A marijuana tale from Appalachia..

[kentuck]

One of the very first marijuana growers in Appalachia that I know about, at least in my home county, had come back from Vietnam in 1967 and brought some seeds with him. He planted them up at Straight Creek near an old hog pen. He and a friend sat in the floor after chopping it down and rolled up a joint while they were working on it and they realized that they were unable to get up. They were paralyzed. They decided they would take it up to Detroit and sell it. It gained a reputation in the Motor City.

The grower was a good friend of mine and was the epitome of a "hippie" at that time. He had hitch-hiked to California and back to Kentucky several times until he was finally able to buy a small Volkswagen. Of course, he always had his blue-tinted Lennon shades with him and would always stop by my place because he knew I had just returned from Vietnam myself. He later became a traveling evangelist and passed away just in the last 6 months.

But, at that time, you could not give away marijuana in Appalachia. They were a land of boozers. So, as far as I know, this was one of the very first marijuana growers in the state and perhaps, in the entire country. Gradually, over a number of years, the entire area was turned on to the "weed". They planted their seeds everywhere. Even Grandmas were growing it.

Then the Feds moved in during the war on drugs, in 1the 1980 and '90's, they were everywhere in the county. So many of the users and growers migrated across the line into Tennessee and started growing down there. They were serious growers.

This was all happening before it exploded in California as a cash crop. The Feds, a few years ago, were hauling bales of marijuana from mountain tops with helicopters. They knew it was a serious problem at that time. And they have been cracking down on the growers ever since.

Then the growers started making ATV trails all over the mountains to get to their crops. It was impossible for the Feds to keep up. They simply did not have the manpower. Now we have the incident down in Clay County but we do not know if it related to drugs or marijuana or something else. But this may help your perspective?

[MNDemNY]

1. Do you really think that

growers would hang his body as opposed to burying it? Wopuld they really want the attention?

[kentuck]

3. Yes.

They would relish the attention. This is a misconception to think otherwise.

[MNDemNY]

4. Why?

[kentuck]

7. It's part of the culture

and nature of the people. Some of them love outlaws.

[MNDemNY]

9. But, from what I know..

of the Scotch-Irish in those hills, would they not be more apt to want to lay low and out of sight?Or are you asserting that the growers are not the traditional locals?

[SIMPLYB1980]

12. I don't think you know a single person who grows pot.

Growers relish attention? :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

The second that happens they go here.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090518/ARTICLES/905189986?Title=Lake-County-pot-grower-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison

A Lake County man who pushed the boundaries of medical marijuana laws by growing more than 20,000 pot plants in plain view was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison.

A state drug enforcement agent uproots marijuana plants at Charles "Eddy" Lepp's medical marijuana farm along Highway 20 in August
U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Patel ordered Charles “Eddy” Lepp, 56, to turn himself in to federal authorities July 6, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Hall.

His supporters, outraged and upset, wept in the courtroom as Patel handed down the sentence, said Lepp’s assistant, Rachel Cohen.

[uncle ray]

2. it's perfectly clear now.

you are obviously a responsible party to the death of a federal agent. and my addiction to the devil weed.

[kentuck]

5. I cannot escape my youthful indiscretions and I apologize.

For any responsibility I might hold.

[gatorboy]

8. So you're saying that you know for a fact that these folks you know of are capable of murder?

:shrug:

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

17. Every adult I know is capable of murder.

:shrug:

[vadawg]

18. also a lot of the youths ive dealt with are more than capable and some have committed

one mans murder is another mans business decision...

[alfredo]

6. When they cracked down on moonshine, they grew pot, when

they cracked down on pot, they went with crank or oxycontin. If you can't find work, you can give up or go into business for yourself.

We should legalize pot and assign a base like we did with tobacco. There should be a maximum base to prevent monopolies dominating the market. Individuals can grow small amounts for personal use.

[izquierdista]

10. A TALL tale

Yes, the most dangerous weapon that the narcotrafficers have is the rope. Forget 9mms, .45s, Uzis, AK-47s, 12 gauges, and various other pistols and rifles. No, when someone stumbles upon them, they automatically go for the rope.

[SIMPLYB1980]

11. This speculation is useless.nt

[mdmc]

13. ..

[vadawg]

14. dude i get what you are saying, a lot of people on DU dont get the mountain thing

most of my neighbours have stills and i wouldnt be surprised to find weed growing in the mountains either, your right about the outlaw mentality that pervades a lot of the appalachia and surrounds. One thing i know for sure though my neighbours know im the law they have no problem with me as they see sheriffs as part of the fabric of america and constitutional but the hatred of the feds is legendary and real obvious...

