MC`s Forest Adventure

[markscastle]

Oh the weather report said winds are yet to pick up? Radar is showing nothing but a big mass of storm just here and much more to come. I hope this will end our drought!

 

[markscastle]

Well we got a lot of rain and even a sprinkle of snow but they say it isn`t enough to end the drought...yet. I`m going to be taking an other trip down south soon and will work on the remaining second run of the SFV when I get back. When that`s all in and dry I`ll be dry trimming all winter and trying to plan the next grow. Yep there will be one even if it`s only 150 sq. ft. I`m planning on how I can do consecutive small grows year round and still get a good size yield. That way I`m in compliance with the county codes. If they mess with me after that I`ll turn jonnie apple seed on them!

 

[markscastle]

So who got into the Queen mums srooms? Was that you again Harry?

 

[joeca1i]

just read this . http://mashable.com/2014/12/15/marijuana-growers-go-public/

 

[markscastle]

Well I can tell you Sunshine Seeds, Scared Seeds and/ or MC Seeds has never been nor ever will be publicly owned. Just family and close friends have or will run my genetics. It`s better than any corporate controlled venture would be. I`m not going to say I wouldn't work with some other breeders on projects again in the future, but under my label/control( or one of them).

 

[markscastle]

Went to dinner with my kids and grandkids but very sick so spending Christmas in bed.

 

[SmokesalotofVT]

Yuck.. Get better Mc ... wanted to Wish you a Merry Christmas and all others taking time to read through ... added one of my Favorite Xmas songs~!!
MERRY MERRY Christmas
&
A Happy New Year ~!!

 

[markscastle]

Already starting to feel better. I have a very nasty cold. That in it`s self is bad but I have repertory problems and diabetes. My blood sugar goes up from being sick. It`s cool but sunny so not liking having to take it easy when I have so much to get done!!!

I bought a 75 chevy 4x4 the other day that has a bad engine. My 85 Silverado that I banged up has only 90,000 miles and they both have 350 engines, and matching A/T and transfer cases. I`m thinking of parting out the 85 Silverado and selling the 86 Silverado to fix up the 75 chevy. It has a bunch of new high performance parts, new tires and 6 inch lift. nice body and paint. Good thing is it has no smog required. I can put a 454 in it at some point if I want! It would then pull more of a load up the hill. Not sure I like it being a step side yet as I`ve never had one before.

The weather looks good for the next few weeks so it`s time to see if I can get my property surveyed!

 

[markscastle]

Well I`m off once again to town today. Actually way out of town to the next county to get a new toilet. The old one had the foot peddle brake and the water runs when ever the water is on causing the tank to fill up and the water pressure to low to take a shower. Had a hard time finding anyplace even open to answer the phone cause RV places are so seasonal. They close because most people just use them in summer and it`s just after X-Mas? The fun of living in an RV year round I guess! I`m in a rush to get as much done while the weather is good. Another funn thing to do is I need my 86 smogged and everything has the registration due ether by the 31st or soon after so I`ll also need to spend at least one day at DMV very soon as well. I`ll put the 75 Chevy 4x4 on none opt for now as I just have way to much to be getting done and don`t need the added expense of insurance until I get the engine as stuff switched. Problem is the tow company will not tow anything without current registration and tags. The joy of living way out ,off grid and remote is just to much sometimes!

 

[markscastle]

Got back late and didn`t get propane as it was late. I got a couple cans of gas and will have to try again for propane today. I got the new seals in the kitchen sink and it isn`t weeping anymore but the toilet sits in the blazer until the sun is up and other chores are done. I got a short water hose as I don`t think the new one has the water intake in the same place, also don`t think the floor bolts are in the same place for the new one as the old one. I`m going to ether have to move or replace them before I can install the new toilet. It`s getting freezing around here at night with the clear skies and will be crisp on into the morning. I`m planning on going to town again to the DMV to get all the registrations for everything up to date and will stop by and get what I need for the toilet install then.

Seems everyone is planning on planting as usual and trying to escape the county code enforcement officers. I`m thinking of doing the same and putting in my 60 plants in spring. I`ll need to raise the sides up for circulation until it gets cool in fall and thinking of adding some screening to keep hoppers and moths out. Maybe I can get a Screen of Green going this time? My back up plan will to also do a winter grow after the harvest. If I do have to pull most of my crop I`ll replant in Fall. Going to use my own strains this time, I hope! I`m thinking I`ll try out some of the GG4 x Cherry Kush and Jew`s Gold x Cherry Kush seeds I made. Not sure what else will be on the table for spring but I`m going to start them early and inside the office trailer under lights. No more snow and freezing weather wiping out my seedlings! Oh and I`m going to make clones to plant from the best moms. I should start soon as I want to plant by June. I figure I have 6 months until planting!

