Quote:
Originally Posted by Phtha
I've wondered about this. Are they able to grow any strain the want using any method they want? Or are they given the seeds/clones and told to use certain chemicals in the growing process?
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Far as I know, and I'll talk to my daughter about it, there isn't any kind of differentiation done by govt. Govt's concern seems to be with quantity.
A personal use license allows one to have X amount around for personal consumption, and up to 12 plants in various stages of growth. So many seedlings (up to 4 inches), etc.
The sense of things she got was that, so far, the law has changed but the mindset hasn't. I mean by that, after 80 years of looking to arrest, they still can't quite give up. Getting clarification on laws hasn't been that easy for them, and she said it appeared they liked it that way. That most involved were hoping you'd screw up (ignorance of the law, being no excuse).
You can understand why I still have some mixed feelings around this. There are quite a few potential traps involved in doing this. And still...
She and husband have thought it through, and continue to investigate. It still looks to provide the "cash cow" that will finance the rest of the small agricultural business. A rather unique idea in itself.
They are growing more than 15 kinds of vegetables (so far) on their small place. All naturally grown. Now, the usual way to sell this is straight retail, waiting for people to find you, and buy your produce. Their approach is diff.
The idea began in the fact that their little "garden" was producing more than they could eat. They gave away so much food to friends, that friends stopped coming by
So... They went looking for charities to give food to, and in finding those, they also met up with folk who would just as soon pay as get charity... that's when the grey cells started working, and
voila! a business was born
They are, in a sense, selling "subscriptions". The customer chooses what they want to receive, and pays by the month. In return vegetables are delivered throughout their various growing seasons. The advantage here is that you now have a small farming operation where your customer is already assured,
and the income is equalized, rather than clumped around harvest time.
Additionally the risk is also spread out over a larger number of people. This is made plain to the subscribers, and so far, everyone understands and they seem perfectly willing.
Now, they have also started boarding horses on a small plot, so they have a source for composting to feed the gardens!
Now, the concept of all this going at once is where it gets it's symetry. They will soon have three independent businesses, all of which compliment and "feed" the other all operating at once. It means they will both soon "work at home" to raise their kids, and not only feed themselves off their own business, but generate the cash required to keep it all going.
To make it even more "local" and do-able, they're doing this on
10 acres of land. Not only that, should the need arise, this whole business is
movable. They can go anywhere, so long as they can get a few acres, and within a few months be right back in business!
Seems to me like the
perfect depression-era business