"Ganja tours"

In my first post I asked about the these tours and only got a couple responses. I will be in Negril on March 20th but only for 4 days...I know...I know. First timer to international travel. Anyway, My best bud and I are avid smokers and we originally had questions about obtaining good product but that worry quickly subsided with a bit of research. So the last remaining bit of uncertainty surrounds these ganja tours. As I said I have gotten a little bit of information but nothing first hand and the only legit reason I have been given is to not waste my time with such a short stay. Others say it "sounds" like a bad idea. I see how it could definitely be sketchy but the few things I find online seem legit and were not bad experiences. If this is a possibility and relatively safe this would be our one for sure tour to go on! Can anyone help me please?

Ganja is an illegal substance in Jamaica, tough to be a"legit" tour. When you partake I strongly suggest it be in an environment that you control. Just my .02 cents

BuckeyeJeff.....you sound like someone I know from DC who frequents Rhino bar to watch the Buckeyes. I'm not too familiar with the tours but you should go to Jenny's Restaurant which is also a Country Western Bar and ask for a special brownie. Try not to have too much fun.

Had many a farmer try to get me to see his grow op, did go with a few to check it out. (for a fee of course) Most had 10 - 15 plants in various stages of growth, not all that impressive. Never went on a formal "ganja tour", but every one selling it and their brother claim to grow and sell the best, and will be glad to show you for a fee.

The best way to do it to preserve your own well-being is to approach someone who works at a particular place, like a wood carver or a shop keep, and ask him to guide you. Most rasta-types are happy to do so for a small fee. This way, you will know his name and where he works, so there is some security in getting in a cab and heading off to a field. There are a lot of them close by. I've done it a few times, and it's fun.

J, Damn am I that transparent? lol. Haven't been to the Rhino in a while...
I've done a decent amount of research and Jenny's Cakes is a must on our list, as is Ted's shroom boom and Mrs Browns!

Now it's not fair that you know me and I do not know you...you must reveal yourself when I see you next! Tell Stwarka I said what's up ;)

gerry, Thanks for the first hand knowledge. Good stuff man, good stuff!

we did the tour, not impressed, i do a better job gardening in Canada, soon come

Try going to Youtube websites:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyaKiWkHFlc and: search Urban Grower on youtube. Urban Grower has several videos on his trips to JA and the different strains. email him and he may also have info on field tours. The first video is done by Strain Hunters, while they were in JA, very interesting. check it out.
Have a great time.

don't get rolled lol

Thank you Navvet!!!! You are awesome!!!

I don’t smoke. My cousin and I went out of total curiosity. We didn’t know what to expect nor did we ask any questions. Had a couple of red stripes and chatted as we traveled the beautiful scenic route to our destination. The drive was about 20 minutes.

Finally arrived. Met the “farmer”. Very handsome man just about to exit his 20’s. He found us to be “safe” so we were allowed to “tour” his plantation. The fee was $20 but would have been free if we were purchasing.

It was a twenty minute walk through deep bush. Passing livestock. Carefully stepping where he stepped to avoid traps and pits. Easing this large frame of mine through webs of barbed wire made getting scratched up unavoidable.

This particular owner farmed about an acre and the crop was bountiful.

We stood in the midst of thick, green stalks taller than me. I’m 5ft 4. He patiently showed us how they start out. Pointing to seedlings just sprouting in individual cups lined on a long wooden table. Then transported to plots nestled inside the circular enclosure of old truck tires. He spoke about the different “strains” and “potencies”. I got to stretch out my arms and hold a weighty “cluster of buds”, according to him, street value of about $27,000US

I was allowed to take all the pictures I wanted of the product and of him.

On the way back to the taxi, he told me why he chose this business, the dangers involved and the extreme measures he takes to protect himself from other “farmers” and the law. That conversation should have been enough for me to remove touring a plantation from my “list of things to do while in Jamaica.” But it wasn’t.

The second, and last, experience was completely different. This time, another driver I knew reasonably well, promised me I would be “impressed”…and protected so I went. The owner, handsome, mid 40’s and mean. He only let me stay and “tour” because the taxi driver was his cousin and one of his most profitable salesman. I was forbidden to take pictures of anything especially the young men standing guard, clutching their own personal M16.

This owner has his product secured over many acres. Impressed??? Hell, I was too scared to be impressed. My first “tour” was like walking through a well maintained garden. This was straight out of a dark gansta movie. That’s all I can share about that experience.

Yeah, those videos of endless smoke will get you hyped for true, but what you don’t see is the security they have at their back or the money they paid to be there. But I learned from experience not to take these “plantation tours” lightly. It’s a serious industry there.

Sure…as mentioned, some of the local distributors/hustlers will lead you to believe that they will take you on a tour of a real field, instead you might end up looking in disbelief at a tiny patch or some stalks growing out of clay pots sitting in their grandmothers back yard. Yet you’ll be charged plenty and maybe forced to buy their low grade trash. However, the likelihood of finding yourself face to face with heart-pounding danger is also present.

Again, and this is the key, unless you KNOW the hook-up and/or the recommendation are on the real, you are taking a big chance of being disappointed, robbed, hurt or killed.

Since this is your first visit, I suggest you get to know as much as you can about the runnings as you puff a spliff from the safety of a lounger or bar stool. Then if or when you return to Jamaica and are still interested in touring a plantation you’ll be a little more knowledgeable about setting it up.

I've been on a few tours of gardens ranging from 100 plants to one the size of two football fields. In most cases the gardens belonged to friends of mine or close friends of friends of mine.....touring a strangers garden is not my thing at all. Learning about different strains, growing methods, nutes/ferts, paying off the police and stuff is interesting but yawn it get a old as a "tour".

A few tips....don't go online posting about everything you pass going to the tour location, don't post ganja pictures with backgrounds like water towers or mountains....a blind idiot can look at some of the pictures floating around on the net and know the grow locations. Don't post the growers pic....some are not that web savy and don't know that the whole world including the police know they have a garden.

Oh....pro tip....if you go and tour and are welcomed to touch and feel......the black stuff on your hand is finger hash...ball that stuff up and smoke away! Oh, prolly don't buy on a tour.....not worth the risk driving around with herb....it's still not legal.

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Just not that hard to find

Thanks guys! Good advice for sure. I don't plan on posting anything while I'm there and probably not at all so no worries there.

To make things easier, of the five or six cabbies with whom I've associated on past reports, all of them can you help you out, and they're all totally trustworthy ....

I wouldn't waste your time if only there for four days. I have heard that Ahh Bee's has good brownies as well. Have fun!