MC`s Forest Adventure

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markscastle

markscastle

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Just got set up and started clearing some trees and now I'm caught in a snow storm. Hope it rains and melts this stuff. Got about 1 1/2 foot of snow. If it warms up it could take a week to melt unless it warms and rains . I know we need the water and a good snow pack in the upper elavations but snow down this low won't do much more than a good few days of rain would..oozing to get the road cleared to the water soon as possible .
 
markscastle

markscastle

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Fema is almost ready to clean up my place. I'm planning on moving up the road this year . Might as well make a clean break . The area is stopped to the west from the Ridge and has about an acre before it turns into a canyon and becomes very steep. The easement to my 10 acres runs across the 2.4 acres at the bottom. Dead trees are standing all over and I will be removing them as much as possible . Planning on putting in smart pots along the north side of the upper canyon . Maybe 30 , 500 gallon pots ?
 
1diesel1

1diesel1

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Fema is almost ready to clean up my place. I'm planning on moving up the road this year . Might as well make a clean break . The area is stopped to the west from the Ridge and has about an acre before it turns into a canyon and becomes very steep. The easement to my 10 acres runs across the 2.4 acres at the bottom. Dead trees are standing all over and I will be removing them as much as possible . Planning on putting in smart pots along the north side of the upper canyon . Maybe 30 , 500 gallon pots ?
Thoughts and prayers with you brother.
Keep plowing through man:)
 
markscastle

markscastle

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I am starting my grow this year on sheo string . I managed to get 99 clones , GDP , Purple Punch and purple OG . I have them started in those cheep three gallon plastic bags until I can get my holes done. Running into the same old problems of break downs and delays . Breaking new ground is going to be tuff. I am having to re use the soil from my burned greenhouses and haven't got fertilizer yet except some fish emotion with bat guano . Water seems to be looking good at the spring but many people have been running out of water in there wells already this year. I'll try to take a couple pictures of my grow site and post them . Haven't broke ground yet .
 
markscastle

markscastle

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End for this year . Cops busted my renters grow and came back and busted the Mexicans greenhouses next to me. They came on my land at that point and cut down my legal grow . I'm going to the Sherriff's office ASAP and ask them for a copy of a search warrant and demand they compensate me for my destroyed grow . I am also going to tell them if they come on my land again they will be put under arrest for trespassing !
 
markscastle

markscastle

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Turned out my plants were just over my property line so couldn't do a dam thing . I measured my property line but was off a little. I had them in 5 gallon plastic grow bags while I was clearing out a spot to plant them . It was taking me awhile and they would have been in the ground way late to get much off of them anyway .
 
markscastle

markscastle

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I'm wondering what kind of prices we can expect for this years crops ? I figured the cost of growing last year to be about $500 a pound . With inflatiin going up so high it will be much more expensive this year. I understand that the market is going to be flooded as always but I see more and more growers turning to fruits and vegitables instead of trying to grow black market and thwy seem to do almost as well vending in farmer's markets and road side venues as they did growing buds ! I haven'z been able to get anything to market for a few years now so I'm wondering if the market is even worth doing anymore? It's still a risk to grow black market and a big investment to grow in the legal market here in Cali . I understand that the legal market isn't doing all that well ether for all tgw investment you can do better with investing else where . But things do change . I just want to make sure I'm not going to wast my time and money to maybe pull even . Costs of growing have gone way up sense I last had a half way serious grow . And we are again looking at a drought that will do nothing but add to the costs ! I had one friend who grew mellons last year and did ok. He had no risks to speak of and no problems selling out his product . He made about $3,000 less for the year but enjoyed gardening which he said made it worth his while .
 
1diesel1

1diesel1

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Light dep plummeted,
If you were early last year $900-1100.
Depending on product. Rite now $200-$500 for good dep.
straight up OD by the time it got to market🤯
Crashed and crashed hard.
If the states that are not enforcing there rules for legalization do start enforcing there laws.
Then we might have a uptick in the market.
Only the shadow knows.

