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Cannabis Culture and Community: Harvest Special Pt. 4

Cannabis Culture and Community: Harvest Special Pt. 4

by | Oct 16, 2018 | growing, Season 2, The Real Dirt Podcast Episodes

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t know if we cultivate cannabis, or cannabis cultivates us.

Another harvest has come. Soon, it will be over. Unless you’re an indoor grower, you have some time until planting season.

One thing that is overlooked during harvest season is the community and cannabis culture that develops from the entire group coming together around one plant. Cannabis connects us together as humans, but there is also an unspoken connection that we have with cannabis.

Cannabis culture and community

Whether it’s through sitting around the trim table together or just enjoying cannabis frequently with friends, the cannabis culture that has developed from these connections is a beautiful thing. Movies, TV shows, radio shows and more have also helped to bring cannabis into the mainstream.

Stoner comedies, informative documentaries, news series, and more have all helped propel cannabis into the spotlight. But it’s the regular enthusiasts like you and I that really helped build up — and continue to build — the cannabis culture we enjoy today.

Harvest season is the reason

It might not be the reason, but it’s definitely one of them. Getting the whole gang together to trim up your big harvest is a great way to connect, talk about the growing season, changes to be made, etc. And let’s be real, you’re blazing up the whole time you’re trimming ‘cus that shit sucks, especially if you’re trimming by hand.

I hope that you’ve been enjoying these Harvest Specials as much as I have enjoyed sharing some harvest knowledge with you. It may not be the most scientific or researched tips, but I’ve been in this industry long enough to know how things work, and how to do things the right way.

So, enjoy this week’s Harvest Special while you trim up some beautiful ganja with your team, or roll one up and relax after a long day at the grow with The Real Dirt Podcast.

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Croptober Problems: Harvest Special Pt. 3

Croptober Problems: Harvest Special Pt. 3

by | Oct 9, 2018 | growing, Season 2, The Real Dirt Podcast Episodes

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Croptober is here! Which means harvest time, and harvest problems.

If you’re in a more arid, dry climate right now, your harvest is probably going off without a hitch. The same can’t be said for the East coast growers out there.

With the extremely rainy hurricane season that hit the east coast this year, growers, especially those in the Southeast, are feeling it.

Croptober harvest problems

October has always been the prime time for harvest, with the natural transition into fall pushing plants into their flower stage just in time for harvest. While those who grow indoors do not have to worry about the changing seasons since they can regulate their environment and grow year round, outdoor growers aren’t as fortunate.

Some can’t afford to grow indoors, others prefer outdoors, and some don’t have any other option than to grow outdoor. This puts the grower at the mercy of nature, and she hasn’t been too kind to growers in the east this year.

Not just the weather

If you thought it was just the weather impacting farmer’s harvests, think again. On the opposite side of the country, it’s a little too dry.

You may have noticed from the 400,000 acres of scorched earth in Northern California that there have been some fires. When fires destroy thousands of acres of land, they also destroy the homes of thousands of wildlife. Especially squirrels.

The impact of the forest fires in California have displaced thousands of squirrels, pushing them south into the Emerald Triangle. I’m sure you can see where this is going.

The refugee squirrel problem

Forced from their homes and into the hills of the Emerald Triangle, squirrels have become an unwelcome guest on many cannabis farms. While non-violent toward the farmers, the same can’t be said of the squirrels and their relationship with cannabis plants.

Crawling all over the plants, eating the stalks and breaking off branches of plants are just some of the problems caused by the new squirrel migrant crisis. It’s too soon to say the total impact this event will have, but many farmers are already reporting ruined harvests due to the rodents.

Harvest Special Pt 3

Hear all about the savage squirrels, the drenched east coast and more on this week’s Harvest Special! Join Chip on Lookout Mountain in Georgia as he talks harvest tips, problems, and solutions.

Listen to the episode right here on The Real Dirt, or listen on the go on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and more.

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Curing Cannabis: Harvest Special Pt. 2

Curing Cannabis: Harvest Special Pt. 2

by | Oct 2, 2018 | growing, Season 2, The Real Dirt Podcast Episodes, Uncategorized

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When it comes to curing cannabis, you want to do it right. Not doing it right can ruin your entire harvest.

You’re done harvesting cannabis from your grow. Now it’s time to cure it.

Room size, temperature, humidity, air flow…these are all things that you need to consider when it comes to curing cannabis. Too much humidity and your plants won’t dry properly. Not enough humidity and you’ll dry your plants out faster than you want.

Curing cannabis right

It really is a science. People have moved on from the old plywood sheds that they would use to dry their cannabis. Now, people get full-blown steel buildings with full, regulated setups for curing cannabis. This way can be better, if done right.

A benefit of the classic drying shed that was outside with some plywood walls was it’s interaction with the environment. It acted as a self-regulator, changing humidity and temperature with the outside conditions. Unless there was a more rainy season, this would usually result in perfectly cured cannabis.

Modernized curing

With new, modernized curing facilities, it becomes the job of the grower to regulate that indoor environment. This is where the essentials come in, such as having fans, ventilation and temperature control.

Your method of curing cannabis also depends on how you want to trim it. Some people like to “green trim”, or trimming cannabis fresh when it is still wet. Others will only trim dry, as it is easier and many think it is more effective at maintaining potency when the bud had more time to cure.

The bottom line

One of the most important factors of curing cannabis that people overlook is storage. The best way to store your cannabis for curing is in storage bins. Some plastic bags will leave an odor on your cannabis if left in the bag too long from the plastic chemicals.

Once you have your cannabis contained, it is important to monitor it regular, burping the container to prevent the buds from flattening each other out. In a regulated indoor environment, this will be curing easy.

Here more about curing and trimming on this week’s Real Dirt Harvest Special!

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Harvesting Cannabis: Harvest Special Pt. 1

Harvesting Cannabis: Harvest Special Pt. 1

by | Sep 25, 2018 | growing, Season 2, The Real Dirt Podcast Episodes

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It’s that time. The time all growers anticipate. Harvest season is here, and it’s time to get ready! The Real Dirt knows all too well what goes into a successful harvest, and when it comes to harvesting cannabis, The Real Dirt knows best.

Chip has personally helped hundreds of growers across the country manage their grows and harvests, and he’s the go to source for any grower serious about harvesting cannabis. You might still be in the tail-end of flower, but it’s never too early to get prepared for harvest.

Harvesting cannabis

If you aren’t prepared when the time to harvest comes around, you’re going to be in trouble. Using the same gunked up scissors from last harvest is a rookie mistake, but one that even an experienced grower may forget. After all, when you’re in the garden twelve hours a day, there isn’t much time to run to the store.

Because of this, many growers who have large quantities, especially commercial growers, will enlist the help of for-hire trimmers. This can be very helpful, but only if you vet your candidates well.

Trim migration

In places like Northern California where millions of pounds of cannabis are grown, hiring trimmers is a necessity. However, the population in Northern California is pretty small, so most of the trimmers are outsourced.

The great migration of trimmers starts at the beginning of harvest season, as thousands of people migrate to these areas to look for trim jobs. While there may be plenty of applicants, they aren’t all going to do good work.

You’ll get the lazy stoners that just want to get baked and work slow, other will try to steal your cannabis on the side, and more. That’s why it is so important to know your trimmers, and keep an eye on them.

Chip has seen them all, and in the first episode of The Real Dirt Harvest Specials, he talks trim tips, and the business of trimming. Hear the full episode here, or listen on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.

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