The General
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Canada - Southwestern Nova Scotia's mild climate is ideal for growing all kinds of things, including melons and peaches, says a temperature and solar radiation study. But one important cash crop poised to gain in national importance has been left off the list until now, marijuana. Fields of medical marijuana, nurtured by the warm South Shore climate or huge indoor grow-ops, could prove to be a real enhancement to Shelburne's economy, said a town councillor.
Roy O'Donnell has served a notice of motion to have Shelburne town council vote later this month on whether to invite Canada's first licensed medical weed grower to visit the region to consider a possible expansion. "The climate here is a better climate for growing than in the Annapolis Valley," O'Donnell said about the Shelburne locale. He said there is at least 20 more frost-free days in the Shelburne area than in other study locations, which would also help.
"They recommended that it would be a good area for growing peaches, high-bush blueberries and grapes," O'Donnell said of the study, headed up by the Applied Geomatics Research Group in Middleton, part of Nova Scotia Community College. The study's authors didn't mention marijuana, though. And if a company were to prefer growing their grass indoors, Shelburne has the perfect answer. "We have a number of buildings, not just in the town, but in the area."
They are privately owned but would surely become available to potential tenants, suggested O'Donnell. One example includes the former provincial juvenile reformatory complex – the Nova Scotia School for Boys, with a huge recreation centre sitting empty. "There's lots of land, and we have empty buildings," O'Donnell said. "There's a giant gym ... just sitting there. Let's use some of this stuff." It could conceivably become one of Canada's largest legal indoor grow-ops, just a stone's throw from downtown Shelburne, O'Donnell said.
He said his idea is not original. Other municipal councillors in the region have discussed the possibility of attracting legal marijuana growers, but he wanted to write right away. He filed notice Nov. 13 and the matter will be dealt with Wednesday. The company O'Donnell wants to reach out to is CanniMed Ltd. of Saskatoon.
"We're going to ask them to consider the Shelburne area to grow medical marijuana." The cost of doing business in Shelburne may be more economical than other parts of Canada, he said. On its website, the new company said it has been awarded one of the first licensed producer designations under Health Canada's marijuana for medical purposes regulations. Data from the recently concluded three-year study focused on Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Queens and Lunenburg counties.
The Applied Geomatics Research Group took the lead in measuring temperature and solar radiation at 42 weather stations. The warmest areas in 2012 were Shelburne and Bridgewater, both of which had the highest heat accumulations, the study concluded. These zones would be great for growing "winter-sensitive crops," the study said. Also of note, the Yarmouth area had a frost-free period of up to three weeks longer than other study zones. "A minimum of five years data is thought to be necessary to provide confident assessment of season-to-season variability," the report said.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Thechronicleherald.ca
Author: Brian Medal
Contact: Contact Us | The Chronicle Herald
Website: Shelburne climate right for medical marijuana | The Chronicle Herald
Roy O'Donnell has served a notice of motion to have Shelburne town council vote later this month on whether to invite Canada's first licensed medical weed grower to visit the region to consider a possible expansion. "The climate here is a better climate for growing than in the Annapolis Valley," O'Donnell said about the Shelburne locale. He said there is at least 20 more frost-free days in the Shelburne area than in other study locations, which would also help.
"They recommended that it would be a good area for growing peaches, high-bush blueberries and grapes," O'Donnell said of the study, headed up by the Applied Geomatics Research Group in Middleton, part of Nova Scotia Community College. The study's authors didn't mention marijuana, though. And if a company were to prefer growing their grass indoors, Shelburne has the perfect answer. "We have a number of buildings, not just in the town, but in the area."
They are privately owned but would surely become available to potential tenants, suggested O'Donnell. One example includes the former provincial juvenile reformatory complex – the Nova Scotia School for Boys, with a huge recreation centre sitting empty. "There's lots of land, and we have empty buildings," O'Donnell said. "There's a giant gym ... just sitting there. Let's use some of this stuff." It could conceivably become one of Canada's largest legal indoor grow-ops, just a stone's throw from downtown Shelburne, O'Donnell said.
He said his idea is not original. Other municipal councillors in the region have discussed the possibility of attracting legal marijuana growers, but he wanted to write right away. He filed notice Nov. 13 and the matter will be dealt with Wednesday. The company O'Donnell wants to reach out to is CanniMed Ltd. of Saskatoon.
"We're going to ask them to consider the Shelburne area to grow medical marijuana." The cost of doing business in Shelburne may be more economical than other parts of Canada, he said. On its website, the new company said it has been awarded one of the first licensed producer designations under Health Canada's marijuana for medical purposes regulations. Data from the recently concluded three-year study focused on Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Queens and Lunenburg counties.
The Applied Geomatics Research Group took the lead in measuring temperature and solar radiation at 42 weather stations. The warmest areas in 2012 were Shelburne and Bridgewater, both of which had the highest heat accumulations, the study concluded. These zones would be great for growing "winter-sensitive crops," the study said. Also of note, the Yarmouth area had a frost-free period of up to three weeks longer than other study zones. "A minimum of five years data is thought to be necessary to provide confident assessment of season-to-season variability," the report said.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Thechronicleherald.ca
Author: Brian Medal
Contact: Contact Us | The Chronicle Herald
Website: Shelburne climate right for medical marijuana | The Chronicle Herald
