The Ontario government’s idea appears straightforward: Encourage investors to buy rich farmland and grow sun-drenched cannabis plants full of the compounds that get you high, treat ailments, and pack an aromatic punch. Then let them open their gates, offering tourists an experience akin to boutique wineries.

Entrepreneurs jumping on the opportunity are finding it’s not so simple.

Legislation that took effect in 2019 allowing direct sales from farms is restrictive and unwieldy, and such projects are further complicated by the myriad rules governing the cannabis industry in Canada at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.

Much of that is likely to remain a dream. Regulations say Mariwell’s shop windows must be blacked out so minors can’t see in. Tours of cannabis fields aren’t allowed under rules designed to avoid contamination. And forget a tasting room along the lines of nearby wineries: On-site consumption of cannabis isn’t permitted; staff can’t even sample the pot they grow. “I just wish that customers could touch it or smell it,” says Theresa Robert, the company’s chair and a primary investor.

The company has raised C$5 million, which it spent in land, equipment, seeds, fencing, and security—upfront investment required before Mariwell could gain approval to sell in stores, and there’s still no guarantee the provincially-run distributor will choose to stock its products. Selling from a farm shop would then require a further round of licensing. “You have to put an excessive amount of money into the business in the hopes it will be approved,” Robert says.

Sensi Brands Inc. opened its farm store in a railway boxcar in St. Thomas, Ont., last week. The company fitted the car’s tiny windows with one-way glass to comply with the rules prohibiting exposure of the interior. “We’ve created a really cool experience because our brand is Station House,’’ says Tony Giorgi, Sensi’s chief executive officer.

Station House is one of just three pot-farm outlets—what the province calls “farmgate” shops—that have opened since the legislation passed. The tepid interest in the business stems from the onerous rules, as investors are unwilling to jump through so many hoops, says Trina Fraser, a partner with Brazeau Seller Law. “I’ve had a number of clients say, ‘Just forget about farmgate, we’re not going to do it,’” she says.

“I’m working on some peanut butter flavors right now,” Ditmar says. “A wine connoisseur will feel the exact same way I do. You see those unique characteristics and you want to bring them up. You want to have that unique profile.’’

For now, weed connoisseurs wanting to check out Ditmar’s work will have to make do with a virtual tour of Mariwell’s website, which boasts of pot with layers of tropical fruit and hints of chocolate, and where the farm and its rows of cannabis plants are on full display.