By Jan Sennema

The book is not allowed to be read in Australia .

FUCK THE SYSTEM!

It was Thursday morning 9.30 am when they came. It was a fair dinkum
raid. Heaps of cops and loads of four-wheel drives. I saw them coming up
the drive way and I had only 30 seconds to do something. I ran to the
shed, grabbed the stack of drying heads and hid them under some shrubs.
Then I ran back to meet the cops. I should have thrown the tray with
plants over the hedge into our next-door neighbour's yard, but I
realised this too late. They found the tray and an unused grow-room. I
shat my pants. They were busy for about an hour and then pushed me into
their van. I had no idea how long I was going to be away for.

This event is the moment that started the creation of the book that
turned Australia upside down in 1999: 'Marijuana A Growers Lot', written
by Kog, alias Peter Godfrey. The Queensland police warned people that
they can be imprisoned for up to 25 years if found in possession of this
book.

During the years before Godfrey was arrested with more than 8000 plants
in possession he became an expert in different ways of growing
marijuana. He had thousands of seeds and off-cuts growing in paddocks on
deserted farms and in nature reserves up to 50 kilometres from his home
town. He had planted dozens of clones on carefully selected spots on his
land. He had carried hundreds of litres of water through inhospitable
land. He had gone through some agonising moments as the juridical system
in Australia is infamous. Just like cops who not seldom keep drugs.

After his arrest Godfrey was kept in gaol for 18 months, which
considering the crime was rather short. Nevertheless this raid turned
Godfrey's life upside down. He became a Prisoner of War in the War on
drugs. He found out that the majority of the inmates were colleague
growers, ordinary people who did not mean to do any harm to anybody
personally. He also discovered that rapists and burglars were released
earlier from gaol than weed growrers, in Australia a crime against the
population. He also found out that nobody leaves gaol as a 'cured'
criminal. Quite the contrary. That's what happened to Godfrey as well;
two years after his release he grew more weed than ever before.

The anger about the hypocritical juridical system that tried to destroy
him and his family inspired Godfrey to writing: 'A Growers Lot', his
ultimate revenge on the authorities. It is one big middle finger, every
chapter finishing off with an encouraging 'just have a go' and 'grow
more dope'. Australians without growing experience can start being a
guerilla farmer by reading this book (how to become an outlaw). The
aspiring offender is advised how he can spend his illegally earned money
sensibly, some advice can also be used in Holland.

If things go terribly wrong, you also learn what to do when you get
caught red-handed. (very unlikely to happen, according to Godfrey)
Besides it is not all that bad in gaol, Godfrey says. As far as he was
concerned his 'loss of freedom' taught him a very important lesson,
although not the kind the authorities had in mind. In his last chapter
he reveals how his suffering gave him the chance to develop spiritually
and gave him direction in life.

In raw and undeniable Aussie English he writes his rebellious message on
to paper. The 'fucks' and 'cunts' are used plentiful. Godfrey is an
ordinary man, not some idealist with sweet talk. "We're in it for the
money" he reveals without shame.

A nice blow is never wasted. Godfrey's ultimate happiness is sitting on
the veranda with a home brew beer smoking homegrown dope. But number one
priority will always be earning heaps of black money. Purpose of this is
not to go through life as a no-hoper or outcast, but just to pay off the
mortgage or go on holidays with the kids. Weed as a way to freedom for
the 'small man' who can or does not want to adapt to the 'social
system'.

Concerning the growing techniques 'A Growers Lot' does not offer Dutch
growers a lot. As an adventure book that relates the development of an
Australian Bikie in a moving and touching style, using powerful
expressions, it is highly recommended. An outlaw classic.

Marijuana A Growers Lot
Greengrass Publishing
P.O. Box 140
Kyogle NSW 2474
Australia