5 years ago I started work at a BIG indoor medical grow in OR, it switched to Rec, got lots of investment and I wound up becoming a sort of maintenance person for the whole farm. Lights, fertigation systems, facilities maintenance.
I learned a LOT and one thing I learned in particular (after interacting with a lot of other farmers) was that a decent percentage of grows operate mostly on knowledge passed from older farmers, things someone read in a book once, or things someone tried and found success with. From the maintenance perspective this was somewhat frustrating. The farm I was working was hyperfocused on using state-of-the-art equipment and methods, which meant many things being imported into cannabis from other sectors of agriculture. Anytime I looked for information about using a new product with Cannabis specifically, I found that I was mostly on my own, or I needed to wait till 2 AM so I can call someone in The Netherlands for technical support.
Eventually I realized that networking with other farmers was the best way to establish best practices in a old-but-young industry. I made some accounts and joined some forums, and I've been lurking ever since. Recently found work in a new farm, with new challenges, and LOTS of problems that need some help.
My goals:
1. To try and lend the limited experience I have with some products and businesses (and non-cannabis maintenance practices) to the general knowledge pool.
2. To learn from those with decades more experience than I have, and use knowledge to cut through residual "my uncle's step-brother's dad did it that way and he always had the dankest" type knowledge.
I'd also like to add as a separate post:
I don't look down on the Yoda --> Dooku --> Qui-Gon Jinn --> Obi-Wan Kenobi, way of passing down knowledge. I think some things may never have made it this far without that knowledge. I do feel that illegalization led to this information never making it very far outside the farm. Now that so many states have legalized, and federal legalization is probably only a few general elections away, it's time to share. Beginner farmers in other industries have so many resources to use, and I think the tendency is for cannabis farmers to feel like they don't.