there are some huge pot farms in that part of cali. it's like the wild west, they call it the green triangle or something like that. if you wander onto some of those grows, you are never heard from again. but most all of them are growing those huge tree strains.
I know a few old guys that have been growing outdoor weed for decades around here, some of it is pretty good! not quite California outdoor grade, but when they make concentrates from it quality really isn't an issue. finding a potent strain that finishes before a hard frost up here is challenging to say the least. the deer really love eating it as well. I've tried a few auto flowers outside in buckets just for fun, but never had any luck with them. they finish ok, but poor yields.
I ran into a guy at a roadside fruit stand near Barriere this summer while touring on the bike, got to talking a bit and he told me he had a licensed medical grow op nearby. he was from Edmonton, he gave me some brownies and warned me to only eat half of one at a time lol.
yeah we don't really get the best weather here.
green house is a good way to go imo