Oregon outdoor cannabis cultivators call 2024 harvest ‘a huge improvement’

Oregon’s sun-grown cannabis cultivators are experiencing one of the best harvests they’ve had in recent memory.

Thanks to a sunny, hot summer, cannabis flower is reaching its full potential, and outdoor growers have encountered little mold.

“A good season is judged by limited rainfall and continued warm days, which we’re having,” said Obie Strickler, founder and CEO of craft cannabis cultivation company Grown Rogue in Central Point.

“This is a huge improvement compared to last year, which was pretty wet – you end up with mold.”

Harvest data

Last year, growers in the state harvested nearly 5.4 million pounds of sun-grown marijuana, up slightly from 2022 but down from the 6.4 million pounds harvested in 2021, according to the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC).

Complete data for this year’s harvest is not yet available, but so far, growers have produced 2.3 million pounds of marijuana, according to the OLCC.

Most farmers stage their strains to finish throughout the month because they don’t have enough dry space to accommodate a whole crop at once.

“We really try to diversify our genetics not only for their flavor profiles but also for finishing times,” said Rhea Miller, co-founder and CEO of Millerville Farms in Cave Junction.

“We’re ultimately seeking out genetics that are resilient for our weather.”

Outdoor cannabis strains

Millerville Farms doubled its drying space to 4,000 square feet in 2018; it fills the space at least twice during harvest season.

Although the weather dictates much of what genetics Miller chooses to grow, she said she has a soft spot for more sensitive strains such as Purple Wreck, an indica-dominant hybrid of parents Purple Urkle and Trainwreck that don’t always hold up to Oregon’s climate – even when the state is having perfect weather for cannabis crops.

“It’s just a gorgeous plant,” said Miller, a second-generation grower. “It’s just a very soft-tissued bud that’s very fragile.

“It looks like it wants to continue growing and swelling, but it can get riddled with mold overnight, so it gets harvested first.”

Fewer wildfires

Oregon cannabis farmers also benefited from a less severe fire season than in years past, when smoke permeated the farm’s flower, Miller said.

“It all had a bunch of ash in it, and it was a complete loss,” she said.

Most growers don’t have contracts with manufacturers because pricing isn’t determined until the harvest across the state is complete, Strickler said, adding that most contracts have a price associated with them.

“There’s tremendous volatility in the outdoor market,” she said.

“The pricing range is based on the volume. We prepare for $200 pounds in terms of cost and forecasting; we are excited at $400, and everything is nice if you can get $500 to $600.”

Rolling harvest

Millerville Farms in July harvested its light-step flower – the cannabis it grows in greenhouses using blackout tarps to control the amount of sunlight the plants get.

Strickler said she’s heard from fellow growers that the market for the product is about $350 per pound.

Govinda Shrestha, statewide hemp extension specialist and entomologist for pest management at Oregon State University, said most hemp farmers have run out of product from last year’s crop, which was harvested earlier than this year because of extensive rainfall.

“They’ve run out of stock, so they’re more excited about this year’s harvest,” he said.

Oregon hemp

The big challenge hemp farmers faced this year was extremely dry conditions during the time they transplanted their plants, Shrestha said.

Wind also was an issue.

Consolidation in the industry has led to a decline in the number of hemp farmers, even though the crops planted have remained the same at roughly 2,000 acres.

“Oregon leads the nation for floral hemp production,” Shrestha said.

“Some of the growers have improved their harvesting methods, and instead of hand-drying, they’re doing rack drying.

“Some growers are also freeze-drying for CBD extraction, so they don’t need to worry about labor – flower is more labor intensive.”

Margaret Jackson can be reached at margaret.jackson@mjbizdaily.com.