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Wine country looking more like cannabis country in California
Sacramento Bee ^ | May 11, 2017 | BY ANGELA HART

Posted on 05/11/2017 9:58:32 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

The grapevines that line rolling hillsides and sweeping valleys in Northern California’s wine country have become iconic – a symbol of the region’s rustic charm that helped California earn its reputation as a world-class wine and food destination.

But winegrapes have new competition: weed.

California’s legalization of recreational marijuana has led to the beginning of a major transformation of wine country. It’s been just seven months, but already investors are snapping up property where wine was once produced. Vineyard operators are developing expertise in cannabis cultivation. New, specialty marijuana businesses are sprouting up in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. And farmers who have long made a good living by growing and harvesting winegrapes are expressing interest in diversifying with marijuana.

“As a sustainable farmer, you have to be willing to change with the market, and with crops that are profitable,” said Steve Dutton, president of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.

Farmers, outside investors and cannabis entrepreneurs see the landscape of California’s North Coast changing before their eyes. Their opportunities are particularly ripe in the fertile soils of rural Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties.

“I think that cannabis and wine have amazing potential for a symbiotic relationship, and the reason this region is used for that production is the soil and the air and the unbelievable ecological qualities that we have up here in Northern California that are unique to the world,” said Amanda Reiman, community manager for Flow Kana, which recently bought the flagship Fetzer Vineyards winery property where the label got its start.

Poseidon Asset Management, a San Francisco-based hedge fund specializing in cannabis, was the lead investor for the $3.5 million purchase.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: cannabis; doobie; drugs; marijuana; pot; potheads; wine; wod
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To: politicianslie

In Ca, starting THIS year, it is legal for every adult (up to two per household) to grow 6 plants to maturity and to harvest/keep the proceeds of that grow.

It is also legal to carry and gift up to one ounce at a time to any other adult.

Six mature plants grown outdoors, in the soil, can produce up to 20 pounds of trimmed, clean marijuana buds.

There will be NO MARKET.

Why steal that which is free and has no market?

That’s the best aspect of these new laws. It kills BOTH the black market/crime element, but also the retail business.

The very same framework applies in Nevada.

ALL the money has been taken out of it. It’s like growing tomatoes.


41 posted on 05/11/2017 11:55:06 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: carriage_hill

Nope, just easy pickens to hit a grower with a million bucks worth of weed that will fit in the back of your pick-up, We’re going to see a lot of growers get hit, and with it, a lot of bodies. During harvest time, you don’t go hunting or fishing up in NF or BLM land. Nothing like coming around a corner on a mountain dirt road, to see three fellows with 12’s aimed at your jeep!!


42 posted on 05/11/2017 11:59:50 AM PDT by OregonRancher (Some days, it's not even worth chewing through the restraints)
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To: carriage_hill
I look for the criminal element to be outcompeted by legitimate businessmen, just as happened when Prohibition was ended.

Either way, there’ll be some serious ‘weed wars’ for dominance.

Legal-weed wars are no more to be feared than Miller Vs. Bud* wars. *no pun intended

43 posted on 05/11/2017 12:00:12 PM PDT by NobleFree ("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
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To: OregonRancher

that’s where the loonies in Oregon screwed up.

Only a few, legal and licensed growers. Keeps the price/value high.

In CA and NV all adults can grown their own. The price of weed in CA will drop from $4k per pound to $50. Not even enough to justify new locks on your gate.


44 posted on 05/11/2017 12:03:14 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Pollster1
and “medical” marijuana is only helpful to a small fraction of those who use it

Please explain how you came to this conclusion.

45 posted on 05/11/2017 12:10:43 PM PDT by Augie
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To: Carthego delenda est

“New, specialty marijuana businesses are sprouting up in Sonoma and Mendocino counties*.”

Nothing “new” about it, been going on since the 60’s. Now it’s just out in the open.

You are correct. Just add Humboldt county as the leader in marijuana growing, harvesting and selling it.

*One of long time friends grew up in Willets. We became friends of her great parents and often stopped to buy them lunch or be treated to a great lunch of salmon and legal local deer.

On one trip to the Oregon coast, my wife commented to our lunch hosts about all the neat little artsy shops in town and all the new SUVs and luxury cars.

The rest of California was in one of its recessions, and she asked innocently what was driving the local economy.

Our friend’s father, snorted, laughed and told us to breath as little as possible as we were leaving town until we got out of town. His wife told him, SSSHH!

As we were leaving my wife asked what he meant. I explained, what our friend’s father meant, to her.


46 posted on 05/11/2017 12:16:09 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (en100+ days without Hilliarly/Huma as POTUS! Thanks, President Trump for this great reality!)
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To: socalgop

BOL! The corporations, you cited probably had business plans approved by the Clintoons to do what you cited.


