Harvestright freeze dryer for weed? Done and cured in a day!

[StoneOtter]

Btw they make machines specifically for a commercial harvest. IE machine is better set programmed wise for cannabis. Can get sized machines to do up to 1200 lbs at a time. Cryocure is one of these machine manufactures. Makes I think two machines one that does 30-60lbs and one that does 600-1200lbs. They also can make custom machines for the end user. So yes in short it is very viable for a commercial
Operation. Just got back Denver a few weeks ago and stopped in to Rare Dankness. They use a feeeze drying method for the end product. I picked up a few 8th from them just to sample what can be done. Major game changer imho.

I tasted a Cryocure cone joint at a canna show they were at a couple of years ago. I thought it was very interesting. Very different and the same all at once.

 

[420Veteran]

As of hers have mentioned I think the biggest change is the bag appeal. Of course after the time and effort involved to get it to a similar point. Using traditional methods of harvesting, dry, and curing. . You get enhanced flavor and aroma as well. Really a excellent methodology of drying and cure.

the downfalls of course are costs, variability in settings to get a repeatable and excellent product. Where I lucked out is finding a medium unit for $500 on Craigslist. I wasn’t looking for a unit at all. But, when I saw this I dropped everything and jumped on it. While still believing it was too good to be true. My other bonus is of course the ability to freeze dry food and store all sorts of things that previously we where unable
To. From Cheesecake, meats, fruits, vegetables, full mea@s, candy, and bud. Wow, not to mention helping out a battle buddy with full meals for her trip across the continental divide with a few weeks of freezes dried meals. If you can find one at a reasonable price the cons go down to acceptable for sure.

 

[StoneOtter]

You found a great deal on that! Score 1 for the home team!

 

[ihazcow]

Still trying to figure out mine for a custom setting. I just leave it on the default setting and let her run. I never went the entire full dry cycle, but was usually around 17-20hrs from start to finish. Ran longer for some buds I had to freeze ahead of time because I couldn’t fit everything in at once. So I had bud washed them, salad spinner away the extra moisture, tossed in paper bag and into the freezer until I was ready for another round. They will come out like styrofoam but a few hours in a paper bag will reconstitute some moisture back into the buds too. I’ve done some buds in jars with and without Boveda 62% packs (mostly without) and seem to make some softer like my LSD, but my American Pie got real tight and had a heftier feel to them. so far the default seem to be working ok for me, but try not to get the buds to touch the elements. (LSD outdoor, GLOOKIES which might of touched some of the element, and Blue Dream outside clone) All done using the default setting for again the 17-20hr mark, but would love to find a definite weed default setting.

You still doing this? @EhCndGrower

I am wondering what your settings and process is starting from harvest after this amount of time if this is still what you do.

Thanks for any info.

 

[EhCndGrower]

You still doing this? @EhCndGrower

I am wondering what your settings and process is starting from harvest after this amount of time if this is still what you do.

Thanks for any info.

Apparently we can only bring the temp down on the trays. I haven’t used it since October for a harvest but am about 2.5 weeks into flowering of my current grow (link below) So when it becomes that time to use again, I’m just sticking with the default settings. They came well already and so why change it I guess. Hopefully in late April/early May I will have some new pics to share of my harvest

 

[DonJohnson]

Apparently we can only bring the temp down on the trays. I haven’t used it since October for a harvest but am about 2.5 weeks into flowering of my current grow (link below) So when it becomes that time to use again, I’m just sticking with the default settings. They came well already and so why change it I guess. Hopefully in late April/early May I will have some new pics to share of my harvest

When I did 100 degrees vs default, I feel like they came out less crispy. It's hard to compare because they were 2 different strains but maybe they all dry the same. I have another batch going in tonight and I may leave it default again just to see

In the end, I put them in a mason jar with a 60% pack and they seem fine and the same.

 

[EhCndGrower]

I can’t wait to use my freeze dryer again for my current grow whenever it’s ready. Hopefully I get to cut someone down in 5 weeks time and will try maybe lowering the tray temps and see if they come out looking better or not.

