thinking of going to Cali, need thoughts and opinions on setup

[donny darko]

Ok first of all this not my first go around. I am thinking of going out to Cali and making a run at the med pot growing market. I know someone out there that might set me up. But I think I would like to be low key and just bring out my equipment and start up with around the 5 k which I have the equipment for. I have a few friends that would come out and get cards and be patients and then we would branch out and offer below market prices to seriously sick people to be their grower. I was thinking of going to Humboldt County and trying to be low key about it and just try to bring in 150,000 - 250,000 a year per op. I have be doing some research on real estate cost out there and they are quite a bit higher that where I am from. But I figure 15,000 -20,000 would carry me until I have a crop and could start doing a perpetual in around 2- 3 months of time and covering my costs. So what do clones cost out there on average each. I have been doing some research on equipment cost and they are a lot cheaper and more readily available than here. So what are some of your guys experience with the Cali market and ideas?

 

[00420]

$200,000 / 12 month's = $16,666 monthly = $4,166 weekly

nor cali market = 2500-3500 a pound...... so for your #'s^ you need 1.5 pounds a week witch = 1k x 8 ( if you have 8 week strain) = 8k x 16plant per k = 128.... 1st mistake ( but you wanna do 5k?)

2nd "low key" in humbolt .....hmmmmm the hottest place in the US for pot growing.... not smart

3rd.... power in cali is double to triple so is cost of living how are you going to offer below market prices to seriously sick people when it cost 2-3x as much to grow as anywhere else

if you want to come to cali and grow for med user's...... fine but get the 150,000 - 250,000 outa your head befor you get here.... most ppl here wont pay you to grow for them they let you use there scrip you grow and split the yeild ie 50% of there's you keep then you have to deal with "offing" it to sick ppl that either a dont have any $ or b to ppl that are gonna low ball ya or walk to the next that has the same for cheaper cali is flooded with weed from ppl like you trying to make a buck.... come here for the fact that you can grow legal for your self get a job if you wanna make $ if 1-2 ppl wanna pay you for your time to grow for them cuz they cant cool but dont make it your full income

 

[PleasurePoint]

$200,000 / 12 month's = $16,666 monthly = $4,166 weekly

nor cali market = 2500-3500 a pound...... so for your #'s^ you need 1.5 pounds a week witch = 1k x 8 ( if you have 8 week strain) = 8k x 16plant per k = 128.... 1st mistake ( but you wanna do 5k?)

2nd "low key" in humbolt .....hmmmmm the hottest place in the US for pot growing.... not smart

3rd.... power in cali is double to triple so is cost of living how are you going to offer below market prices to seriously sick people when it cost 2-3x as much to grow as anywhere else

if you want to come to cali and grow for med user's...... fine but get the 150,000 - 250,000 outa your head befor you get here.... most ppl here wont pay you to grow for them they let you use there scrip you grow and split the yeild ie 50% of there's you keep then you have to deal with "offing" it to sick ppl that either a dont have any $ or b to ppl that are gonna low ball ya or walk to the next that has the same for cheaper cali is flooded with weed from ppl like you trying to make a buck.... come here for the fact that you can grow legal for your self get a job if you wanna make $ if 1-2 ppl wanna pay you for your time to grow for them cuz they cant cool but dont make it your full income

well said. alot of people think they can just come out to cali and set up shop, get rich, and live the "Cali life". if your main motivation is money karma WILL catch up to you as it does all the other greedy people. As 00420 said, come out to cali and get a real job, get legal under prop 215 and SB420, then grow enough for yourself and then some to donate to the MMJ cause.

-peace

 

[donny darko]

I understand that my numbers are a little high but I would start with 5k in lights and ramp up slowly. I would have a few different people to work with and branch out over a few different locations. So say I get to 10 k per house at .35 cents a kilo watt hour that is $ 1260 for power and around 5 to 10 pounds a month on a perpetual with 5 lights worth being harvested each month. S o that would be between 15 to 30,000 a month per location. But even at 10,000 after expenses a month would be 120,000 a yr which is cool with me. I have been told that the dispensary will pay around 300o a pound so I would probably unload to a few of those. Also I would have a full time job that hopefully pays ok sense I have a BA from a good school. As far as location the only reason I say Humboldt is because they seem to have the best laws as far plant numbers but I am open to any where in Cali especially some where the laws are still good but real estate prices may be cheaper, but that will be tuff. How is the job market in Cali, I have been looking but it seems it might be tuff like the rest of the country.

