Field Tripping.

Took myself on a little field trip to the local hydro store today. I needed a grow light to start my new spring seeds indoors. I was pretty amazed after I found the front door (after walking around two sides of the building) and walked in. Just dudes of all ages standing around “bro’ing” it up in ultra bright commercial light buying five gallon sized containers of PH up and down, flora grow, and even cosmically colorful bags of organic bat guano. I have to admit that everything in the store was pretty well merchandized (If not a little temporary feeling) and the graphics were great! Even I at that moment wanted to come back here to buy my gardening stuff. But then, I’m not a weed grower. The brahs in front of me at the counter rang in $875 in plant food alone.

Why does marijuana make me so paranoid? When I was in college my next-door neighbors got busted for growing in their basement. I drove into my driveway just minutes after the bust. My neighbor was handcuffed and crying sitting on her front porch, while the police were putting Eric into the paddy wagon. Things were pretty grim.  Back then the city of Portland had a “Drug Free Zone” around the city limit which included the block our houses were located. After their jail time, they had to move and stay outside of the Portland city limits for fear of violating their parole. I eventually moved myself, so I don’t know if they ever moved back.

Living in Sonoma County, it seems like everyone grows weed. When someone pulls out his stash, it’s not a film canister (I think these don’t exist anymore) but a choice of different strains of weed in gallon sized freezer bags. And just driving down the 101 south today I passed two billboards advertising medical marijuana evaluations. It seems like the thing to do doesn’t it?  It would certainly bring in more money per pound than the lettuce starts I just planted? And hydro stores are popping up in every CA zip code. But I wouldn’t want to grow weed. I’m just too paranoid.