Retro report: Pot factory in Switzerland golden times

[LemonadeJoe]

We had unique opportunity to visit Breeder Steve (Spice of Life) back in 2003 and see his Switzerland grow factory.

Come back to golden times of Switzerland, Lugano, where cannabis was tolerated at the time (almost as liberal as Dutch policy). Government proposal in 2001 introduced unique law reform of narcotics act exempting personal cannabis possession and use from any penalties and also allowed some cultivation and trade for personal use under certain conditions, including provision for licensed retail outlets.

Cannabis was sold by ounces in tea bags in apothecaries as „tea“ ,„dried flowers“ and herb-filled pillows … It was ideal place to produce seeds also…

In Lugano we have been welcomed to Breeder’s Steve factory. Steve was accompanied by Barge, cannabis photographer and Julio, cannabis activist from Mexico. Because we arrived in autumn it was after harvest, so we didn’t have a chance to see his greenshouse operation, only indoor and harvest processing. Number of plants in factory required continuous work with Steve selecting and managing the work for his comrades.

[LemonadeJoe]

Switzerland, the land of the free

[LemonadeJoe]

Lago di Lugano marina

[LemonadeJoe]

Lakes are surrounded by high Alps mountains creating unique micro-climate

[LemonadeJoe]

It is true paradise …

Alps create their own micro-climate, offering palm trees and stunning views of the lake and the Alps. Lugano has humid subtropical climate, at October sun shine is still strong with temperatures above 20C. At summer skiing is possible on glacier snowfields.

[LemonadeJoe]

Many 250W MH lights and few 250W HPS lights in factory are used for tall plants and mothers. Fluorescent tubes for clones and revegging of small plants.

Mother plants of precious Spice of Life genetics

We visited in the autumn, so there were mainly genetics kept in vegetative state and drying buds…

Seeds needed to be extracted from the buds

Buds from greenhouses drying…

We completely missed grow season, but this photos from Steve’s collection shows one of his greenhouses…

Factory backyard was full of left-overs and males

Incredibly frosty blueberry male flowers. Steve explained that for breeding finding the right male is very important and can’t be underestimated.

Revegging in practice, for us it was very surprising to find out that revegging is used also on professional level to save precious genetics.

It takes days and weeks but result is worth it! Rejuvenated plant: new branches are protruding from buds.

Industry grade ventilation through out whole factory

Breeder Steve is a huge fan of aquaponics (guppyponics as he calls it). Unfortunately the aqua room was still under construction (34x 600 HPS and two 1000 litres aquariums).

Hemp tolerant policy was originally designated for farming and exporting technical cannabis. Around 2000 the Netherlands has banned seed production, so many seedbanks moved to the Switzerland. For few years it was glorious time… We have probably visited there in the best years… Year or two later, Breeder Steve has left the Switzerland, because the situation got worse. Police started to notice, they tested fields for cannabinoid percentages and jailed anybody who had anything to do with “drug market”.

[Dee.S73]

great… bring back memories of the countless joints i rolled while Steeve was getting swt seeds from buds in a hallucinogenic afternoon we passed there…
ty for posting it

[MiG]

Beutifull landskapes n thread…

[Dee.S73]

@BreederSteve
This brings back memories…
DS

[BreederSteve]

A blast from the past! Thanks for sharing.

[MiG]

@LemonadeJoe

Alps create their own micro-climate, offering palm trees

…I think ( pictures isent enought close to plants) are not “palmtrees”, are " Palmitos" from Tibet: are used like decorative plants in cold climates. In The DogsHouse ya can see more “Palmitos” but from the wild Mediterranean n Subtropical Spanish varietés, or imported from África/Caribe…

[MiG]

Anyway, very, very beatifull landscapes…

Supongo, @LemonadeJoe, que tanto la orientación Norte-Sur de los valles, como el tener o no un gran lago que actúe de “reserva térmica” como el mar, y que los lagos fuesen de agua mas o menos frías, serian importantes a la hora de cultivar “outdoor” en climas, para mi, tan septentrionales y húmedos…
O me equivoco, y con hinvernaderos y calefacción esto no era tan importante?

I suppose, @LemonadeJoe, that both the north-south orientation of the valleys, whether or not having a large lake acting as a “thermal reserve” like the sea, and that the lakes were more or less cold, would be important to the time to cultivate “outdoor” in climates, for me, so northern and humid …
Or was I wrong, and with greenhouses and heating this was not so important?

[romanoweed]

a hallucinogenic Line once came from Switzerland. Weed was overall Top then, but i got hallucinogenic weed twice. One strain was called vietnam tourist