Before advising you on how to get a trimming job for this season, we'd like to warn you against a couple of things. Firstly: the legalization of marijuana has led to a significant reduction in the price of weed, which obviously has an impact on the workers' wages. This means that 2018 is not the year in which you'll get a fortune weed-trimming. Legal cannabis has also made many "small" producers quit the cultivation of marijuana forced by their inability to meet the costs resulting from their need to adapt to these new regulations. Therefore, the demand for daily workers is lower for there are less grows. Secondly: although it is possible to get a trim job even if you don't know anyone, we strongly recommend getting there with references. Because the process is indeed much easier if you know someone working in the industry. This way you'll find yourself in a good place with the knowledge that you'll get paid in time. Having said this, if you have no references, you're not afraid of getting there and not having a job waiting for you, and you really want to live the experience, keep on reading because our trip is about to begin.
When to get to Humboldt County
From mid-September onwards. Let's remember that plants are cut in late summer, before the first autumnal showers. There is no fixed date, but cannabis plants are generally ready for harvest at the end of September. By that time, farmers will be watchful for possible changes in the weather and will only let plants keep on growing if the sky remains clear and the crop is 100 % safe. With cloudless skies, the smallest flowers will continue receiving light and growing but the main colas will be ready to harvest early in September. As is to be expected, those huge flowers will be the first to be trimmed.
How to get to Humboldt County
People go to California to get a pot-trimming job, but California is a big state and cannabis is not trimmed everywhere. The Emerald Triangle, which covers Mendocino, Trinity and Humboldt, has always been the Mecca of cannabis cultivation. The orography of the area is just perfect since cannabis grows hide behind a curtain of redwoods. This, and the hard-to-reach farms, the amazing sunny climate and the well-rooted ecological awareness of the locals have made this county the cannabis production leader par excellence. Humboldt is located in the north of the state, some 750 miles away from Los Angeles, and its capital is Eureka. If you have no clue where to go, we recommend you head for this town, or maybe Arcata (some miles up in the north) o Garberville (going south –inland–). Once you get to one of those places, you'll quickly spot the ones who could become your fellow trimmers. Without falling into clichés, we'd describe them as backpackers rocking dreadlocks who seem to be waiting for something. Perhaps they've been there far longer than you have, so a coffee invitation could be a great ice-breaker as well as an awesome way to get information. To know how to get there, have a look at this map showing the airports that are the closest to these towns.
Where are pot trimmers hired?
The hiring process is carried out rather discreetly. Asking around for information, maybe at local organic stores or bars, is the best thing you can do. Alternatively, visit the main squares of Eureka and Arcata, which will be packed with people that are there for the same reason as you are. Don't get impatient because it takes a while to get a job. In fact, you could spend two weeks looking for references, so provision should be made for the possibility of being a whole fortnight unemployed. And, what's more, the prices of the hotels in the area generally go up as a result of the large influx of trimmigrants.
What's it like to trim in Humboldt County?
Pot trimming in Humboldt County is not exactly a bed of roses. Farms aren't prepared to host lots of people. That's why it's common for employees to sleep in tents, so make sure you buy a proper camping kit to spend the cold nights out in the open. Expect a cold shower, if you're so lucky to have one. Another thing that is very important is to remember that your clothes will end up smelling like a weed factory, so be ready to throw them away after your stay. Apart from old, your clothes have to be comfortable 'cause you'll spend the entire day sitting in plastic chairs.
Alternatives to Humboldt County
Like small producers seem to be disappearing and the price of marijuana seems to be falling, we recommend thinking of other cannabis destinations. Oregon, for example, has an ever-increasing number of cannabis farms and large-scale producers. In fact, many already call the south of Oregon 'the new Humboldt'. Don't forget to visit the following link containing more info on pot trimming in California. Lots of luck!