 

[markscastle]

Opps! No trip to town today, someone put Sunday in my way ! Everything is closed on Sundays, maybe we should limit to only having one Sunday a month? I always end up sleeping in and getting nothing much done on Sundays so it`s a waste to have so many every month!

 

[markscastle]

Well here it is again time to decide on strains and garden issues. Still want to do a Sea of Green greenhouse grow. I`m just undecided as to if I should stick to 150 sq. foot this Spring or do my normal 60 or so. I plan on having my property surveyed and logged so I`ll need to keep my eye on that . Also found out the first BC land use fine is only $50 and not $1000. It becomes $1000 a day if you do not comply when they come out and check on you again. I`m thinking go for it! WTF they won`t be able to get us all and if I am successful I will be that much further ahead, if not I`ll have a small fine and still have 150 sq. ft of a summer grow. Ether way I can still do a Winter grow also. I`m going to start picking strains to pop soon as I get caught up on a few things and get back from my next trip down south. I bought a custom dry trim machine and it does a better job than I expected. It`s just made so heavy that I had to have help to get it up the stares and into the office trailer. I still have a little more than half of my crop to de-bone and trim now. I also got a Winegard satellite antenna so I will soon have something to do on rainy days this Winter. Just got to make sure I get my work done as I can be a real TV addict! I just need to hook up the new battery bank to the inverter and hook the battery bank up to the new solar panels. I also need to get that shelf done so I have someplace to put the blue ray and satellite receiver by the flat screen. I actually have a bunch of projects that need to get done in the next two weeks before any real storms hit. Always so much to get done around here!

 

[suomynona]

I`m just undecided as to if I should stick to 150 sq. foot this Spring or do my normal 60 or so. I plan on having my property surveyed and logged so I`ll need to keep my eye on that . Also found out the first BC land use fine is only $50 and not $1000. It becomes $1000 a day if you do not comply when they come out and check on you again. I`m thinking go for it! WTF they won`t be able to get us all and if I am successful I will be that much further ahead, if not I`ll have a small fine and still have 150 sq. ft of a summer grow.

hey Mark, figured id give you some info that may or may not help, but a friend has hired a lawyer and paid $26 k to sue the county and hopefully put the new ordinance on hold till a judge decides the case.

Most people i know plan to grow as normal. I think the ones scared and leaving to other counties are mostly ones who are blatently in violation in more than one way. And they should leave in my opinion anyway. Im personally sick of the influx of city dwellers in their shiny ass overly lifted trucks driving down my backroads like they own them, driving fast as they like bumping music and dusting everyone out.

The county is already starting to fuck with some though, for instance, one friend bought a portable building on skids, and the county sent a letter stating that it needs a permit and approval. However, this only happened because of a douche in his life that called the county.

Typically the county doesnt give a rats ass about such a thing, but when u have someone report you they look into it. I had a county road worker report me once for putting in a driveway, well when they contacted me about it all they wanted was the $170 permit fee and thats the last i heard about it.

Good luck and grow on brother!

 

[markscastle]

My son has moved out for the winter again. Got all of his stuff moved to his new rental today. He`ll b back every once in a while to help me on projects. Had him help load the Honda generator on the truck to take into the shop. It`s an EB 6500 I think. Rebuilt engine by it`s former owner a owner of a Honda dealership. Although it runs great it isn`t putting out power anymore. I`ve been using the Onan generator in the motor home, the Honda is a back up. Been looking for a good 15KW generator for the grow area. It would run lights a few hour a day for longer light cycles during veg in Winter. Not sure if I want Diesel or propane powered. Don`t want to run it on gas for sure ! It needs to run at 1800 rpm and be water cooled. Phase 1 120/220 with wire panel. Thinking of using covers for light depravation to clock the light when it`s on just before dawn and just after sunset. I`d also use the covers towards Spring to cut the longer light cycle down to 12 hours during flower. If I need AC during that cycle towards the end in spring I`d use the generator then also. I`d also use the lights in day time to supplement cloudy days in winter. I`ll also be looking for maybe 15 or so 400w medal halide shop lights, the kind with built in ballasts that hang straight down. I`d be taking off the reflectors altogether and hanging them above the beds. not sure if I want to get some 400w HPS conversion bulbs or just use MH bulbs.