 

[00420]

So say I get to 10 k per house at .35 cents a kilo watt hour that is $ 1260 for power

try again hahahha..... 2g's+ for 8k


most clubs are paying 22-2800 3000 if it's purple, kush or haze and most will pick out the nug they want and give you back the pop corn... they buy from 1 out of 10 ppl that walk in there doing the same thing your going to do

 

[Greyskull]

try again hahahha..... 2g's+ for 8k


most clubs are paying 22-2800 3000 if it's purple, kush or haze and most will pick out the nug they want and give you back the pop corn... they buy from 1 out of 10 ppl that walk in there doing the same thing your going to do

Well where I am the clubs are paying $2-3k for outdoor, $4k for really good indoor, $5k for the top shelf (OG, Chemdog D, Sour Diesel, Bubba)... and those will be broken down into 1/8ths @ 35-40, 50-60, 75-90.

Dude I wish I had your light bill... mine is over yours! But I have a friend in the Mendo area who's paying 1200 at 1 place and 1700 at another...

You know the job market sucks in Ca... especially in rural areas.

DO YOU NOT THINK YOU WILL STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB THE SHERIFFs WILL BE KNOCKING DOWN YOUR DOOR LOOKING AT YOUR OP COUNTING YOR PLANTS AND CHECKING TO SEE OF YOUR POWER ISN'T TAPPED IN A HEARTBEAT??? THEY ARE LOOKING FOR OUT OF TOWNERS COMING IN AND RIDING THEIR COATTAILS FOR THE SAKE MONEY THAT WON'T EVEN BE PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.

Good luck whatever you do though.

 

[donny darko]

Gray
Thanks for the info on the med pricing. I will be moving to Cali full time and have a full time job and will try to keep within the plant limits. And as far as a outsider how will any one no where I grew up, I will be local when I move and Get a med card.

 

[donny darko]

On average what price dose electricity run out in Cali? I have heard it is expensive and can run up to around .35 cents a kilo watt hour. Also it seems some of you guys are pretty negative but still seem to running a lot of watts, it must all be for person use huh. Also it seem that a lot more people out there are running more than one location and just paying the elec bill, I will not steal electric no matter what. Also I am planning on working with a few other growers that would come as well (3-4 people). The medical market seems to me to be just a cover for most of the people in the market and a lot of this has to be getting around the country thus resulting in prices staying at somewhat at a premium. Also the job market suck everywhere but when I thought about coming out a while ago and submitted resumes I had a lot more response from out there for my Ivey league degree than I did from NYC. A lot of the human resource people said they loved to bring in people with east coast degrees. But who knows, the market is tuff out there right now. I am just asking a few questions with hopes you good folks will give some good info so I could build a plan if I thought this might work.

peace darko

 

[00420]

i run lot's of power don't get me wrong it's for multi user's my sister live's in a small aprtment i also grow for my mom & dad + my 2 brother's thats 5 ppl plus me.... so yes 8K is for personal use......... we all spit the bill's gray you must be from the south...... the clubs up here pay tops of 4k and i have only seen it one time in 10 yr's

 

[DangerP]

Some things to think about:

First, Humboldt is really hot these days. The woods are crawling with cartel guerrilla grows, and so the DEA and the county sheriff are looking for growers hard core. They specifically like to target out of towners, as someone said above. Mendoceno county, which used to have very high plant numbers, just reduced them to the state minimum, which is six plants. They weren't enthusiastic about it, but the out of town growers who went there to take advantage of that high plant count brought with them guns, booby-trapped grows, harder drugs, and a whole host of other problems. Humboldt's just a heartbeat away from doing the same thing.

Second, if you do decide to come out to sunny California, get yourself a lawyer before you buy a single piece of equipment. Yeah, it's legal here, but only sorta. There's very little precedence in the state courts, the rules change from county to county, and as with everything the devil's in the details. Check NORML's legal advisory board, make an appointment with one of the better marijuana lawyers in the state, and keep that lawyer on retainer. A lot of people don't do that, but a lot of people fuck up. At that point you might as well be growing somewhere else.

Third, I think you've got an unrealistic idea about how big a grow you're allowed to have. Most places it's six plants. Just six. Some places it's more, and at least in Oakland there's a limitation on how much area your grow can take up (I know that sounds weird for cannabis, but it's how other commercial crops are regulated). If you're outside of those limitations then even the local cops will arrest you, and the local DA will prosecute you just like they will in other states. 5kw is almost 1kw per plant, so you're going to have to grow trees to stay under the legal limits, which means long veg time, which means less money. And keep in mind, those plant limits are per patient, not per grow. You get six plants, period. Not six plants here and six plants there.

