Marijuana: A Grower's Lot
By Kog, Greengrass Publishing
USD $50, 170 pages

A grower's guide to planting, dealing, evading cops and keeping spirits high.

This is a fun and educational book about growing and selling pot in the Australian outback, combining general grow advice and legal information with Kog's personal experiences as a commercial pot farmer and seller.

Kog takes us through all aspects of commercial cannabis cultivation. He explains how and where to grow marijuana for maximum yield and minimum risk. He includes specific information on clones, seeds, pests, nutrients, harvesting, curing and storage (Kog recommends burying your buds in 15 kilo barrels.) 
 

Kog: the tokin tattooed author

He also covers how to turn your produce into money: how to separate the growing from the selling, transportation and smuggling issues, money laundering, and more. He includes legal details and explains what penalties apply to different numbers of plants.

While explaining how he was busted and spent 18 months behind bars for a tray of seedlings, Kog outlines the inner workings of the Australian (in)justice system, and also describes a spiritual transformation of sorts. In jail, he learns that "if you can keep your own person intact and your spirit alive then they can all go and get fucked, you've beaten them."

In some ways the book takes a spiritual perspective, yet it's also heavily interlaced with profanity. Kog tells us that "Positive thinking does fucking work," and that stem rot will "fucking kill your plants."

Kog's dedication explains that "this book is motivated by the desire to fuck the cops the same way they fucked me!"

The book includes 40 pages of full-colour photos, and more in black and white. They are from Kog's various outdoor grow-ops, and show his love for his plants, as well as clarifying points made in the text.

I found this book hard to put down. Kog's level-headed perspective, years of experience and many amusing anecdotes make this book a great read for novice and experienced growers alike.

Marijuana, A Grower's Lot might have some problems getting onto the shelves of its nation's bookstores ­ all pro-cannabis and growing information is banned in Australia.

ï Marijuana, A Grower's Lot: Greengrass Publishing: PO Box 140, Kyogle NSW 2474, Australia; tel 02-66-333-104; email kog@greengrasspub.com.au; website www.greengrasspub.com.au