I will be doing a legal hemp grow this summer,
Growing/harvesting/drying/processing/ packaging/ selling and marketing my own products on the free market.
 
markscastle

markscastle

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I've been growing mostly indoor and some greenhouse. I might try a winter crop or maybe two of GDP auto if I can get my year round greehouse built. It would be insulated heated and cooled with co2 , lights fans and dehumidifier . Closed system with maybe pollen filtered outside air and muffled exaust as an emegencey backup incase it gets to hot. Veggies in the spring and two crops of cannibis in the winter. That way I'd have fresh crop mid winter and early Spring
Also no neem oil as I can control bugs with the co2.. I'd also use UV circulation to stop any chance of mold . I think I could grow stuff as good or better than what you find in the clubs
All organic as well . Problem is it is expensive to grow this way and I have to be able to get a fair price . I haven't done the overhead figures yet to see about the cost. I'll make my own fertilizer mix myself as always . May raise some chickens and rabbits and make complost and raise earthworms . I'll still need some stuff but I'll buy bulk if that helps . Lights will cost the most to run as I'm staying off grid . Looking into a power system that includes solar and a small diesel generator that would charge the batteries on cloudy days . I would still use a lot of fuel . Heat would be wood fired vented air and the cool air for summer would be vented from pipe 4 foot under ground . As well as the greenhouse would be a lower type over a 6 foot deep floor . This would help keep temps even year round . I'm figureing the cost for a 96×30 insulated greenhose with all the zrimmings to cost around $70,000 +
 
Oldchucky

Oldchucky

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I've been growing mostly indoor and some greenhouse. I might try a winter crop or maybe two of GDP auto if I can get my year round greehouse built. It would be insulated heated and cooled with co2 , lights fans and dehumidifier . Closed system with maybe pollen filtered outside air and muffled exaust as an emegencey backup incase it gets to hot. Veggies in the spring and two crops of cannibis in the winter. That way I'd have fresh crop mid winter and early Spring
Also no neem oil as I can control bugs with the co2.. I'd also use UV circulation to stop any chance of mold . I think I could grow stuff as good or better than what you find in the clubs
All organic as well . Problem is it is expensive to grow this way and I have to be able to get a fair price . I haven't done the overhead figures yet to see about the cost. I'll make my own fertilizer mix myself as always . May raise some chickens and rabbits and make complost and raise earthworms . I'll still need some stuff but I'll buy bulk if that helps . Lights will cost the most to run as I'm staying off grid . Looking into a power system that includes solar and a small diesel generator that would charge the batteries on cloudy days . I would still use a lot of fuel . Heat would be wood fired vented air and the cool air for summer would be vented from pipe 4 foot under ground . As well as the greenhouse would be a lower type over a 6 foot deep floor . This would help keep temps even year round . I'm figureing the cost for a 96×30 insulated greenhose with all the zrimmings to cost around $70,000 +
Greetings from Tehama county! After being through hell it’s good to see that you see some light at the end of the tunnel. Sounds like maybe PG&E ponied up. I am guessing you are in Butte County but maybe not. In Tehama county all outdoors growing is prohibited so I have to do my small time thing like we used to back in the 70s When camp Was waging there a war! Greenhouses here are considered outdoors. L O L. Good luck and I think it through. Probably is more money in vegetables!
 
markscastle

markscastle

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Nope No money from PG&E . I'm thinking of selling 10 acres and putting a well and stuff in on my smaller property .
 
markscastle

markscastle

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Oh I think a greenhouse is considered in a building in Butte County ? Must be built with a permit though . Doesn't matter as the plant limits here for legal are so small . . Anyway i plan on going my growing in Winter when there isn't a soul around and the code enforcement are tucked away for the Winter . It will cost nearly as much as growing indoor as it will be set up much the same and off grid also. There won't be much light to grow by in winter so I'll need lights and the whole shabang. Only real edge will be the heat being from firewood which I have an abundance of . I may build a still and use a smaller gas engine to make power with at some point or maybe wood alcohal ? Lots of old homesteader tricks like a wind mill generator to re charge the batteries along with solar ? Still desiding about the power as it would be more than PG& E unless I come up with something . Maybe even a steam engine generator that is wood fired ?
 
markscastle

markscastle

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Looks like the Market in California is a little better for 2022 but not well. Many people have gone belly up . Mostly on the legal side. The expantion of indoir growing by legal growers has slowed . There is still going to be a surplus of product in California for the next few years though. Outdoor is not going to sell . Greenhouse AAA grade may hold in price while indoor may slightly improve in price . Really only A A A grade will really sell . In paticular only the most favored strains may do better than last year. However the questiin will be if it will be worth the investment compared to other investments ? Prices for fuel will drive inflation and The Ukraine / Russian war will cause increase in Furtilizer costs beyond that . It will likely make any small increases moot . I'm thinking I 'll hold off. Now is a better time for me to get my fruit trees, veggie garden , and fertilizer produceing animals going . I will grow only a few plants and may do some breeding projects this year. Nothing to big at that.
 
