Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The town of Garfield now has a marijuana grower licensed by the state.
Debra Lantzy’s operation was granted a license last week, giving it legal status for growing and processing marijuana on part of a three–acre site.
The property, on the south edge of town, was inspected Aug. 5, after which an interim permit was granted Aug. 15.
The official certificate arrived a week later by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.
The license first grants Lantzy a 15-day window to bring in and plant seeds/plants from non-licensed producers.
In the past two years, she and her uncle, Charles Lantzy, built a pole barn with a water-heated floor and LED lights and installed a 31-camera, eight-terrabyte security system which can store 45 days of footage.
“Within 20 feet, face recognition,” said Lantzy.
Alarms are also in place.
Charles is the owner of the property.
“You come in when you’re not invited and there’s gonna be a lot of noise,” Lantzy said.
Other items installed were an eight-foot, view-obstructing fence. They also renovated the property’s 100-year-old barn.
Lantzy will start the crop by replanting seedlings, although not planting a full slate for this fall because of being late in the season. Nonetheless, she expects to be supplying state-sanctioned stores in November or December.
The stores which will carry their crop are not yet determined.
“We’re hoping to keep it local,” said Lantzy. “You can get anywhere in the state in eight hours.”
Joining the operation is Production Manager Doug Lantzy, her nephew, who moved to Garfield from Wenatchee in June.
“He’s indispensable,” Debra Lantzy said.
Charles is the financial officer.
As the operation gets underway, state inspectors are liable to come by anytime.
Garfield-Palouse Police officer Joe Handley stopped by last week.
“A very nice man,” Lantzy said. “I gotta admit it’s a little weird showing a police officer your marijuana plants.”
As a licensed processor, she will sell in pounds and ounces with packaging in plastic bags.
“A lot of people are doing vacuum-sealing,” Lantzy said of other growers and processors.
Her license is a Tier 2, which allows a maximum of 10,000 square feet of growing area. Right now, the Garfield operation has 3,500 square feet for growing.
Retail sales will not be allowed in Garfield.
Lantzy moved to Garfield last June from Wenatchee with the intention of setting up her proposed business, Koulee Kush, LLC.
The name is a reference to the Coulee dam identity of eastern Washington and kush is a slang term for marijuana.
When I-502 passed in Washington in November 2012, Lantzy contacted her uncle and pitched the idea of starting a grow operation on his land.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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