Cannabis can be of high quality only if it's grown indoors or in a greenhouse. How many times have we heard this? While it's certainly true that indoor or greenhouse cannabis can achieve very high quality levels, this doesn't necessarily mean that other modes of production cannot yield equally high-quality cannabis. Obviously, growing cannabis in a greenhouse – and even more so indoors – allows a grower to be significantly more shielded from the weather, providing plants with a near-perfect growing environment. On top of that, pest pressure can certainly be more manageable compared to growing cannabis outdoors. However, what if a region has the perfect environment, climate, and so on, to grow cannabis outdoors without the need to set up a flashy cultivation facility?
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Strictly outdoor
Based in southern Okanagan, British Columbia, McIntyre Creek Cannabis grows its plants strictly outdoors. "This is some of the best land for outdoor cannabis," says Colin Davison from McIntyre Creek Cannabis. "Cannabis has been grown illicitly in this region for more than 70 years. There's a long history of cannabis here. We get hot, dry summers, with favorable winds and good moisture levels in the fall, with cool evenings. It's very similar to California, and just like there, you can find a lot of wineries and orchards here. Cannabis likes to grow where fruit and wine typically grow – as long as you grow on land that hasn't had any prior pesticide use, as this is a strict requirement and would fail the flower on subsequent lab tests."
"We decided to grow outdoor cannabis because we're from this region and had access to pristine land that has been in a single family's name since the 1800s. To be honest, outdoor cannabis, if grown in the right region, can be as good as greenhouse-grown product – or better. We've proven that – we just heard back from our German buyers, and they said our product is better than most greenhouse-grown cannabis. That's because we grow in the perfect climate. There are natural nutrients in the soil, we use fresh rainwater, full of nutrients and microorganisms that make growing cannabis ideal. No matter how much you may manipulate the climate in a greenhouse, if you grow properly in the right region outdoor, you can achieve the same quality – if not better. One of the top flower processors in the EU told us that our cannabis exceeded other greenhouse-grown flowers.
Just because one has land doesn't automatically mean they can grow high-quality outdoor cannabis. "A huge challenge is humidity and coastal regions. Bugs are also a major issue in places like Thailand or island regions. We certainly face the risk of bad weather, like all farmers. We have to ensure our water source is stable. We do heavy quality control. Many people try and fail to grow outdoor in non-ideal regions and quickly learn that you cannot grow cannabis in all areas, just like you can't grow oranges in Finland outdoors"
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"We have a drone that helps us search for males and detect health issues on plants. We've invested in tech to grow our crop and ensure it's stable." That's a true necessity for outdoor growers like Colin, as they only have one harvest per year. "That's why it's important that we do a lot of genetics testing."
The right genetics for outdoor production
That part of the operation is indeed quite intense, according to Colin. Not only do they conduct rigorous pheno hunting, but once they settle on a phenotype, they grow 100 plants of each to better understand how they perform during cultivation. Only the best of those are eventually grown at scale. "It's not only a matter of looking at how much THC they have, but also – and especially – how much they yield, and how resistant to pests and diseases they are. Our flower is exported to Europe, where standards are very stringent, so there's little to no room for mistakes if you want to play in that game."
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And the EU is one of the most promising medical cannabis markets in the world, so it's not surprising that Colin and McIntyre Creek Cannabis have been laser-focused on tackling this space. "Demand is very high in Germany. Next to that, Slovenia and Poland are coming online, and the UK is getting more organized – demand is growing there as well."
However, that doesn't mean the local market in Canada isn't thriving. "It's going really well now," Colin points out. "Canadian regulations are getting more streamlined. I expect to see a similar trend in Europe, where regulations will make doing cannabis business much easier, opening up more opportunities for growers that are efficient and produce high quality like us."
For more information:
McIntyre Creek Cannabis
(403) 910-6626
info@McIntyreCreek.com
mcintyrecreek.com