New York jumps in growth with Outdoor Grows Upstate |

New York is finally starting to sell recreational cannabis after years of back and forth and rolling back antiquated and racist drug laws. Now the industry is booming, and some of the first 203 cannabis growers to receive recreational licenses are beginning to grow. And plot twist: The first of these is outdoors.

Not what you would expect from New York, but it’s peak weather wise. Indoor growers are expected to join in soon, but for now, growers like Frank Popolizio of Homestead Farms and Ranch are starting their outdoor crops.

“It’s an opportunity. There will obviously be a demand for it,” Popolizio tells the Press Herald. “And hopefully it will benefit farmers. It’s been a long time since there’s been a real cash crop.”

Outdoor growers are legally allowed to grow due to their “conditional grower” licenses, which allow them to grow up to an acre of cannabis outdoors. They are also allowed to grow part of their crops in greenhouses. The license is valid for two years and they can sell their cannabis to legal dispensaries.

Involving these small farmers and growers helps the state remain committed to creating a diverse and equitable cannabis industry. Coupled with this move, the first licenses to sell cannabis in the state will go to people with cannabis convictions and their relatives.

“There is a market that we are building for small players, for large players, for mid-sized players, for family businesses and also for large corporations,” said Chris Alexander, executive director of the State Office of Cannabis Management. “We believe it will be sufficient to provide primary care for our pharmacy locations that we are bringing into service.”

Most cannabis currently grown in greenhouses and outdoors is converted into products like edibles and vapes, but some are sold as smokable bud. While cannabis grown outdoors can sometimes contain less THC than plants grown indoors, growing outdoors definitely has its advantages.

“It’s called sun-grown marijuana,” says breeder Moke Mokotoff of Claverack Creek Farm in the Hudson Valley. “And a lot of aficionados just like the way it smokes better.”

Additionally, growing cannabis outdoors under the sun also uses less energy than energy-intensive indoor grows, making it appealing to many more eco-conscious individuals. It also means that cannabis can often be sold at lower prices.

However, there is another setback: weed thieves. For this reason, outdoor crops in New York are currently surrounded by electric fences. Most fences also have motion detectors, cameras and extra security just in case.

Thanks to these outdoor grows, the industry has gotten off to a somewhat slow start for now. The big surge in production will come from indoor growers, especially those already growing medicinal cannabis indoors. Additional licenses are pending and additional licenses will be offered in early 2023. Many are already ready and willing to take advantage of it.

One of these key players will be Green Thumb Industries, originally a Chicago-based company. They are building a facility that will occupy nearly 11 acres in a former prison. It will produce a wide range of products and serve much of the state, making this the 15th state in which the company is located.

“New Yorkers have watched the industry blossom from the sidelines,” said CEO Ben Kovler, “and have high expectations for the upcoming adult market.”

It remains to be seen how much the industry will prioritize these small farmers and disadvantaged traders and how much will be taken over by these small businesses, but at least for now, outdoor cannabis growers are getting some weight.