early plants in. To make things harder I want 60 plants in flower but land use laws allow 99 with 66 in flower. If half turn out male that would only give me 49 females. I will need to clone in order to insure I get my 60 females and it takes time to sex plants out before they go into the above ground planters. Thinking if they are under tunnels to protect them from the early dew and rain why not run some lights on them to keep them in veg a little longer. Just a few hours a day of light in the morning or evening would do the trick. It would allow me a longer season by a few weeks . Harvast would be a little later but I don`t plan on putting most to market until late Spring , early Summer anyway. Cost would be higher running the generator but not that much. It puts out 10,000 watts so I could use 8,000 max with enough for 4 600 watt lights per row with fans and some electric heaters to off set any early frost problems, or I could use florescent lights. When I get an air tight greenhouse I`ll be able to add CO2. When I get on my property and get set up right with steady off grid power system and artic greenhouses built I`ll be able to grow year round. That`s when I`ll be able to do bud and seed grows best.

Mornings are windy and cold but it is starting to get warmer so work can pick up around here at last!

 

[markscastle]

Didn`t get very far today, worked for about 5 hours when my right arm went into a cramp. I was hammering staples to hold up the wire inside the frames when my whole arm just cramped up. It didn`t hurt at all just couldn`t let go of the hammer or get it out of my face. Some hot water in a towel rapped around it and it relaxed. My joints were also painful from the RA but That didn`t stop me. Good thing it cramped up slowly or I could have an eye out!

 

[joeca1i]

Yeah,I would keep it as easy as possible.I'd grow from clone, from proven strains that are adapted to that environment.If you don't got clones,find a clone source with quality clones.Gots to be some where your @.After that's setup,do whatever side project you want to do.

 

[markscastle]

Well one point is to have some pics of strains I plan on vending while the seeds are fresh and the other getting a good production out of the grow. If I grow from seed and veg em in big containers I should have enough large females and a few extra just incase. It also gives me more time to get my beds done. But yes I do have access to a large gene pool of great clones near by. If I had it together I`d be putting out clones ,seeds and growing from my own cloned strains! Being off grid makes everything a little harder, ad having my water source 3/4 mile away makes worst . The idea is to get the capital up and get my property set up near the water. The creek water comes out of a spring, it is cold enough to give you brain freeze even on a hot day. I will have water pressure off the creek but will need to use storage tanks anyway just to warm the water enough to be able to use it. Or I could build in-line solar heaters and still have pressure? As it is I have to use holding tanks for the water and give em 24hours to worm up before I can water anything with the water I get from the creek. The place where I want to clear and put a pad in next to the creek is much cooler in the Summer but it gets dam hot up on the ridge in the RV even under pine trees. If I could build a cabana over the RV it would be more comfortable and I could use wood heat in the Winter instead of propane. you should take a trip up North some day and I could show you around so you can see what`s up.

 

[thunderfudge]

Wow MC! Epic journey going on here! Thanks for the invite.very moved by the whole story.youve done very well.stay healthy and warm brother

 

[markscastle]

Yeah,I would keep it as easy as possible.I'd grow from clone, from proven strains that are adapted to that environment.If you don't got clones,find a clone source with quality clones.Gots to be some where your @.After that's setup,do whatever side project you want to do.

What me do anything the easy way! I`d like to some day but like that will ever happen ,LOL!

 

[markscastle]

I was lucky enough to come in to enough money to insure I`ll have a nice grow this year. Not rich or anything but it really helps. Also my buddy on the other ridge had a couple that were going to come camp with me and help out through out the grow. They are breaking up and the dude is going off the the Rambow gathering but the chic who I`ll call Hippie Chic is still going to come and help out. She is an experienced organic grower. We`ll see how this works out, I just don`t want caught up in any drama. Were still working out the details but it looks like all she wants is some bud to smoke for her work. Her parents were from the same people in SF as I hung with in the 60`s but she`s a little older than my kids. Her parents worked at the ranch Steve owned that was the start of my competitor, Sacred Seeds.

 

[markscastle]

Spent the day getting my Honda Shadow from a friends house. I had to wait 3 hours for him to show up then put it in a trailer with a ramp and tied it in. I seem to have lost the keys somewhere along the way so now I`ll need to have new ones made before I can change out the gas for fresh stuff and start it up. It`s getting cleaned up and being readied for sale. This exhausted me and with having a big fat burger on the way home I did what all old guys do after a stressful day, I took a long nap!
Tomorrow isn`t going to be much more productive as I need to go down the hill again to have work done on the truck. But I have made some progress. At about the half way point I`ll take some pictures and post the making of the above ground flower beds. Seems to be slow progress but they should last a few years and I`ll have lots of soil when filled so that will make high yielding plants a reality. lots of soil and water are needed for large yields.

 

[markscastle]

I want to start work again this morning but... looks like it will be a slow start. while I was away getting the Honda some of my seeds started popping up and I`m low on water. I`m getting kind of ripe and need a shower but I`m out of water for me or the plants. Hippie chick isn`t going to camp out here but will be staying across the way at a friends cabin and will be commuting when I have work for her. She`s also going to buy my Honda. She knows a lock smith and will be getting him to come make keys for the bike. I `m looking at getting an other trailer that`s near by from a friend of a friend. It`s 30 ft so little larger than mine and if I get it ,it will be storage ,a second drying place and maybe a place for my son or daughters to stay for visits? I got more lumber to unload and nearly have enough to build all the beds now. Need to unload this morning before getting water.

 

[urbanfog]

Hope the day gets better :)

 

[markscastle]

I got locked in my RV much of the day yesterday. The wind popped the trailer door closed and a shovel fell up against it. I couldn`t get it open. I spent the day taking care of personal and house keeping chores until the wind knocked me free again. This morning I`m going to pick up Hippie Chick and let her work for me on a trial bases.

 

[markscastle]

Both of us got a lot done even though the first half of the day was spent BS-ing around. A few more days like this and I`d say I`m making progress. I let her set her own pace and at the end of the day she had to tell me her worth. I then paid her for her work at a slightly larger amount of pay than she asked for. I also worked along with her for the most part. I did about 3/4`s the work she got done and am one tired person tonight!

 

[Zonkerly]

Well about time you got some help around the place, wish you all the best !!