By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The (Longview) Daily News spoke with one of the several individuals in Lewis County who are hoping to become licensed cultivators of the soon-to-be legitimate cash crop, marijuana.
Brandon Milton, 39, a Seattle developer who owns 30 acres in Vader tells news reporter Tony Lystra he’s picturing $21 million in gross revenues annually from growing and processing the plant adjacent to his German car parts warehouse at Atlas Road and that he has applied for three such licenses from the state.
Six locations around Lewis County are among those identified last week by the state as seeking producer licenses since Nov. 18, the beginning of a 30-day period for applications.
There is no limit to the number of producer and processor licenses which will be granted, however the retailer licenses will be capped, according to the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
Wannabe growers locally so far, are:
• Forbidden Farms, 201 Boistfort-Winlock Road, Chehalis
• Aaron’s Original, 177 Rarey Road, Winlock
• Nivia Enterprises, 142 Blake Road, Toledo
• Triple K Ranch, 757 Spencer Road, Toledo
• Evergreen Nirvana, 501 Boone Road, Ethel
• Warehouse 420, 21847 Lee Road, Centralia
For further details about the emerging marijuana market, check highlights of adopted rules from Washington State Liquor Control Board.
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CORRECTION: This has been updated to correctly reflect the location for the Forbidden Farms license request.
I think I would have an objection to having a microbrewer next to my farm, so I think having a pot supplier would also be undesirable. Would feel like they are a target for possible break ins and theft. And the smell has changed over the years… what I’ve smelled wafting off of users is a skunk smell or the smell of mildewy laundry. If a grow operation smelled like either one, I would not want it next door. Just as I don’t like some smells (like hops) associated with making beer.
If I could tell that someone is an alcoholic or addict (using during work would qualify either, in my mind), then no, I also would not hire them. I pay for fully functioning employees, anyone not willing to be fully cognizant would not be on my short list to be hired.
I’ll admit that math was never my strong point. After doing vectors on a slide rule, I moved on to other pursuits. So maybe I’m missing something here. How does an increase in the availability of an impairing substance improve our lives here in the neighborhood where it’s sold? How do you get to “More psychoactive drugs on the street = a better life, neighborhood, or economy?”
Must be that new math I heard about.
Still offended I see…. and name calling. I guess that’s how you cope. Maybe since you’re so angry you need to go spark up a doobie. In the future you should read more closely and see that I NEVER said I hated potheads, I just won’t hire them. Good Bye.
Only a loser with no life of their own seeks to discriminate against people.
Bigots come up with all kinds of reasons to be assholes.
Hating pot smokers is just one of them.
Larry Butler.. Wow name calling, did I hit a nerve? Are you a weed- lover who has no ambition in life? If not why are you so offended. Hmmm.
Dopers or sobers??? And smelling like cat piss??? Ammonia does that, and that smell is meth related, not pot related. I am not a “toker” I just see narrow minded idiotic complaints from people who are too uninformed to think a state ran pot farm will drive up drug deals. That’s back as awards thinking! As far as hiring employees goes, every employer has the right to either hire people who smoke Mary Jane, or not. But it won’t and doesn’t matter. It is legal now, get over yourselves and stop whining about it. I agree with Larry Butler Fan. Some people still think it’s a drug, nasty one, like other drugs. I don’t agree with that. But I’m not a smoker or a user. Just someone who sees others acting like its a big deal, and that it’s going to make things worse. It could, but most likely not. Pull your heads out of your asses and look at this from a perspective where you aren’t judging, assuming, and flat out disrespecting others and the new laws. Bye!!!
“it’s not customer friendly to go around glassy eyed and smelling like cat piss all the time. Even if your not sparking up at work, the smell and lazy attitude follow you everywhere.”
I won’t hire a self-righteous neer-do-well with a superiority complex who enjoys judging other based on their own mistaken perception of the world around them.
I won’t hire bigots.
Nothing drives business away like a pot-hating bigot who thinks they’re better than everybody else.
No thanks!!
Dope, Mayjuana, Pot, Wacky Tabacky or Weed…whatever you call it …If you smoke it or toke it you WILL NOT work for my company. Not only is it a drug but it’s not customer friendly to go around glassy eyed and smelling like cat piss all the time. Even if your not sparking up at work, the smell and lazy attitude follow you everywhere.
“…I think your blowing HOT air out your ass! The stupidity of some people amazes me! SMH!!!”
The feeling is mutual, just articulated at a different level of intelligence.
Rather than resorting to such harsh and personal attacks to those whom do you disagree, just wait and see how it all looks by this time next year. That ought to be an obtainable goal even for you; no?
Besides, it would make for a good follow-up story. “One year later, who was right, the Dopers or the Sobers?”
I don’t think these pot farms will increase drug activity and dealing. They want to grow for the state ran stores. Do you really think they would do anything stupid enough to lose the money they could make?? And how does a legal by state drug increase drug activity??? Free Air, I think your blowing HOT air out your ass! The stupidity of some people amazes me! SMH!!!
Yep, Nothing like drug deals to spiffy up the neighborhood in to a ‘hood.
If you think Centralia and Chehalis have drug problem, you’ve not seen anything yet!
Bring em on!! I think the Centralia area will definetly benefit from it!! There’s lots of money to be made , and pumped into the economy!!! It’s 4:20!!