Fresh Harvest Infused Cannabis Oil

[KingJoe83]

Fresh Harvest Oil

There's a lot of excitement starting on the site about creating a fresh-harvest infused olive oil, a method so carefully developed by PsyCro and written up in his thread Olive oil extract update. I've adapted it a bit for my own purposes, but I recommend you read through his instructions. I've cleaned them up a bit in a blog PsyCro's Olive Oil Extraction Method. He's since updated to include using a pressure cooker. I'll share that in the next post, but let's start with the stovetop version. On to the fun.

The plant was cut, washed, and hung to drip dry for about four hours. I stop about an hour after they've been hanging and give the branches a shake to get the water from the wash released. I'll be weighing it for bud-to-oil ratios, and I don't want that additional water mucking up my potency calculations.

Buds were all clipped into the stock pot. This is a 3-quart stainless and for this run I used 350 grams of buds and 437 ml of olive oil. PsyCro's recipe is for 400 grams of bud for every 500 ml of olive oil.

Correction: PsyCro's original measurements were for 400 grams of wet buds to 1 liter of olive oil. I didn't realize I'd inadvertently cut the olive oil volume in half when I began making my own potent oil.

This potency has been extremely therapeutic, so I won't be changing my personal recipe of 400 grams of wet buds to 500 ml of olive oil. You control the potency of the oil by the volume of materials, and this ratio has proven to be a winner in my home and with my patients. I leave it up to you to determine your own strength. PsyCro has suggested it could be made as potent as triple-strength, 400 grams of wet buds to 0.3 ltr of olive oil. That would need to be carefully dosed, and probably wouldn't be something you'd want to use with a novice.

What was left was placed into small jars with open tops and dropped into the refrigerator for a two-week dry under low temp and humidity. Another experiment I'm playing with. It's a technique I learned from Dr Ziggy. It may be a way to retain more of the terpene profile during the drying stage.

Add the olive oil.

Get out the immersion blender and blend away. This take a good while so be kind to the blender. I found short bursts of power a better fit. That's a lot of plant material you're breaking down. Take your time and turn it to mush.

I've since learned that this part of the process can be made easier by adding a cup of water. It gives you more liquid to incorporate the bud into, and you'll be boiling the water off anyway.

I keep going until I can't identify any piece of what I'm looking at, other than "green" and "plant material."

The stainless pot sits in a Dutch oven that gets filled with oil to create a double boiler. A water bath won't get temperatures in the pot high enough to decarb. I use Canola oil. Avoid cheap vegetable oils.

The rings in the bottom keep the stainless pot away from direct heat. Four of them lend stability to the arrangement. We're playing with hot oil here, it pays to be extra cautious.

Turn the fire on low and let the oil get up to temperature. This isn't a process you're going to rush. Block out the next three hours, or more. I've dedicated entire days to harvest through finished oil. The potency is worth the effort, I assure you. I've learned that if you keep the fire low the oil will heat without spiking and you don't have to be so anal about temperatures. As you'll see, when the temperature gets to 212 F decarb kicks in and there's no denying it's working.

This thermometer was a gift from a member. It's become invaluable to me. I recommend you search one out if you intend to be making cannabis oils

You'll be stirring every five minutes or so for the next three hours. After about 10-20 minutes you'll begin to see movement.

When you hit a consistent temperature of 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) set the timer for two hours. According to PsyCro's directions you're looking for a baseline of 221 degrees F (105 degrees C) for two hours. I personally try to keep mine at between 220 -230 degrees for at least 45 minutes of that two hours.

I no no longer time the process. I'm watching the decarb bubbles, as documented below. Once the bubbles stop your decarb is finished.

Initially what you're doing is boiling off the water. Keeping the temps in this range protects the cannabinoids. When enough of the water boils off and the temperature kicks in active decarboxylation it can get dramatic. The depth of this pot was by design. You don't want hot oil and this watery mix to meet. Trust me, I speak from experience.

When it got to this stage, just before that dramatic moment I spoke of earlier, I added a tablespoon of liquid sunflower lecithin. This was at 4:40 PM.

4:41 PM

4:42 PM

4:43 PM

5:19 PM Still actively decarbing, but you can see the activity has dropped off.

5:21 PM, and you're beginning to see oil through the bubbles.