 

[Auggie]

Not from Harvest Right but there are a few industrial size units for commercial growers but cost a ton of money. Looking, I found one that can process 1100lbs of cannabis in 24-36hours and would only set you back $762K (plus tax) Thats the biggest model they sell but they also have several smaller/cheaper ones too. Not like this machine didn’t do the same with my family but it was bought mainly for food preserve in a non doomsday preppier way. You trim, wash and throw on the tray and the machine does the rest until you bag and jar your product. The product comes out looking like a millions bucks in comparison to hung dried weed by colour and size alone. The eye candy can make it come off as premium AAAA+ weed every time. It will also take away any worry of any mold developing during your dry phase too. It’s just the trimming that’s taking my times, but industrial businesses can afford trimming machines too. It’s like you would only need a handful of people to really harvest it all that way. So labor costs would be much lower too, and thus saving you a ton of money over the long haul

I just completed a rather exhaustive study on freeze/dry/cure, and we (the management of the legal grow operation where I work) have come to the conclusion that this is not (yet) feasible for us.

Several factors involved:
- It appears that it would not significantly reduce overall time to market. Our hanging rooms can accommodate and produce 1500 lbs trim ready in about five days. With prep time, and maintenance requirements it would take about the same amount of time to process that weight through the Harvest Right machine.
- The machinery itself is still cost prohibitive.
- The company will not offer or honor any returns of the machinery if we decide that we don't like results; so testing is not possible.
- Will the increased eyeball and nose appeal (if it exists) result in higher crop prices; unknown without market test which is not possible.

 

[Honeygreens]

Well, I tried it. What I will say is that I will be doing it again for sure. While it's dried to the right amount the colors and the smell are still just like when I chopped it down. So far it's very promising. I even made a short video of the result.

Can you send a video of your harvest right cannabis once its done before and after pics?

 

[EhCndGrower]

Can you send a video of your harvest right cannabis once its done before and after pics?

I have on page 5 some before and after pics of a LSD plant I harvested. Along with some nugg shots of various other strains.

 

[Honeygreens]

Well, I tried it. What I will say is that I will be doing it again for sure. While it's dried to the right amount the colors and the smell are still just like when I chopped it down. So far it's very promising. I even made a short video of the result.

Can you tell me the whole process from start to finish please. Did you freeze weed first and if so for how long and what temp and is it a normal freezer? After that what temps and time you run your harvestright at

 

[Gr8fulBear]

Has any more work been done with he harvest right freeze dryers to end up with a product like cryocure... ? I'm wondering if the advantages of freeze dried could turn into a business opportunity to start a mobile trimming and drying service company

 

[dudemaster]

For harvest right, recommend 70 - 75 tray temp and 12 hours drying time. Jar immediately and let sit at room temperature for about 3 hours.

Tip: Air seal mason jars in the harvest right. Remove the trays, close the drain tube, plug the pump directly into the wall for about 2 min after loosely fitting the wax lids over the jar with the screw top lightly resting on the ring - set them in the machine upright. It will vacuum seal the lids.

I used to hang, and jar cure. But this captures those good terps that give it flavor and makes the bud taste fresh for as long as the bud stays in a sealed container in a cold environment. Dispensaries value the long term storage coupled with consistent negative mold testing and time-to-market. I value the flavor the process preserves and the fact I get useable bud the very next day (12hrs and change).

Will post pics in Nov at the next harvest.

 

[TorturedSoul]

While it's dried to the right amount the colors and the smell are still just like when I chopped it down.

That'd be why I wouldn't want it. It's not cured - it's merely dried.

BtW, has anyone heard from @fanleaf recently? He hasn't visited the forum in ten months.

 

[Mike 1965]

Well, I tried it. What I will say is that I will be doing it again for sure. While it's dried to the right amount the colors and the smell are still just like when I chopped it down. So far it's very promising. I even made a short video of the result.

