A Flamborough apple grower turned cannabis CEO is among the country's first to gain authority to plant pot outdoors.

48North Cannabis Corp. received word ahead of the long weekend that its 100-acre Good Farm location in Brant County was approved for outdoor cultivation.

"Receiving the outdoor cultivation license from Health Canada for our Good Farm is an absolute game changer for 48North and the cannabis industry," Co-CEO Jeannette VanderMarel said. "Overnight, the company expands its annual expected capacity from 5,000 kilograms to over 45,000 kg"

VanderMarel, whose family runs an apple farm in Carlisle, launched Green Organic Dutchman before selling controlling interest in that greenhouse operation last year. She launched Good & Green and merged her company with publicly listed 48North with the intent of applying for an outdoor licence.

They are among a small group of companies approved for outdoor operations.

Good Buds, a farm on Salt Spring Island in B.C., got its licence in early May and Creemore, Ont.-based Agripharm got approval in the past few days.

48North was anxious to win approval to begin planting as soon as possible, but the wet spring has delayed all crops, VanderMarel said.

Cultivation of seeds could begin on May 24, VanderMarel said, declining to provide the actual location of the farm south of Brantford.

After an early harvest in August and full harvest in late September and early October, 80 per cent of the estimated 45,000 kg crop will be devoted to THC and CBD extraction for oils and distillates for use in vaporizers and other devices.

48North recently signed three supply agreements for cannabis from Good Farm:

• A cannabis agreement with the SQDC (the exclusive distributor of cannabis in Quebec) for 1,200 kg of dried cannabis

• A supply agreement to provide 2,460 kg of dried cannabis to AGLC, the wholesaler of Alberta

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• An agreement with humble+fume for 6,000 kg of dried cannabis and trim.