Unlike some folks in this thread I do think you could move to California and make a living, but I wouldn't expect to get rich. $100,000 a year is way ahead of the curve, unless you're growing more than you're allowed to legally, in which case why move? Do your research, and I don't mean on this board. There are a couple of news sites that cover the California medical scene specifically, so get to know those sites. Also, pick a few counties in which you might want to live and find out their plant counts, weather or not the local sheriff is deputized by the DEA (many are), and how much the DEA has targeted grows in that area. And for fuck's sake get a lawyer. Like I said above, a lot of folks don't do that, but if you don't you're running the risk of missing the one little detail that will put you in prison. A big blown up copy of your lawyer's business card on the door into your grow is a great way to deter cops, since they know you'll put up a fight and the DA doesn't want to spend the money. There are lots of less prepared growers around that they can put in jail for a lot less money.

 

[alphacat]

If you're not averse to living in a more metro area and not the countryside, another possible tactic to use is setting up multiple smaller grows in different locations - diversifying your assets, as it were.

While this can numerically increase the likelihood of detection -- in a place where they're not hellbent on busting small-timers (like some places in So Cal and the Bay Area) -- if you're safe & smart it can also mean not looking at one giant laundry list when you get to court. It's better to be busted for one 600w garage grow than a 10,000w production grow.

Keep money, weed, and accessories for sale like scales and baggies away from each other as much as possible, especially large quantities of money and weed in the same place.

And what was said earlier about "first thing you do is get a lawyer" - that's the best advice that's been put up in this thread so far, 'cause it's usually just a matter of time. Better to have one and not need them than need them and not have one.

Lastly, don't plan to depend entirely on the income from this, especially if you start making even one fourth of what you projected: this is when growers get sloppy and start calling attention to themselves with cars, new friends who love your bud and cash, etc. If nothing else, maintain a part time job as a contractor or something so none of the tax fascists can easily nail you like they got Capone.

 

[donny darko]

Danger

Thanks for the info. I have been looking on a lot of other sites like normal and safe access now for local limits. Some counties seem more reasonable with 20 - 30 plants per patient, but Humboldt seems to be the highest with no limit but the feds 99 plant rule to think about. Also how are the courts making out with the fact that they have ruled it unconditional for the counties and cities to put restrictions on limits. Also do you think that due to the fact that there are so many large commercial cartels and opts going on there that it would be easier fly under the radar with 5 to 10 k grow. Also I have read I places that even CAMP will not arrest you if you have a legitimate card and need for the card and only take the plants that number over 7, I don’t know how accurate that is but am going to keep looking into it.

 

[Greyskull]

Also I have read I places that even CAMP will not arrest you if you have a legitimate card and need for the card and only take the plants that number over 7, I don’t know how accurate that is but am going to keep looking into it.

A few people I know have had the local sheriffs/cops come trhu and count the plants, take the overage, take whatever cash was there, and that was all that happened.

When you go to the supermarket for toilet paper they will know they've never seen you before... those are small towns in norcal and it will take time to assimilate is all I am saying. Don't think you're gonna fit right in... unless you have some close homeies already set up there and you don;t have to leave the house. JUST BE CAREFUL IS THE GIST OF WHAT I AM SAYING.

Not trying to be negative just want to let you know its not all flowers & sunshine dog... nor cal or so cal.

00420 - yeah I am in the southern part of the state, and I work on my own (no partners splitting the bill). Loose lips sink ships!

And what was said earlier about "first thing you do is get a lawyer" - that's the best advice that's been put up in this thread so far, 'cause it's usually just a matter of time.

Very true... I would suggest paying the retainer up front so when your cash & bank accounts are seized you have no problem securing services.... someting to think about.

 

[00420]

but Humboldt seems to be the highest with no limit but the feds 99 plant rule to think about.

it was 99 in 100 sqft.... 10 x 10
like dangerp just said

Mendoceno just reduced them to the state minimum, which is six plants. Humboldt's just a heartbeat away from doing the same thing.

im not say there's not $ to be made here i just dont like medical being a reason to cover somthing illegal california or not IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL even to club's

 

[Greyskull]

IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL even to club's

TRUE TRUE TRUE. Thats why you need to get the lawyer!

Darko - I just wanted to let you know that I do hope you can make it out to CA & make it man because it is the best state in the nation shy of Hawaii IMO. Especially near the coast... like I said earlier man good luck and stay safe. plan well.

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

I do not know about Humboldt, but here a fedw hours east of Arcata I can get pounds at 1800 each. This is top shelf buds I am speaking of.

There is no gold rush of buds here.

Its expensive to live.

Stay where you are and save yourself the money.

minds_I

Paid for by the Commitee to elect me president.

 

[00420]

Hello all,

I do not know about Humboldt, but here a fedw hours east of Arcata I can get pounds at 1800 each. This is top shelf buds I am speaking of.

There is no gold rush of buds here.

Its expensive to live.

haha thats my point..... n i bet they take 1700 n let you pick out the shitty nug's...... i see it everyday...

im a few hr's east of arcata too