Grow for Profit

Hey everyone, for a while now I've been contemplating moving to the west coast to start growing for profit. I still plan on keeping my day job and just work on this during spare time. I've been growing my own food indoors for a while (a survival exercise if you will) so I know it will be a lot of work, but the scheduling aspect aside, I'd like to pose a question on feasibility.

Is this actually practical? Will there be a market for it or does the supply there already out weight the demand? I am sure many people have already done this, if you can share some lessons learned or tips, it'd be much appreciated.

Also, the move is not only for this. I am just looking for a chance of pace and a warmer climate, but I am considering this as one of the perks.

Good luck... We tried that from Memphis to Santa Cruz... They all loved our shit, but itz HARD to break into the over-saturated market, especially being from outta town... I'd stick it out whereever u r and try to work on getting a med bill passed in your state, as I am now doing...

Yer likely to run out of money for living/operating expenses before u can ever think about making a good enuff profit to stay... Sad, but very true... I speak from exp...

Living expenses r quite a bit higher in CA than in TN... Thatz my take on it... Even though I found work as a union wireman out there, it still didn't work out as we'd all dreamed and prayed it would... So, we r all trying to rally the troops back home, and get this area to pass some med bills so we don't haveta go across the country to do what everyone should be able to do in peace in the first place...

Dude you can do anything you put your mind to... Just gotta work hard

Hey man, I plan to sustain myself on my regular job, but I was hoping there would be a chance to earn some extra cash. There is no way a med bill would pass where I live any time soon, too many conservative assholes.

Not sure how it is in CA but i have never heard of a grower with good product not being able to sell it for going price, growing it is the hard bit not selling.

borgRenegade said:

Hey man, I plan to sustain myself on my regular job, but I was hoping there would be a chance to earn some extra cash. There is no way a med bill would pass where I live any time soon, too many conservative assholes.

Click to expand...

it can be done. the market is still here. just plan ahead. save money for equipment before u move. once u move and get into a good place the rent is going to cost u and if u dont have money to afford the equipment after the move u will be screwed. dont piece ur grow together. it will take forever and cost u a grip. walk into a hydro store with cash to get the best deal. the more u buy the better the hookup will be. plan ur whole setup before u buy. make lists. cuz even with lists u will be making a few trips for forgotten shit. good luck man.

Thanks for feedback guys. I've started planning it already too, making lists of equipment, nutes and space. Calculating value based on estimated yield per plant based on footage of flowering grow space. I guess pot yeild varies, but I am betting on at least 2 ounces per plant. If I can get a nice rotation going, that could be consistent. I am factoring in all the costs for power and hvac too. Goal is to be able to sustain the grow up from my regular salary + savings for the first 6 months.

borgRenegade said:

Thanks for feedback guys. I've started planning it already too, making lists of equipment, nutes and space. Calculating value based on estimated yield per plant based on footage of flowering grow space. I guess pot yeild varies, but I am betting on at least 2 ounces per plant. If I can get a nice rotation going, that could be consistent. I am factoring in all the costs for power and hvac too. Goal is to be able to sustain the grow up from my regular salary + savings for the first 6 months.

Click to expand...

smart man.

I kinda haveta disagree there man... In Santa Cruz, the local market was soooo flooded, and u couldnt move even the finest of dank... It was just too hard for us, even though we had moderate business success, and wonderful growing success, it just didn't happen there, for us... Not to say it coouldn't be possible for someone else... Somewhere else... U CAN do anything u set yer mind to, even turning conservative areas around to see truth and pass medical bills...

*BUDS said:

Not sure how it is in CA but i have never heard of a grower with good product not being able to sell it for going price, growing it is the hard bit not selling.

Click to expand...

The black market is always there.... but when u r trying to be legit and legal, it can pose a problem for a business, when u have an over-saturation of legal growers flooding dispensaries with awesome weed... I mean, they can only buy SO much... And when u haveta drive from COmpton and San Diego to NoCal to get yer whole crop sold out, u waste up all yer profit in gas and hotels... This is JUST ONE account of the "green rush" of the west, from one group of long-time growers/activists from the other side of the country, though...

see much harder when you live near a dispensary, if you lived in the uk it would of sold itself

sell it to the dispensory. u will still get 2500+ a p. a dispensory will buy ur weed as fast as u can get it in there. just stay away from the hole in the wall places they will try to rip u off. cuz they r out for profit too and they have smaller margins than larger dispensories.

We still got 3500-4000 a lb, where and when we could, legal, or not...lol... And to hmmmmm-It still sells itself over here man... American dank is where itz at, my friend... Not to shit on the UK or anything... Im sure ya'll have great dank, too...

Very true...

wheels619 said:

sell it to the dispensory. u will still get 2500+ a p. a dispensory will buy ur weed as fast as u can get it in there. just stay away from the hole in the wall places they will try to rip u off. cuz they r out for profit too and they have smaller margins than larger dispensories.

Click to expand...