5:38 PM

5:41 PM Close to done now.

5:45 PM You could stop at this point and still have some acid cannabinoids present.

5:47 PM was my stopping point. Just two minutes later and decarb was almost entirely complete.

Strain it out, pressing and squeezing all you can manually.

PsyCro left instructions for reclaiming the oil bound up in the plant material.

Securely tie up the bundle of plant material and drop it into a pot of boiling water. I find bouncing it in the water helps release the oil.

Strain the water into a bowl or another pot and start the process again.

At some point I begin skimming the oil off the top of the water. I found it most efficient to skim into a measuring cup, and then skim once again into a custard cup.

Working like this I reclaimed 1/3 cup of oil from my last batch. There's still water in with it that can be boiled off if you choose. I'm using mine for medicated bath salts, so it wasn't necessary to do so. I have done this and got almost all of the oil I started with back, much like PsyCro's claims. That would've been a tragic loss to have simply tossed the leftover plant material after manually squeezing out what I could. I have made that mistake in the past.

Once the oil is strained, add another tablespoon of liquid sunflower lecithin, stir until it's incorporated and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the lecithin to disperse and encapsulate the components. Gently bring it back to room temp, stir well and fill capsules or use in edibles. Stir periodically while you fill capsules to assure everything's mixed well. Like the biobombs, the lecithin can separate overnight the first time, though not to the extent it will with CCO.

So why do this labor-intensive method? Well, if you have mites like I did it allows you to save the harvest from the compost pile. Beyond that motivation, there's a strong argument to be made that more of the terpenes and flavonoids are locked into the olive oil, thus potentiating the cannabinoids with a stronger entourage effect. I've made many types of oils, including CCO, and in my personal opinion, this oil rivals anything I've tested.

Don't discount the value of processing on the day you harvest. There's nothing left except the roots, the stalk, the branches and the cooked down plant material. No plant hangs in my small apartment today, as is the norm when I dry before making oil. That was more of a relief than I anticipated.

Another tool in the oil-maker's belt. This is potent oil, loaded with medicinal value from the cannabis, the olive oil and the lecithin emulsifying it all together. You control the decarb, opening interesting possibilities. It's going to be more potent than you're thinking it is, I'll tell you that. What I made was so potent it forced me to change my dosing strategy.

I hope this helps someone gain the confidence to try this method. PsyCro is working out using a pressure cooker, and he's wonderfully pleased with how it's turning out. It's covered in his thread. Have fun with it.

Sorry sue I notice the buds were in a pot for stove top is that just water in pot? If so how much ? I also have another issue? Is this wet grams of bud. I assume ? I guess I need to see what I have for whieght after the 4 hrs of hanging to drip dry? Then I can see what wet whieght I have and then figure out how much oil to add in ? Correct ?

Thanks sue trying to get some info so on a few weeks I can try to make make some oil .

 

[SweetSue]

Sorry sue I notice the buds were in a pot for stove top is that just water in pot? If so how much ? I also have another issue? Is this wet grams of bud. I assume ? I guess I need to see what I have for whieght after the 4 hrs of hanging to drip dry? Then I can see what wet whieght I have and then figure out how much oil to add in ? Correct ?

Thanks sue trying to get some info so on a few weeks I can try to make make some oil .

Well good morning Joe. I believe you'll be mighty pleased with the end results.

Yes, the weight is wet, after hanging to drip dry for up to four hours. If you can spin the branches in your hands it'll throw off more water and they'll dry better before you start. Trim the buds from the branches, weigh, and determine the oil volume you'll need.

The buds are blended with the olive oil. That's the liquid in the pot with them. Don't add the lecithin until you strain the oil, and before it goes into the fridge for the 24-hour rest.

 

[KingJoe83]

Well good morning Joe. I believe you'll be mighty pleased with the end results.

Yes, the weight is wet, after hanging to drip dry for up to four hours. If you can spin the branches in your hands it'll throw off more water and they'll dry better before you start. Trim the buds from the branches, weigh, and determine the oil volume you'll need.

The buds are blended with the olive oil. That's the liquid in the pot with them. Don't add the lecithin until you strain the oil, and before it goes into the fridge for the 24-hour rest.