I have the pharma model what settings do I use to obtain a 10 % finished product

 

[Mycelium Farmer]

thats a great idea

Hi, Just registered after viewing this thread. My freeze dryer is on back order for a few more weeks and unfortunately my harvest is about ready. I know with our raspberries and strawberry crops we are placing them in our chest freezer (in plastic bags) ahead of time so when the Harvest Right arrives we can spread then out on the trays and eliminate the pre-freeze cycle. Can you also put fresh cannabis buds in a standard freezer a few weeks before running through the freeze dryer? I expect that no one has really tried this before but anyone have a more educated guess that I have?

I noticed that someone already asked my question a couple posts above with no response so far. Anyone have ideas on this? Thanks

I'm curious as well, anyone have an answer on that??

Not from Harvest Right but there are a few industrial size units for commercial growers but cost a ton of money. Looking, I found one that can process 1100lbs of cannabis in 24-36hours and would only set you back $762K (plus tax) Thats the biggest model they sell but they also have several smaller/cheaper ones too. Not like this machine didn’t do the same with my family but it was bought mainly for food preserve in a non doomsday preppier way. You trim, wash and throw on the tray and the machine does the rest until you bag and jar your product. The product comes out looking like a millions bucks in comparison to hung dried weed by colour and size alone. The eye candy can make it come off as premium AAAA+ weed every time. It will also take away any worry of any mold developing during your dry phase too. It’s just the trimming that’s taking my times, but industrial businesses can afford trimming machines too. It’s like you would only need a handful of people to really harvest it all that way. So labor costs would be much lower too, and thus saving you a ton of money over the long haul

Btw they make machines specifically for a commercial harvest. IE machine is better set programmed wise for cannabis. Can get sized machines to do up to 1200 lbs at a time. Cryocure is one of these machine manufactures. Makes I think two machines one that does 30-60lbs and one that does 600-1200lbs. They also can make custom machines for the end user. So yes in short it is very viable for a commercial
Operation. Just got back Denver a few weeks ago and stopped in to Rare Dankness. They use a feeeze drying method for the end product. I picked up a few 8th from them just to sample what can be done. Major game changer imho.

762k?!?!?! hahaa, couldn't even imagine considering such an option anymore. Sounds dreamy though.

 

[EhCndGrower]

I can confirm that you can freeze your buds ahead of time and throw into your freeze dryer later. When I first got it I had 7-8 plants outside that needed to harvested. My medium size held close to 950g of wet buds, and some grew 1200-1700g and required 2 separate loads. Some I kept frozen before drying for probably 2+ weeks. I had already bud washed them, trimmed, threw them into a paper bag and tossed into my freezer. First batch I tried were warmed up in cool water to help separate the buds, but DON’T DO THAT. Now it was a mysterious strain that sprouted on its own but didn’t get any buzz from it, and don’t know if it was strain or from the wash itself. Plus the buds could be pulled apart kind of easily after defrosting for a couple of minutes. Plus it saves a little time because you can select the pre-frozen option at the start now

 

[bradleydavidgood]

This is a great thread. Thanks to all who contributed. I just ordered a large harvestright freeze dryer (home model) and will be using the pharma software. I've had some done by a friend and it is wonderful.

From this thread I've gathered some ideas, that do not necessarily agree:

Machine settings: shelf limit 35, freeze time:9 hours, dry time:7 hours.

3 hours in a paper bag.

For harvest right, recommend 70 - 75 tray temp and 12 hours drying time. Jar immediately and let sit at room temperature for about 3 hours.

Tip: Air seal mason jars in the harvest right. Remove the trays, close the drain tube, plug the pump directly into the wall for about 2 min after loosely fitting the wax lids over the jar with the screw top lightly resting on the ring - set them in the machine upright. It will vacuum seal the lids.

So, I'm just hoping to get more feedback, like, on the machine settings, is anyone running the pharma software on the home unit? And if so, what settings worked well?

And one person said 3 hours in a paper bag and the other one said jar immediately.

Thanks!

 

[StoneOtter]

Welcome Brad!

 

[bradleydavidgood]

Thank you StoneOtter!