Before I get to it, I have to say this: It appears that, under the direction of Jeff Sessions (never have I disliked a public figure so quickly and completely as I find myself disliking this douche), the culture war on the mary-ju-wanna front has been officially rejoined (medical, dude? Really???). I have not the energy to track all the shenanigans that he and his toadies are throwing at the wall but I offer a few thoughts:
(1)The background research they are using to justify their defense of their financial backers from the for-profit prison, pharmaceutical, alcohol, and tobacco industries would not hold water if presented as supporting evidence for a high school research paper (and I graded roughly 1 million and one high school research papers in a former life, so I know of what I type)
(2) Things are going to get interesting soon.
(3) Now would be a good time to remind your legislators that a whole lot of us are ecstatic to fall under the forward-thinking jurisdiction of Colorado’s cannabis policies – which the overwhelming majority follows to the letter and have enhanced the quality of our lives by doing so – and their defense of said policies would engender, how you say, “mucho gratitudo” from us come election season.
This ends what would be needless editorial commentary if we did not have an ass-backwards buffoon in the role of Attorney General. I will now proceed to great ideas for using what you may have previously viewed as “waste” after harvesting this year’s cannabis crop.
After the planting and watering are done, after the big fan leaves (which do not have psychoactive properties but can be used for juicing or as an excellent ingredient in compost) are removed, while the buds hang in silent darkness drying, waiting to be jarred and cured, you will have an additional bounty that can be put to use to make several concoctions that will make your smile even wider this autumn: Your trim.
The trim consists of the following: (1)The sugar leaves – single “blades” protruding from the main buds which are covered in richly resinous THC crystals and, if smoked by themselves, would probably create a high on par with the “Brown Frown” strains of yesteryear; (2) The popcorn buds – tiny, underdeveloped flowers that, due to the time of their development or placement within the canopy, which does not afford them enough light to properly develop into true, useful end product; (3) All the other assorted green material that gets cut away in the process of revealing the cream of your crop.
Trim makes up the secret stash that unknowing growers may discard at the end of the growing cycle, not realizing the value in producing such excellent cannabis-related offshoots as infused oils, butter, hash, tincture, tea, and even milk (a favorite use in parts of India where it is called bhang lassi; it is associated with Shiva worship and they hold festivals around its consumption).
Next week (as long as ol’ Sessions doesn’t go full youknowwhat) we will begin to take a look at some of the recipes involved with these wonderful surprise uses for what you might have formerly viewed as garbage along with the method for the process of decarboxylation, which activates and converts raw cannabis in order to produce useable THC. Be well ’til then.
Christopher Gallagher lives with his wife and their four dogs and two horses. Life is pretty darn good. Contact him at [email protected].