[asdjrocky]

15. Dude, if this has to do with them hanging that guy-

then I'm calling total BS. I've been very, very closely associated with growers all my life, I'm soon to be 50, and yes I'm one of those people who made a living off of it for several years. No way anyone with a grow show going on calls attention to their plot by doing something like this.

NO FUCKING WAY. How stupid would you have to be to want Feds crawling all over the place looking for evidence.

This post wins the BS post of the year in my informed opinion.

[vadawg]

16. no idea what sort of operation you had going, but a lot of the grows that are popping up

are being run by the street gangs and cartels nowadays, its no longer mom and pop operations hence when we go looking for them we tend to go with more firepower just in case the growers are home. Not sure if growers killed the census worker or not, havent seen the case notes so i dont have an opinion on this case.

[asdjrocky]

19. There is no fucking way growers killed that census taker.

No way. I'm not saying I haven't known some growers who will protect their show at all costs, but the idea is to hang onto the grow. Not to call attention to yourself.

Anyone that even half believes this is a possibility is showing himself to be a true idiot. You don't kill someone while your doing something clandestine and then run the corpse up the fucking flag pole. Come on man, get a fucking clue.

Edit to add-

Cops, dea, or anyone that takes part in the raiding of pot grows are just adding to the problem, and I can't believe someone that claims to have your experience would believe any of this. I doubt you're even a cop.

[vadawg]

20. you still dont get it do you, the guys growing nowadays are not your mom and pops

we are talking about hardcore gangbangers and cartels, you think these guys give a fuck about the feds or locals, i dont know if this dude was killed by growers or meth makers but thats why im the cop and your the idiot on the intrenets, im not ruling anything out without seeing the evidence either way...

[asdjrocky]

21. I could take you to 10 grows right now.

Not one is run by the mod, or a cartel. Go ahead and think I'm an idiot, but you have no fucking idea what you are talking about. Maybe in another state than Ca, but man, that just does not go on. And I've seen no evidence of it going on anywhere else in the country.

And as far as you being a cop, buddy you sure don't think like one. Oh wait, maybe you do.

Why are they growing? As a hobby? Just for fun? NO. It's to make money. And if by what you say it's gangs, or cartels, then wouldn't they have a boss??? And wouldn't the boss love them calling attention to themselves.

A five year old can take apart your logic here. And again, if you take parts in raids on pot grows, then you should know this. I'm surprised at your willingness to show that you don't.

[subcomhd]

22. "I could take you to 10 grows right now." he says to the cop. roflmfao

[asdjrocky]

No, I said that to someone who "said" he's a cop.

And by the way, all grows in CA are legal. Get used to it.

[subcomhd]

26. well if you are basing your experience on NCal legal (sort of) grows

it's apples and oranges.

[vadawg]

23. lol your understanding of gangs is phenomonal, you got to stop watching top cat

as i said i dont know if it was drug related but im sure as hell not going to rule it out without any evidence, you see thats what we do we look at the evidence..

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n875/a05.html
http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs/653/marijuan.htm

just two links to gangs and violence and the grows in california for you...

[asdjrocky]

24. The Feds push this shit because it's money in their pockets.

Need another helicopter? Blame the gangs. Need some cool new guns? Just toss some of these shotguns in a grow and that will give cause.

Dude, I've seen it happen. It's all about the money and about making people afraid. You can keep your links because I know they are bullshit. You believe the propaganda, I've seen the real world.

[vadawg]

28. yup and just like your avatar you were blind to the real world you saw

i understand you want to defend your pot growing friends but you got to realise as im sure they do, they are in competition with nasty fuckers, you think they are unaware of the gang element to growing and dealing..

[asdjrocky]

30. Dealing pot?

Sure they are. Keep clicking your heels together and you might just get home Dorthy. Your talking propaganda, but I think you know that.

[asdjrocky]

31. Oh yeah, I think Ray saw the real world just fine too.

[vadawg]

32. lol i guess the gangs in LA that are killing each other and innocents in the crossfire

are just psy ops by the man in order to get more shiny shit..... the level of blinkers sometimes scares me..

[asdjrocky]

33. Keep talking what you and I both know is nothing but crap.

I expect little else from you.

[kentuck]

25. I've heard that you should grow three crops...

one for the cops, one for the thieves, and one for yourself.

[vadawg]

29. yup the one for yourself should be extremely well hidden.. :)

[Romulox]

27. Sooo...the rambling OP is the product of some who is AGAINST drugs?

:shrugs: