Glenpool Farm Receives Approval To Grow And Sell Medical Marijuana

Friday, August 31st 2018, 10:34 pm

By: Ashley Izbicki

Sage Farms in Glenpool just got its approval letter yesterday from the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority.

It's one of about 40 of the first commercial businesses to get approved and it's hoping to be one of the first to start growing and selling.

Ben Neal has been growing kale, tomatoes, and other vegetables for five years.

"Telling people that I'm a hydroponic farmer, that's the first thing they say, is oh, medical marijuana. And I'm like no, that's not what we do. And it was never part of our business plan,” said Neal. "I guess whenever you get dealt a good hand you got to play your cards."

Now he's doubling down on a new green. Starting with about 400 marijuana plants in this new 3,000-square foot greenhouse.

"It's going to be a hydroponic, what's called a Dutch bucket, or Bato bucket system," says Neal.

And he's growing the business from the ground up from seed to sale.

"We also are going to be applying for a processing license. And I'm going to Colorado next week to look at some extraction machines, so we can look at doing the oils for edibles and vapes," said Neal

The biggest worry, a saturated market. The State Health Department says it's received more than 1,100 commercial applications and about 2,100 patient applications.

"That doesn't seem very sustainable at this point. It's all going to be based on supply and demand. And so, it might be $4,000 a pound, or we might be selling it for $400 a pound. We don't know yet." And nobody in the state knows,” says Neal.

There's no limit on how much marijuana businesses can grow, or how many commercial licenses the state can issue.

Neal plans to build three more greenhouses and to hire more workers.