47 posted on 05/11/2017 12:19:06 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (en100+ days without Hilliarly/Huma as POTUS! Thanks, President Trump for this great reality!)
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To: Mariner

BOL! “ALL the money has been taken out of it. It’s like growing tomatoes.”

This weekend, my wife with me doing the planting of her annual 6 tomato plants in her metal horse/cattle watering troughs filled with fresh soil and our own fresh compost.

We eat a lot of tomatos each year.

So, now we could plant 12 other plants legally with those tomatos.


48 posted on 05/11/2017 12:31:03 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (en100+ days without Hilliarly/Huma as POTUS! Thanks, President Trump for this great reality!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

49 posted on 05/11/2017 12:32:16 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: jennychase

“I don’t want these stoned idiots on road.”

Alcohol is legal & there are drunk drivers on the road. What’s the difference?

If someone is driving stoned, arrest them as you would a drunk driver.

From what I’ve seen, marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol. I’m referring to drunkenness, not drinking in moderation.


50 posted on 05/11/2017 12:33:05 PM PDT by CrimsonTidegirl (Still deplorable.)
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To: Yo-Yo

“Smooth, fruity, with notes of oak and cinnamon. Pairs well with chocolate brownies. Have a large bag of cheetos for more great tasting!”


51 posted on 05/11/2017 12:34:54 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (en100+ days without Hilliarly/Huma as POTUS! Thanks, President Trump for this great reality!)
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Comment #52 Removed by Moderator

To: NobleFree

I wasn’t eluding to ‘30s style bootlegger chase scenes with Thompson’s blazing away and Elliot Ness stalking syndicated criminal kingpins...

Carloads of thieves will be infiltrating thousands of acres of product on countless back roads throughout the region. Sensors will alert security assets (public and/or private) and gunplay will probably ensue.


53 posted on 05/11/2017 1:31:08 PM PDT by Clutch Martin (Hot sauce aside, every culture has its pancake, just as every culture has its noodle.)
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To: Clutch Martin
Carloads of thieves will be infiltrating thousands of acres of product on countless back roads throughout the region. Sensors will alert security assets (public and/or private) and gunplay will probably ensue.

In this country (perhaps unlike Mexico) successful businessmen can defend their livelihood with more force than thieves can bring to bear - a lesson that would-be thieves will soon enough learn, and thereafter desist.

54 posted on 05/11/2017 1:35:06 PM PDT by NobleFree ("law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual")
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To: Pollster1
This is the best time to get rid of drug laws: The Ctrl-Left is usually stoned...

For a bunch of stoners, they sure did a lot of work to get the state laws changed.

... and decent Americans are ready to move back to a limited constitutional federal government.

The Constitution already limits the federal government in this matter. The federal government is exceeding that limit.
55 posted on 05/11/2017 1:50:35 PM PDT by HughManelmo
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To: NobleFree

“successful businessmen can defend their livelihood with more force than thieves can”

My point exactly. But force, nonetheless.

“a lesson that would-be thieves will soon enough learn, and thereafter desist”

If California gun law would allow for equal firepower to be applied. Criminals are not too concerned with golden state gun laws.


56 posted on 05/11/2017 2:44:11 PM PDT by Clutch Martin (Hot sauce aside, every culture has its pancake, just as every culture has its noodle.)
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To: HughManelmo
The Constitution already limits the federal government in this matter. The federal government is exceeding that limit.

As long as the feds continue to keep MJ on the controlled substances list as 'schedule 1' (no medical use), we will never have a truly legal market for it. Thus the astronomical prices and associated violence (since there's no legal means to settle disputes) will continue.

I like Trump's AG (Sessions), but not on this issue. Trump needs to overrule Sessions on the MJ issue, and issue an XO removing MJ from 'schedule 1'.

57 posted on 05/11/2017 2:47:05 PM PDT by bassmaner (Hey commies: I am a' white male, and I am guilty of NOTHING! Sell your 'white guilt' elsewhere.)
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To: Clutch Martin

CA has had medical marijuana for 20 years. Where are all the shootings?


58 posted on 05/11/2017 3:12:50 PM PDT by Ken H (Best election ever!)
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To: Pollster1

It’s about the same. Probably the same number of people in % of users abuse alcohol and marijuana. It is not good to be intoxicated alll day, all week, or too often.

There are also about the same % of users of each who do not use to get blotto. Whose lives are made better.

At this point, the cannabis toothpaste is out of the tube.


59 posted on 05/11/2017 3:17:33 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: Mariner

I wish you were right. The cartels are thinking you are wrong. They are back to investing in pot grows. I guess they are thinking the same people that will pay $6 for a fast food dinner instead of making their own at home will pay street dealers for their hits rather than tend to their own plants, growing, watering, fertilizing, cultivating, drying, rolling, whatever.

Sad news because one benefit of legalization was to reduce the power of the drug cartels. Not only are they big in heroin again, now this.


60 posted on 05/11/2017 3:20:09 PM PDT by Yaelle
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