Perfect for autumn family adventures and first dates, pick-your-own produce is one of the few ways ordinary folks are able to connect with farms. Whether berries, pumpkins, apples or potatoes, a pick-your-own operation also helps the farmer pick up on some significant cost savings. Because it takes a bite out of the staggering 30-40% of American-produced food that’s wasted, it’s great for the environment, too. So, then, does pick-your-own have a place in the craft cannabis industry?
Pick-Your-Own: A History
In order to truly understand the u-pick model, let’s take a look at its history. In 1907, the first advertisements appeared, offering “a novel, fascinating experience.” By the early 1920s, as more people lived in cities—a majority of the U.S. population for the first time in history—picking one’s own food in a rural setting became more appealing.
It became common to find newspaper classifieds filled with lists—plums, potatoes, green beans, grapes—available to be picked on a Sunday afternoon. Not only providing an idyllic experience, these pick-your-own (PYO) opportunities became more of a necessity for farmers. During WWI, higher yields were everything and unfortunately, tilling and advanced plant sciences kicked in as the conflicts ended, resulting in surpluses when they were no longer needed.
Often, it was cheaper to leave unsold produce on branches or in the ground, letting them decay instead of demanding additional labor costs. Of all the decisions a modern-day farmer is made to face, this one is still included. From the 1960s onward, PYOs became part of the business plan—particularly because it reduces costs, welcomes public engagement, reaches new customers, and reduces waste.
What About Pick-Your-Own Cannabis?
These enjoyment and economic benefits are those that would certainly be found with pick-your-own cannabis. Undoubtedly, the opportunity to see outdoor cannabis cultivation first-hand to reap one’s own bounty would be met with enthusiasm. Then there’s the farmers. Faced with the fact that harvest costs take a lot of the pie when it comes to expenses and gleanings are often not… well, gleaned, surely this would be economically beneficial.
Imagine a farm where the top kolas could be harvested and the low-value smalls picked by u-pickers instead of being left on the plant to rot...
It’s likely that distributor tax benefits will continue to stand in the way of Sunday pick-your-own cannabis festivals. But the cannabis plant itself is starting to make its way into this world. In recent years, the first pick your own hemp farm emerged, followed by many other non-psychoactive and high-CBD craft cannabis farms.
Legal issues stand in the way for the >0.3% THC-containing version to join, but if there’s anything to know about the cannabis industry, it’s that it’s always evolving. Maybe pick-your-own pot won’t just be a dream for much longer. Until then, take advantage of our Simply Clean certified cannabis by setting up a wholesale account.