THAT part is over. The part with the sending documents and waiting and modifying those documents and waiting and having an inspection and waiting and having a follow-up inspection and waiting to submit for another set of documents and inspections. Done. We accomplished some really cool stuff to make this happens and the statistics that describe our situation honestly seem fake.
We are one of the first 70 licensed cannabis businesses in Minnesota's history. We're the first licensed recreational cultivator in the Seven-County Metro. We pulled off what I think is proving to be a really challenging feat - we found a location that could/would host a dispensary AND a grow operation AND get local approval.
We weren't social equity candidates (despite honest efforts), we don't have big bank accounts (all of our money came from essentially crowdsourcing our friends/family, thanks guys), we didn't know anybody at OCM (and couldn't get a hold of them forever), and we didn't have any influence in any level of government. We're all just regular ass people.
You'll hear a lot of negativity about how small businesses are being shut out or how it's impossible to make this happen as a little guy and I'm not here to minimize that because it's important to amplify some of the blockages. However, I will say that you can make way more happen than you think if you're really willing to risk everything and put everything into something.
We filled out all those documents ourselves. We made those SOPs ourselves. We did the digging and the research and made the decisions and held the inspections and filed the permits ourselves. We didn't (couldn't afford to) pay a single person a single penny to help us with any of it. Every one of our team members contributed in one way or another and every one of us is just a regular ass person.
This is where I'm done talking about it because it feels like showboating but it's all true and I'm fucking proud of it.
Sasha and I took about 180 clones on Saturday, November 1st. A handful are showing good roots today. Our METRC tags (state-issued plant tracking tags) are supposed to arrive later this week which will be perfect timing for us to be about ready to tag/transplant. We're growing in temporary setups (read: big grow tents) for now - again, we're not rich and grow rooms are expensive. Our weed will still be amazing. It will be available (depending on test timelines) in late February-early March. Our first 8 strains will be Frozen Blueberries, Gorilla Glue, Gorilla Breath, Maraschino, Dante's Inferno, Permanent Chimera, Blockberry, and Lemon Slam, and we've got a lot more fun ones that will follow very shortly after the first drop.
I'm currently working with OCM to ensure we're compliant in selling clones. However, I expect to have at least a couple of those 8 strains available for purchase some time next week. We'll have about 18-20 strains available in clone form some time over the next few weeks. Tell your friends!
That's it for me today. Good luck to any candidates reading this. It takes forever but it's happening.