Perfect thanks sue

I'll keep ya posted when it gets close to the date .


Have a great Monday .

 

[Sooey]

Good Afternoon, Sue and All.

Last week I posted to this thread expressing interest in this method of processing wet cannabis and ending up with an oil that can be used to treat both pain and anxiety. I so appreciate the information I was given here. This journey has not been without a few snags along the way and, I wish I had more material with which t work but, I am ready to begin the process.

Because of the mold issue I was having, I had to harvest my plants before they were completely ready. It was either harvest early or, lose the plants. I chose early. I could not process on the day of harvest because I could not find any LSL in my area and had to order it online. Friday delivery turned into a Tuesday delivery. Frustration! but now, I have everything I need and I will begin in the morning. That will be 3 days after harvest which means my weed will be three days dry, not exactly what I want but it's what I have. I also did not end up with as much material as I wanted. I got the better part of 3 plants but was able to salvage only two smallish buds from the 4th plant. I may end up with less than 100 grams of three-day-old green. I will need to adjust the amount of olive oil I use. I'm thinking that I should use about 350 ml of olive oil to 100 grams of MJ. I know, it's a crap shoot and nothing is exact. It should be fine for my first batch.

I have a few questions. First, does the ratio of oil to weed, above, sound about right to you? Also, do I add the LSL before it has been strained or after. And, given that I will have less finished oil, should I adjust the amount of LSL that I use? After processing and after I used every method of getting all of the oil out, is the leftover plant material any good? Like so many others I hate to toss it. It's hard for me to believe that it is useless. Could I use what is left to make a topical or even a poultice, or a tea? Is there any good stuff left in it at all? I could always dehydrate it, grind it up and add it to cookies...yes? no? Yes, I over think everything. I give new definition to pedantic...

Thanks for all of your time and consideration. This has been a fun journey and I have learned so much. I look forward to my indoor, winter grow that will start in November(ish).

s

 

[Mag7]

Good Afternoon, Sue and All.

Last week I posted to this thread expressing interest in this method of processing wet cannabis and ending up with an oil that can be used to treat both pain and anxiety. I so appreciate the information I was given here. This journey has not been without a few snags along the way and, I wish I had more material with which t work but, I am ready to begin the process.

Because of the mold issue I was having, I had to harvest my plants before they were completely ready. It was either harvest early or, lose the plants. I chose early. I could not process on the day of harvest because I could not find any LSL in my area and had to order it online. Friday delivery turned into a Tuesday delivery. Frustration! but now, I have everything I need and I will begin in the morning. That will be 3 days after harvest which means my weed will be three days dry, not exactly what I want but it's what I have. I also did not end up with as much material as I wanted. I got the better part of 3 plants but was able to salvage only two smallish buds from the 4th plant. I may end up with less than 100 grams of three-day-old green. I will need to adjust the amount of olive oil I use. I'm thinking that I should use about 350 ml of olive oil to 100 grams of MJ. I know, it's a crap shoot and nothing is exact. It should be fine for my first batch.

I have a few questions. First, does the ratio of oil to weed, above, sound about right to you? Also, do I add the LSL before it has been strained or after. And, given that I will have less finished oil, should I adjust the amount of LSL that I use? After processing and after I used every method of getting all of the oil out, is the leftover plant material any good? Like so many others I hate to toss it. It's hard for me to believe that it is useless. Could I use what is left to make a topical or even a poultice, or a tea? Is there any good stuff left in it at all? I could always dehydrate it, grind it up and add it to cookies...yes? no? Yes, I over think everything. I give new definition to pedantic...

Thanks for all of your time and consideration. This has been a fun journey and I have learned so much. I look forward to my indoor, winter grow that will start in November(ish).

s

Hello sooney, I myself have gone through ups and down with this process and I can say I understand your frustrations with early plant harvest and not being able to locate LSL locally. I do believe that it's one tbs per one cup of oil I believe and you can add it at the end of the process if you like per Sue if I remember correctly. Sorry to here about your mold issues, hope you can combat that asap! I found a good deal on a dehumidifier on Craigslist and keeping fan blowing on my plants at all times has kept me good in the department. Though it didn't stop the hermi from showing up. Not sure you situation but it's best to get your environment concerns taken care of before the next grow if you can, no one like early harvesting or losing a harvest all together. I hope it all works out for you sooney!! Take care!