 

[suomynona]

Mark, start searching craigslist for a whisper watt diesel genny. They run as quiet as the honda 2000 eu and only sip about a gallon per hour at half load, half load is about 20 kw. All the power you would need to do everything you want and more.

Hope this helps

 

[markscastle]

Problem with diesel is you need to truck fuel up the hill and it has road taxes included. With propane I can buy a tank and have it delivered. if you buy the propane in the summer I`ve seen it at $2.15 a gallon. Also a propane generator runs very clean and doesn`t need oil changes as often. Diesel however doesn`t require any additives to be stored over time and not having deliveries of fuel is better for security. I can make most any generator whisper quiet with the right muffler system.

I`m also interested in info on farm-agriculture tax exemptions for fuel. I understand fuel used for agriculture use is about half the price after the exemptions. I know running a gas generator is way to expensive , dirty and un-reliable. Maybe a military diesel generator? or If I used smaller generators I could convert some Honda generators to propane, but again they are not water cooled and would not be as durable. I understand I want phase 1 120/220volt and water cooled with a running rpm of 1800 under stress load. I would be using up to 80% of capacity of 15 kw. But 20 kw or even larger generator would be better. But I don`t want one with to large of engine as even when not generating that much energy it takes more fuel to run them. I`ll also need one with low hours on it because I won`t have the money for a back up generator at first. And it must be able to run in bad weather and be on a trailer so I will be able to move it around without needing help.

 

[markscastle]

Thinking maybe MEP-003A ?

 

[suomynona]

Thinking maybe MEP-003A ?View attachment 475654

Yeah, those military gennys are basically whisper watts, only louder. I get red diesel in 55 gallon drums in my truck and haul it myself. Not very pricy. If you keep an eye on craigslist you can get a 50kw or more for around 10,000$ usually. Here is one listed in palo cedro, a really nice one actually.

 

[markscastle]

Was thinking of around 35kw and no more than$6500. I can get a MEP 003a 35kw refurbished for around $4500-5000. these things run around 20,000+ hours before needing rebuilt. They aren`t quiet but extra mufflers can be added and they can even take the EMP from a nuke and keep running! (if grounded at the time) I would also need a good size fuel tank, maybe 1000 gal would do. and a transfer tank and pump on a trailer. I could then truck in my fuel and stock it up when it`s at a lower price in the summer to run the winter crop. No problem if I do get snowed in a few weeks.

What I`m worried about most is if I can turn my product over for enough to make all the expense and trouble worth the time. Don`t like to keep having to re- setup and make improvements an never have mush else to show for all the effort. I want to be putting in developments to the overall farm so I can get back to my work with breeding. All the bud, concentrates and clone stuff is labor and time consuming for an old guy. I just want my farm in and done but I don`t want to go into debit to do it. I hate owing anyone and hate banks after they took my home away from me in a scam!

 

[Organica]

My son has moved out for the winter again. Got all of his stuff moved to his new rental today. He`ll b back every once in a while to help me on projects. Had him help load the Honda generator on the truck to take into the shop. It`s an EB 6500 I think. Rebuilt engine by it`s former owner a owner of a Honda dealership. Although it runs great it isn`t putting out power anymore. I`ve been using the Onan generator in the motor home, the Honda is a back up. Been looking for a good 15KW generator for the grow area. It would run lights a few hour a day for longer light cycles during veg in Winter. Not sure if I want Diesel or propane powered. Don`t want to run it on gas for sure ! It needs to run at 1800 rpm and be water cooled. Phase 1 120/220 with wire panel. Thinking of using covers for light depravation to clock the light when it`s on just before dawn and just after sunset. I`d also use the covers towards Spring to cut the longer light cycle down to 12 hours during flower. If I need AC during that cycle towards the end in spring I`d use the generator then also. I`d also use the lights in day time to supplement cloudy days in winter. I`ll also be looking for maybe 15 or so 400w medal halide shop lights, the kind with built in ballasts that hang straight down. I`d be taking off the reflectors altogether and hanging them above the beds. not sure if I want to get some 400w HPS conversion bulbs or just use MH bulbs.

What's up Mark, glad to see your still keeping on. My family's factory had over 100 of those 400 mh with the ballast attached they took them all down and put in floros I'm east coast so don't know how much it would be to ship 15 but if there still there u can have em we ship 1000 big packages a day so shipping is cheaper let me see if I have em and I'll send 15 20 your way if you want.