Fields of green

Pot growers hit the vineyard

By Caroline Cummins

August 28, 2008

Back in July, the New Yorker ran an article about California’s medical-marijuana economy, including portraits of the dope growers living, literally, on the fringe in northern California. Now here’s the latest innovation in pot agriculture: stashing your seedlings in vineyards.

As the Seattle Times recently reported, “Growers are planting in vineyards because they provide camouflage, irrigation water, and easier access . . . Why trek all the way into isolated forests to hide the plants, when such handy camouflage is available in the Yakima Valley?”

Alas, for those hoping to soon buy wine boasting that it features “hints of cannabis,” the most popular grape so far for ganja growing is the Concord grape, better known for its dominance of the grape-juice-and-jelly industry. The reason? Concord grapes provide lusher shade.