 

[AKgramma]

Good Afternoon, Sue and All.

After processing and after I used every method of getting all of the oil out, is the leftover plant material any good? Like so many others I hate to toss it. It's hard for me to believe that it is useless. Could I use what is left to make a topical or even a poultice, or a tea? Is there any good stuff left in it at all? I could always dehydrate it, grind it up and add it to cookies...yes? no? Yes, I over think everything. I give new definition to pedantic...

s

I dry and grind the leftovers for cooking herbs, tea, even add some to coffee and cream. There are still healing compounds in the leftovers.

As for having a poor harvest, you can simply dry and grind the leaves, larfy buds, and male pods and use as an herb, too. I have many jars of it, in addition to the buds I dry for the rest of the family.

Use enough of the herb in your cooking (abt 1/4 cup to a pound of ground meat) and you will get at least a buzz from the leftovers. Use less, you will proactively get the healing benefits of our favorite herb.

 

[rosek07]

thanks for the wisdom

 

[SweetSue]

Good Afternoon, Sue and All.

Last week I posted to this thread expressing interest in this method of processing wet cannabis and ending up with an oil that can be used to treat both pain and anxiety. I so appreciate the information I was given here. This journey has not been without a few snags along the way and, I wish I had more material with which t work but, I am ready to begin the process.

Because of the mold issue I was having, I had to harvest my plants before they were completely ready. It was either harvest early or, lose the plants. I chose early. I could not process on the day of harvest because I could not find any LSL in my area and had to order it online. Friday delivery turned into a Tuesday delivery. Frustration! but now, I have everything I need and I will begin in the morning. That will be 3 days after harvest which means my weed will be three days dry, not exactly what I want but it's what I have. I also did not end up with as much material as I wanted. I got the better part of 3 plants but was able to salvage only two smallish buds from the 4th plant. I may end up with less than 100 grams of three-day-old green. I will need to adjust the amount of olive oil I use. I'm thinking that I should use about 350 ml of olive oil to 100 grams of MJ. I know, it's a crap shoot and nothing is exact. It should be fine for my first batch.

I have a few questions. First, does the ratio of oil to weed, above, sound about right to you? Also, do I add the LSL before it has been strained or after. And, given that I will have less finished oil, should I adjust the amount of LSL that I use? After processing and after I used every method of getting all of the oil out, is the leftover plant material any good? Like so many others I hate to toss it. It's hard for me to believe that it is useless. Could I use what is left to make a topical or even a poultice, or a tea? Is there any good stuff left in it at all? I could always dehydrate it, grind it up and add it to cookies...yes? no? Yes, I over think everything. I give new definition to pedantic...

Thanks for all of your time and consideration. This has been a fun journey and I have learned so much. I look forward to my indoor, winter grow that will start in November(ish).

s

Sorry I missed this Sooey. How'd it go on your end? I use a ratio of 400 grams of wet to 500 ml of EEVO, and in your situation I'd have probably gone with 200 - 300 grams, with it hanging so long. You lose an incredible amount of water from the plant in the first 24 hours alone. All that exposed surface area.

Rest assured, the resulting oil will be potent, just not as potent as fresh.

As 7 noted, lecithin is added after the oil is strained.

I find the mash to be delicious, with the addition of some stevia. I mix the sweetner in and refrigerate. Then, every day I have a spoonful as a treat. It's much too good to toss. There are a myriad of ways to make use of the leftovers.

thanks for the wisdom

You're welcome rose. Can we help you with anything? I see you're new in the neighborhood. If there's anything we can do to help you settle into our virtual community it's just a simple request away.

 

[Archiweedies]

Sue one more thing, from me. I could have sworn I remembered reading in the thread that it's okay to freeze my plant if I decant make fresh right after cutting. Am I correct and if so can I just throw it in a ziplock bag in the freezer until ready to make oil?

 

[SweetSue]

Sue one more thing, from me. I could have sworn I remembered reading in the thread that it’s okay to freeze my plant if I decant make fresh right after cutting. Am I correct and if so can I just throw it in a ziplock bag in the freezer until ready to make oil?

