News 12 got a sneak peak of Long Island's first legal cannabis harvest on Tuesday.

A farmer who chose to keep his identity hidden and only going by the name of Dave, says it's "exciting and unnerving" to be one of the first marijuana farmers on Long Island.

Dave chose to remain anonymous because even though marijuana is legal in New York, it is still against federal law. That means industries like banks and insurance, which are federally regulated, might have a problem with his dealings.

"We're community members, we just haven't come in and popped up pot shop," Dave says. "And as demonstrated here today, we're trying to do this right - but at the same there there's a lot of uncertainties."

Chief Equity Officer of the State Officer of Cannabis Management Damian Fagon says there are around 20 farms harvesting cannabis on Long Island.

Twenty recreational use dispensaries will eventually open on Long Island - where the farmers' products will be sold.

"There's just a breadth of opportunity that is coming to New York state in the cannabis market, and I think this is a perfect example of what we want to incentivize, what we want to kick off the industry with," Fagon says.

Legal adult-use cannabis sales on Long Island are expected to begin by the end of the year or beginning of next year.

New York is in the process of awarding licenses for the first round of dispensaries to open.