GanjaGod420000 said:

Good luck... We tried that from Memphis to Santa Cruz... They all loved our shit, but itz HARD to break into the over-saturated market, especially being from outta town... I'd stick it out whereever u r and try to work on getting a med bill passed in your state, as I am now doing...

Click to expand...

I'm in Santa Cruz. Born and raised. Too bad I didn't meet you when you were out here. I know a couple of "weed brokers".

It is super expensive to live here though. $1650 to rent our 2 bedroom rouse (that's a deal here). $1000 a month for organic food for a family of 4. With bills and stuff, that doesn't leave much left from my monthly paycheck.

*BUDS said:

Not sure how it is in CA but i have never heard of a grower with good product not being able to sell it for going price, growing it is the hard bit not selling.

Click to expand...

GanjaGod420000 said:

I kinda haveta disagree there man... In Santa Cruz, the local market was soooo flooded, and u couldnt move even the finest of dank... It was just too hard for us, even though we had moderate business success, and wonderful growing success, it just didn't happen there, for us... Not to say it coouldn't be possible for someone else... Somewhere else... U CAN do anything u set yer mind to, even turning conservative areas around to see truth and pass medical bills...

Click to expand...

Yup, it's super flooded here. Blackmarket prices are sometimes better than dispensaries. Everyone is growing -- many for personal and many for profit. It's harder and harder to make a profit these days. My commercial buddy was peddling eighths 10 years ago for $50 to $60. These days it's $35 to $45 for the same stuff. He was lucky and got $700 for a QP of marginal stuff on consignment a couple of months ago, but not sure he's been paid yet. Another commercial grower I know had to close down shop because he couldn't keep up with his bills. He had "been ripped off" by a couple of local clubs.

The real benefit to growing here isn't for profit, but for personal. Everyone's doing it, so there's really no worries about getting busted at all..

..unless you're this guy (I do know someone who helped set up this operation -- apparently they had around 100 1k's): http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_20282015/sheriffs-deputies-seize-700-pot-plants-40-000

Sheriff's deputies seize 1,600 pot plants, $40,000 cash in Watsonville bust

By Jessica M. Pasko - Santa Cruz Sentinel
Posted: 03/29/2012 10:31:24 AM PDT

​

WATSONVILLE - Sheriff's deputies seized a whopping 1,600 pot plants, high-power rifles and nearly $40,000 cash from a huge indoor marijuana grow in Watsonville that one sergeant called the biggest he'd ever seen in the county.
Officers executed a search warrant at a warehouse at 627 Walker St. early Wednesday afternoon, and also served search warrants at homes in Salinas, Seaside and Aptos, deputy April Skalland said.
At the warehouse, which was being rented, they discovered an illegal commercial marijuana growing and sales operation. In addition to the hundreds of plants seized there, officers also seized scales, packaging materials and approximately $12,000 in cash.
At the warehouse, John Benton and Brian Lincoln were arrested on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale.
During a search of a Salinas home where Ryan Tate was living, officers found 2 pounds of marijuana buds and $25,000 in cash. Tate, 29, was also arrested and booked into County Jail on suspicion of cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale.
A search warrant executed at Lincoln's Seaside residence turned up a pound of marijuana, $1,000 in cash, two high-power rifles, scales and packaging materials.
None of the men arrested were on probation or parole, and weren't known to the Sheriff's Office until this investigation, according to Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Yanez.
"It's the biggest indoor marijuana grow I've ever seen in this county," said Yanez, who has worked in law enforcement for more than 15 years.
Yanez said the Sheriff's Office was tipped off to reports of a possible growing operation by the Watsonville Police Department about six months ago. Watsonville police had received tips about the operation prior to that.
The warehouse was being rented by the men and Yanez said officers hadn't spoken with the landlord yet.
The operation had been going on for at least a year, and already had yielded prior harvests, Yanez said.
The investigation is continuing, he said.
In November, sheriff's deputies raided a marijuana grow less than half a mile from the Walker Street site at another warehouse on Rodriguez Street. In that case, more than 130 pounds of packaged marijuana and $67,000 cash was seized.
A single pound of marijuana can sell for as much as $2,500 to $3,500, according to deputies.
Investigators also seized packaging materials, commercial grade-scales and a commercial bank-grade money counter.
Two men, Karl March and Lloyd Harmon, were arrested and are facing felony charges. They're due back in court next month.


Follow Sentinel reporter Jessica M. Pasko on Twitter @jmpasko96

thank u. lol.

Hey guys, yea I didn't figure I would be able to retire from the extra cash, but it would be a cool hobby, plus I want to live somewhere else for a bit. One thing I didn't factor in is any legal stuff I would have to do, but I will have a budget for unexpectable crap that pops up as with everything else.

I guess the point of the question was to gauge market conditions to see if small home growers can still turn a small profit or if there are several companies dominating the market.

HELLO, has anyone considered ColoradO? A lot less inflation of the green. THats where I plan on moving if opening up this type of business.