Absolutely, you can freeze Archiweedies. It breaks down the cell walls of the plant too, releasing the essential oils faster and making infusion more efficient. Professional oil producers have a standard policy now of freezing the plant within four hours of harvest. This prevents major loss of the terpenes.

In our case it allows us to plan the oil-making to fit our schedules.

 

[Archiweedies]

Absolutely, you can freeze Archiweedies. It breaks down the cell walls of the plant too, releasing the essential oils faster and making infusion more efficient. Professional oil producers have a standard policy now of freezing the plant within four hours of harvest. This prevents major loss of the terpenes.

In our case it allows us to plan the oil-making to fit our schedules.

Oh yay!!!! That warms my heart! Now I just gotta hope I have a decent enough harvest to even make some oil lol. Gotta have some for vaping too ya know!

I was going to buy a magic butter machine, but this might just work for me. I plan to try it within the next week or so. I'll post my results of course . Thanks all!

 

[Sooey]

Well, I did it. Not sure if it worked exactly as it should have but I now have about 1.5 cups of cannabis-infused olive oil. I do not know if it will accomplish what I hoped it would but, it is done.

I know so much more today than when I started on Wednesday.

It took a very, very long time. After I separated the buds from the stems and added the trim I had 93 grams of material. I used my cast iron, dutch oven as the bottom of the double broiler and used a 3qt saucepan to hold the material. I started my cook at about 11:30 and that is where it starts to go downhill. No matter what I did Sue, I could not get it to look anything like the pictures you posted. There were no big bubbles, no foaming, no bubbling-up of any kind. The most I got were nice, smallish bubbles in the beginning.

Now, 3 days later I have had time to think about it. Of course, I would not be able to get the same visual results, I was starting with buds that had been drying for 3 days...not as much water so not as much action in the pot. I also did not add any additional water to the material, I was working with oil and material only. As a result, in expecting my cook to be the same as yours I may have cooked it for too long, overcooked it and gotten it too hot and destroyed all the good stuff that I should have tried to protect.

I tried it yesterday. I took about 2 little drops under my tongue at 2:45. I felt just a bit of a buzz. Later, before we had dinner, my husband squeezed the last of the oil out of the material left in the cheesecloth. Licked my fingers and licked the spatula I was using to clean the sides of the pan. About an hour later, I was high. I was not stoned, just high. I was disappointed when that small amount of oil had that effect on me. I've never minded being high in the past but with this, high is not the result I was looking for. Also...now, 18 hours later, I still feel a bit of a buzz.

I will try it again tomorrow afternoon. At that point, I will try it on myself and give some to my husband. If it helps his pain I can begin to figure out the dosing. If it just makes him high but does nothing for his pain I will know, it's a fail.

Thanks, Sue and All for your help. As I say, it has been a learning experience and I plan to move forward. I'm not giving up just yet. Yep, so much smarter now than three days ago.

s

 

[Archiweedies]

Thanks for posting your results Sooey. It always is beneficial for everyone to see others results. Try not to get discouraged with making oil. This thread has been around this long because it's a delicate process. One that is practiced.

If the high produced is too stoney and doesn't provide pain management. It could be the strain and/ or the cooking process. Anything you would do different next time you think?

Best of luck to you and your husband!

 

[Sooey]

Hi, Archiweedies,

Yes, lots that I would do differently. First of all, I would start with a smaller amount of weed and oil and experiment a bit. I also need more education re the compounds found within cannabis, how they help, what they do and how they react to temperature during processing. Knowing their sensitivity to heat is important. I need to understand it all. One method I would also like to try is the slow cooker method. I would also like to know/feel the difference between decarboxylated and nondecarboxylated MJ used to make oil. What is the different effect on the brain/body between THCA and THC?

The strain I used for my first grow was CBDream from CropKing. It is a 1:1 ratio CBD/THC at 6% each, 80% indica, 20 sativa. It was an easy plant to grow outdoors but they did develop mold about 1-2 weeks before being ready for harvest. I think my next grow will be starting soon, be indoor, in dirt and under lights. I have decided on Critical Cure, thank you, Sue, I just need to order the seeds. CC is listed as 8% CBD and 5% THC and has the same indica/sativa ratio at CBDream. Sounds like a good strain to try.

