Off For The Summer

 We have left Tucson for Summer on the Oregon coast. Not being home means not a lot of growing to post about, that doesn't mean the blog will be dead but most of the posts will deal with making eatables and such.

We are in "June Gloom", fog, overcast and very cool temps.  Perfect for the Summer.

ken

The Last of 2022 Grow

 Tomorrow I will trim the last two 2022 plants, a White Widow and a Wedding Cake, both Photo. This grow, while not a total bust, disappoints. That's the bad news, the good is: This season's production is almost 2 pounds and over a pound of that is prime bud. The other good news is I know where the problems are and most are an easy fix.

The major mistake of 2022 wast growing too many plants at a time, over crowding the tents and lights. I'll post more on this later but the answer for 2023 will be fewer plants.

The last two:

White Widow on the left and Wedding Cake on right. Both harvested with ~10% brown Trichromes. Other than a little small they look OK.

Still in Short Rows

 The decision to harvest is tough.  Too early, not as potent, too late also not as potent. Just right, damn that's tough. I'm sure everyone has different criteria, mine is ~10% Trichromes turned brown. If less than ~10% wait a few days.

This year's grow has not been a positive or maybe it has in the sense of showing how to fuck up a grow.  I'm down to two plants left to harvest. Maybe I've learned a little of what not to do. Those two plants, one White Window and a Wedding Cake, may save the whole 2022 grow. Right now I'm looking at maybe 5%of the trichromes are brown and it has been that way for several days. I have time to wait and see.

ken

Short Rows

 The last four plant of the 2022 grow season are in the short rows, fan leaves are yellowing, there are a few Trichromes turning brown, now is the hard part waiting for the peak. You can see why the Wedding Cake got it's name, the buds are almost white with Tricromes. The White Widow, not as covered but still good Trichromes.

I'll try to keep my powder dry and wait until the first of May, the White Widow "due" date before cutting 'em down.

ken

Nova OG

 Nova OG from Anesia Seeds has been lab tested at 32% THC. I found a UK seed dealer, CannaPot, with seeds in stock and an easy payment procedure. It will be next October before I have the chance to start a grow, something nice to look forward to.

Here is what the "Seedman" blog had to say about the Nova OG strain: 

"Lab-tested with a mind-boggling 32% THC content, Nova OG is currently among the most potent THC strains known to man. Also an indica-dominant strain like Gorilla Glue, Nova is known for its immense flower production and offers an unbelievable sensory experience to match.

You’ll surely appreciate the rich, citrusy smell and the sweet and pungent taste. Grow it outdoors and you’re looking at 650gr flower production per plant – indoor production will typically yield about 500gt/m2."

With that kind of THC content it should make great gummies and tinctures as well as smoke.

ken 

Abortion, Not Just a Woman's Issue

This is a re-post from June 2019, I expect it is also one of the reasons my blog was removed from the "Unplugged Shop" web site. I'm re-posting because as the title states "Abortion Not Just a Woman's Issue" and legal, safe, abortion is in danger. Even more than it was in 2019.

1970

I was working nights as a Medical Lab Technician and days at the airport twisting wrenches to pay for my flying. I was close to finishing up my CFI so I could take the first step toward becoming a professional pilot. My future wife (FW) was working nights that Summer as a nurse’s aide at the same hospital. I can’t say we met cute but it wasn’t long before we were an item. She was in the UT’s nursing school, I made a lot of trips to Austin that Fall before she transferred to UT Galveston. Neither one of us had a penny to spare but some way we found enough money to be together.

A little back story: Roe v Wade wasn’t decided until Jan 1973. For a couple of years in the late 1960’s I was a very unsuccessful Medical supply salesman but I did have one important client a “Doctor Brown” who had an office in downtown Houston on Milam St. While I never met Dr. Brown I supplied his office with the best medical equipment money could buy and got to know his office nurse well. As you can guess Dr. Brown took care of the rich and well connected Southeast Texans with an inconvenient pregnancy. I wasn’t rich or well connected but I did know his office nurse. 

Shortly after transferring to Galveston, FW found out she was pregnant. We knew by then we were going to marry but not until FW had finished school and had her BS in nursing. I was working two jobs, day and night to pay the rent and finish my flight training. Neither of us could finish our school or training if we married and had a baby. The problem was abortion was illegal, I did know Dr. Brown’s nurse and after much “what do we do” I went to her. Yes FW could get a safe abortion but it would cost $600. Two kids without an extra penny to their name having to come up with $4000 in today’s dollars was devastating. Someway we did it, today I’m not sure how but we did.

If we hadn’t our lives would be ruined, two people that because of an illegal abortion were able to live productive lives. FW went on to a PhD in nursing and I was to have a mildly successful forty year career flying corporate aircraft ending up on a Gulfstream GIV flying almost everywhere in the world before retiring to instruct other corporate pilots.

I’m telling this story because it is imperative that we keep abortion legal, safe, and cheap. FW and I were lucky because by chance I knew a safe abortion provider before Roe v Wade. At that time not many at our social level were so lucky. My and FW’s story is just one of millions then and now and anyone trying to take us back to before Roe v Wade is a cruel and heartless panty sniffing prig of an SOB.

Vote as if your life and your kid's life depend on it, because it does.

ken

 

Infusions & Tinctures

To make many of the eatable Cannabis products you first have to decarboxylate* your flower followed by either infusion or making a tincture. The difference between infusion and tincture is oil vs. alcohol. To make an infusion decarbed flower needs to be heated with oil for a tincture decarbed flower is soaked in near 100% grain alcohol.

With either product the flower/oil or alcohol mixture needs to be separated. There are many ways to separate the waste flower from the oil/alcohol, the best I've found is a "French Press" coffee maker.

My French Press:

 Cheap and works a treat.

For most eatables an infusion or tincture can be used interchangeably. Gummies are an example while there are differences in the end product, it will be mostly taste and texture.  

BTW, one difference between infusion and tincture is it is easy to concentrate a tincture making it stronger** and/or lowering the alcohol content for taste. You can lower it all the way down to FECO oil (Full Extract Cannabis Oil).

ken

*I use an Ardent FX for both decarboxylate and infusion.

**Or weaker. If during the alcohol evaporation you let the temp get too high the THC will boil off before the alcohol does.