Oldchucky

Oldchucky

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Probably a wise idea seeing that Hoenig and his Barneys are onto you. Maybe the law will change in the next year or two. They are putting together a big indoor operation right next to where I work, so somebody thinks there’s still some money in it. They are planning five runs a year at 4.5 million per run. Taking them a while to get up and running but looks like they are finally going to get her done. Take it easy.
 
markscastle

markscastle

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Yep to many big grow operations to make anything on it anymore. Even in the legal market people are going belly up. That doesn't seem to keep some from expanding though. One of the biggest probls in the legal market is the State doesn't have a limit on permits, they just keep on selling them regardless of the market conditions . Prices are so low now and costs keep gping up to grow . Somethings going to happen in the next cpuple years . I think both markets will crash . It's an adjustment just like in the stock market . Consumption is up but to much is being grown . Alot of the stuff that does sell ends up out of state anymore . Even so those prices are down in most markets also . I think in a few years enough peopëe will stop growing for sale or go belly up that prices will become more stable . I don't see anyone getting rich growing but if you know what your doing and have dank you can make a modest income off growing . It's just it takes investing so much more back into it every year also . Costs for everything eats up what little you make . It's also hard work . Easyer to work a 9-5 and you can make more money if you get the right job . I know someone who switched to growing fruits and veggies and did ok last year. They grew a few plants for there own meds is all. I might go that route for a few years . But I'm thinking of doing a homestead . If I can get that going then I won't need to buy fertilizers . I'll be set back up to live mostly off my land so If I don't make that much it won't hurt so bad .
 
swampthing

swampthing

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Yep to many big grow operations to make anything on it anymore. Even in the legal market people are going belly up. That doesn't seem to keep some from expanding though. One of the biggest probls in the legal market is the State doesn't have a limit on permits, they just keep on selling them regardless of the market conditions . Prices are so low now and costs keep gping up to grow . Somethings going to happen in the next cpuple years . I think both markets will crash . It's an adjustment just like in the stock market . Consumption is up but to much is being grown . Alot of the stuff that does sell ends up out of state anymore . Even so those prices are down in most markets also . I think in a few years enough peopëe will stop growing for sale or go belly up that prices will become more stable . I don't see anyone getting rich growing but if you know what your doing and have dank you can make a modest income off growing . It's just it takes investing so much more back into it every year also . Costs for everything eats up what little you make . It's also hard work . Easyer to work a 9-5 and you can make more money if you get the right job . I know someone who switched to growing fruits and veggies and did ok last year. They grew a few plants for there own meds is all. I might go that route for a few years . But I'm thinking of doing a homestead . If I can get that going then I won't need to buy fertilizers . I'll be set back up to live mostly off my land so If I don't make that much it won't hurt so bad .
Love your work Mark. Have some Afkansastan x Talk of Kabul I can’t wait to pop… someday
They’re old old beans so I hope they germinate

Hope all is well on your front
 
green bastard

green bastard

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This is going to be where I document my adventure on my 10 acres of virgin forest land.I hope to buy a camera soon and will be posting pictures of my efforts. Hope to have a garden in and will put up pics of that as well. I also plan on doing some old school outdoor breeding.

So far I am still working on getting the fallen trees off the road. I had my old saw in the shop over a month now and can`t get all the needed parts so got a newer Husky 350 and picked up a used trash pump while i was there. Water will be one of my first problems to tackle. I`ve been told it has a spring on the upper side of the property and maps show two small creeks in the area but I`m thinking of putting in a water tank on the upper level of the property. If I can`t devert water to it then I`ll need to truck water in to keep it full until I get a well in. But first the road in needs cleaned up and scraped. Later I hope to put some gravel down. The road is about 2 1/4 mile from Forest Service gravel roads and the property is about 4 miles in from the paved road.

I plan on putting in about 48 clones/teens in a raised bed with hoop greenhouse to be built over them along with a vegi garden and maybe some fruit trees this year.I`ll make a pad for my trailor and maybe a cover.An Alaska septic for now is all. I will have a generator for power and maybe a small solor unit for the 12 volt system on the trailor with an inverter for power. This year`s goal will to just have a summer place and come back next year and make it more habitable,maybe year round at some point.
Hey Mark longtime no chat this is Joe from way back early this farmer
 

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