Something that I have learned is that this process may best be accomplished using a gas stove and not an electric. I have electric and I had a terrible time keeping my material/oil at 105C. It fluctuated widely. I knew this could be a bit of an issue going in, so I made sure to use cast iron as the bottom of my double boiler. Cast iron holds heat well and is less pron to rapid fluctuations. I was also surprised to see the difference in temps within the material in the pan, from what was on top and what was on the bottom. Taking the temp using my EXTECT laser thermometer before and after stirring I found that it could be as much as 25 degrees different. I've said this before and I will say it again...it's a crap shoot.

I like growing stuff, be it tomatoes, violets or pot so all of the errors I may have made in processing my first batch of oil...just a small bump in the road. I'll get it and learn so much along the way. I am still so grateful and amazed that I live in a state where all of this is legal.

Thanks to everyone for your information, support and interest in this venture. We will be sampling the oil again this afternoon, both my Husband and I. It will be interesting to see if he feels any pain relief. The experiment continues...

s

 

[Amy Gardner]

Hi Sooey - welcome to the wonderful world of oil making! So great you're in a legal state - I'm envious. Although the prohibition in this country isn't stopping me ..

I haven't made a stovetop oil yet - just done 2 versions of the 36hr slow decarb/infusion in the oven. Thanks for sharing your adventure with the stovetop! Sounds both fun and a bit stressful . - including your experience after 'cleaning up' the utensils, oh my! ..

My advice with dosing, if it's pain relief you're seeking, is less is more. Always start small. The other person I made my oil for is THC intolerant so the sensation of high or stoned is not needed and she finds about .25ml - .5ml is sufficient to deal with pain. She did tell me that 1teaspoon is definitely too much for her!!(she didn't elaborate much about how she discovered that...) I myself have half a ml to ease pain and it helps me get a good sleep. A whole ml makes me a bit stoned. I expect this to change and dosing will need reassessment when the next batch off a new strain is made.
So yeah, start low, wait an hour before deciding to have any more. And if you're sensitive (like me - not Sue!) be mindful of toking any extra (vape, smoke etc. ) during that hour... it's a risk ..

Sue has a good thread on dosing that I've found helpful... I'll see if I can track it down and link it here. In the meantime I'm pretty sure it's in her signature (I'm on the app so can't tell right now).

Hope it goes well - let us know!!

.

 

[SweetSue]

Hi, Archiweedies,

Yes, lots that I would do differently. First of all, I would start with a smaller amount of weed and oil and experiment a bit. I also need more education re the compounds found within cannabis, how they help, what they do and how they react to temperature during processing. Knowing their sensitivity to heat is important. I need to understand it all. One method I would also like to try is the slow cooker method. I would also like to know/feel the difference between decarboxylated and nondecarboxylated MJ used to make oil. What is the different effect on the brain/body between THCA and THC?

The strain I used for my first grow was CBDream from CropKing. It is a 1:1 ratio CBD/THC at 6% each, 80% indica, 20 sativa. It was an easy plant to grow outdoors but they did develop mold about 1-2 weeks before being ready for harvest. I think my next grow will be starting soon, be indoor, in dirt and under lights. I have decided on Critical Cure, thank you, Sue, I just need to order the seeds. CC is listed as 8% CBD and 5% THC and has the same indica/sativa ratio at CBDream. Sounds like a good strain to try.

Something that I have learned is that this process may best be accomplished using a gas stove and not an electric. I have electric and I had a terrible time keeping my material/oil at 105C. It fluctuated widely. I knew this could be a bit of an issue going in, so I made sure to use cast iron as the bottom of my double boiler. Cast iron holds heat well and is less pron to rapid fluctuations. I was also surprised to see the difference in temps within the material in the pan, from what was on top and what was on the bottom. Taking the temp using my EXTECT laser thermometer before and after stirring I found that it could be as much as 25 degrees different. I've said this before and I will say it again...it's a crap shoot.

I like growing stuff, be it tomatoes, violets or pot so all of the errors I may have made in processing my first batch of oil...just a small bump in the road. I'll get it and learn so much along the way. I am still so grateful and amazed that I live in a state where all of this is legal.

Thanks to everyone for your information, support and interest in this venture. We will be sampling the oil again this afternoon, both my Husband and I. It will be interesting to see if he feels any pain relief. The experiment continues...

s

The link to the dosing thread is in my signature. Thank you Amy and Archieweedies, for being here to support Sooey.

Well Sooey, you just learned how FHO can potentiate the THC side of the equation. OK, your intent is to avoid the euphoria? That can be done by using smaller doses and scheduling them throughout the day, preferably between 4-5 times daily, to be exact. In this way you get the cannabinoid load you need for effective healing in a balanced way across the day, with nothing more than a sense of well-being.

It's the THC that causes the euphoria, but it's also the THC that offers immediate relief from pain. None of the other components are going to match THC for pain relief. To use CBD to eliminate the euphoria you'd need 4-5 times the CBD to THC.

THCa is the acid form of THC - what will become THC given enough time or temperature, or both. It has no psychoactive effect that anyone notes, although it wouldn't surprise me if that sense of wellbeing wouldn't be enhanced by the THCa. Wellbeing and cannabis go hand-in-hand.

I think of it this way, THC is the heavy muscle, CBD is the behind-the-scenes support, quietly and consistently working to coordinate things we can only imagine and to reduce inflammatory response, and THCa is the preventative medication. To be honest, if you have access to fresh produce, and you want to fascilitate healing with no threat of euphoria, I'd suggest juicing fresh blossoms. It'll change your life, no way around it. A half-ounce of fresh blossoms consumed in a day will do more to regulate the system than almost anything else.

For treatment of chronic pain it's recommended you start with an equal ratio of THC and CBD. Then you begin to toggle up the THC and CBD together until you have enough THC to offer the relief you sought. Because cannabis expresses so individually patient to patient, dosing is a delicate dance that requires self-awareness. The thread has good instructions, and you can post any questions on dosing there. Someone will answer them quickly.

 

[SweetSue]

Incidentally Sooey, those tiny bubbles you were getting we're decarb bubbles. When the oil is decarbing you'll get more bubbles rise up every time you stir. When you stop seeing bubbles the oil is completely decarbed, offering the maximum values for CBD and THC.

 

[SweetSue]

FHO Refinement: Alternatives

We've been exploring alternate drying methods to retain more of the valuable components, in particular the terpenes and flavonoids. My hope was to be able to make an oil comparable in medicinal value to the FHO without having to go through the grueling process of hovering over the pot for hours, constantly monitoring the temperature fluctuations.

So far we've played with flash-drying, using a dehydrator, and low and slo drying in the fridge. Both techniques leave you with buds that look and smell like they were just harvested. Yesterday I turned some of those low and slo dried buds into oil.

50 grams of dried CBD Critical Cure.

They look just like they did on harvest day.

250 ml of organic extra-virgin olive oil.

Reduce it to a slurry. I used a spoon to shovel the buds into the center where they got ground up by the blender. It took a couple minutes to get the rhythm down. In the end you want to be unable to identify any part of it as plant material beyond the green.

I ended up with 300 ml. The jar gets sealed tightly and placed into the oven on the lowest setting for 30 hours. My oven's lowest setting is 170 degrees F. The jar gets a vigorious shaking every time I think of it.

The parchment paper on the baking pan protects it from the oil that is certain to leak with all that shaking. When I'm done I simply scrape off what collects and add it to the jar.

This is what it looked like this morning before I shook it the first time today.

After shaking I see no signs yet of intense decarbing. That'll start showing up tomorrow morning. I'll keep cooking until I see a noticable decrease in bubbles.

If it's not done decarbing in 36 hours and I don't want to wait any longer I can pour it into a stainless cup, place it in an oil bath and get that finished in less than 30 minutes. Options, I love having options.

When it's strained the lecithin gets added, then into the fridge for 24 hours. Bring it back to room temp, stir to make sure everything's incorporated, and use.

 

[Amy Gardner]

That's great sue. I love the way the method and technique is honed each time you do it. Looks better and better and each time I remember it better & better too. . there will come a day when I won't need to be looking at my 'class notes' in order to make it.

So hey, then, how do you store it. I know you use capsules, but if you were keeping it in a little oil dispensing jar and dosing from that (like a tincture jar but for oil, yeah?), then do you think room temp is ok or in the fridge?

I'm assuming I keep the bulk jar in the fridge. It separated by the way, luckily I'd just read your recent discussion about bringing it up to room temp to shake and then re-refrigerate. Seems all good now. I'm to tired to be writing this.. am I rambling...?

 

[Sooey]

The link to the dosing thread is in my signature. Thank you Amy and Archieweedies, for being here to support Sooey.

Well Sooey, you just learned how FHO can potentiate the THC side of the equation. OK, your intent is to avoid the euphoria? That can be done by using smaller doses and scheduling them throughout the day, preferably between 4-5 times daily, to be exact. In this way you get the cannabinoid load you need for effective healing in a balanced way across the day, with nothing more than a sense of well-being.

It's the THC that causes the euphoria, but it's also the THC that offers immediate relief from pain. None of the other components are going to match THC for pain relief. To use CBD to eliminate the euphoria you'd need 4-5 times the CBD to THC.

THCa is the acid form of THC - what will become THC given enough time or temperature, or both. It has no psychoactive effect that anyone notes, although it wouldn't surprise me if that sense of wellbeing wouldn't be enhanced by the THCa. Wellbeing and cannabis go hand-in-hand.

I think of it this way, THC is the heavy muscle, CBD is the behind-the-scenes support, quietly and consistently working to coordinate things we can only imagine and to reduce inflammatory response, and THCa is the preventative medication. To be honest, if you have access to fresh produce, and you want to fascilitate healing with no threat of euphoria, I'd suggest juicing fresh blossoms. It'll change your life, no way around it. A half-ounce of fresh blossoms consumed in a day will do more to regulate the system than almost anything else.

For treatment of chronic pain it's recommended you start with an equal ratio of THC and CBD. Then you begin to toggle up the THC and CBD together until you have enough THC to offer the relief you sought. Because cannabis expresses so individually patient to patient, dosing is a delicate dance that requires self-awareness. The thread has good instructions, and you can post any questions on dosing there. Someone will answer them quickly.

Oh, My Goodness, I continue to be so impressed with this community and with all of you. The support you offer is so important and so helpful. Just knowing that you have all been through this and are so willing to share your results means more than you could know. Sue, thank you a thousand times for starting this thread. You have constructed what is a valuable resource for so many! Thank you!

You have answered a lot of questions that I have had since going through the cooking process. I think that what I have ended up with is a fine jar of CBD infused Olive Oil and that is exactly what I wanted. I have yet to figure out the effect and that is where the dosing comes in. I gave my Husband a very small amount late yesterday afternoon. He was having a good day as far as pain goes so it was not a good indication as to its effectiveness as a pain reliever. He said he may have felt a bit of a tingle but no euphoria. I could observe for myself that his mood was good, so there is that. I just now asked him about the experience and he said that upon reflection, he did feel something that was good. He did not sleep well last night but there may be other factors in play. I will dose myself today after I have my errands and work done. I would like to find the point that the euphoria kicks in. Low and slow is my new mantra.

Sue, I am so impressed with the material you end up with after you use your stick blender. I tried to use mine, but it does not have the power that yours apparently does. I used a small Oster food processor that I found at a thrift store last week for $4 and it worked like a charm. I was afraid that the sides and blades would get all gunkie and sticky but they did not. My next job will be to dehydrate the material that remains after infusion. I have a jar of fan leaves that I dehydrated last week which I will be adding to brownies or the like. I also have the stems sitting on the counter. Any benefit to drying them and grinding them up to add to cooking or even tea? I hate to waste anything. It's worth a shot.

I have a lot of reading to do before my next crop. One bit of information that I missed in my first few times through this thread was the information on freezing the fresh harvest. I did not know that was an option. Not sure how I missed that and it may not have made any difference in the end but, it's good to know. I'm now interested in other ways of infusing EVOO. So many different ways...36 hours in the oven, Stovetop, slow cooker, pressure cooker. If we all had an unlimited supply of weed...how much fun would that be? No need to answer...

Today I will order my Critical Cure seeds. It is a bit higher in CBD and a touch lower in THC than my first grow of CBDream. I am really enjoying this and I love the aroma of weed growing in my house. I also I love a new project!

Thank you all, the Sweetest of Sues, Amy and Archi. You have provided a wonderful, helpful service to one in need! This entire experience fills me with glee!



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