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[pathway]

Mornin! hope everyone's well. All this poetry and pagan talk has got me in the mood for some pagan fairy folk trance

Release your inner fairy!

 

[ChillFred]

Whats the criteria for a seed bank/breeder to get their own section under, "AFN recommended seed Banks and breeders"?

I can think of atleast two highly regarded breeders, that would deserve a spot, i believe. But maybe its more about them not wanting to nor having the time than anything else. One of them is based in Spain, and the other in Holland, and i am sure everyone here knows about both. I just dont wanna mention them by name, since it might be against the rules.

Mornin! hope everyone's well. All this poetry and pagan talk has got me in the mood for some pagan fairy folk trance

Release your inner fairy!

Ooh, am i glad i'm growing Fairy Frost! Might turn me into a Fairy... A stoned Fairy that is...
This is how i imagine my grow cabinet when i'm not around...

 

[Dr Fluff]

Cannabis Events for Europeans
May onwards



Expo Cáñamo (Sevilla, Spain), 13-15 May 2016
The second edition of Sevilla’s cannabis fair will be held under the Andalucía sun on the 13, 14 and 15 May, 2016. A perfect chance to meet the renowned cannabis activists Marc and Jodie Emery from Canada!

Expocáñamo Sevilla 2016

Website: http://www.expocanamo.com/

Contact: info@expocanamo.com

Indica Sativa Trade (Bologna, Italy), 20-22 May 2016
4th edition of the Italian cannabis fair, held during the 20,21 and 22 May at the Unipol Arena, Bologna. Here you’ll meet lots of professionals and personalities of the marijuana sector, plus plenty of cannabis-based cosmetics and edibles. As one of the main novelties of this year’s edition we have the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour, which will start in Ljubljana and finish in Bologna during the fair.

Indica Sativa Trade 2016

Website: http://www.indicasativatrade.com/

Contact: info@indicasativatrade.com

Cannabis Liberation Day (Amsterdam, Holland), 12 June 2016
The 8th edition of the Cannabis Liberation Day will be organised at Flevopark in Amsterdam on Tuesday, 12th June 2016. You’ll enjoy lots of music concerts and speeches from cannabis activists about the current situation of Dutch laws in regard to marijuana. This event is organised by the VOC Association and quickly became a reference among cannabis events in Holland.


Website: http://www.cannabisliberationday.org/en/

Contact: info@cannabisliberationday.org

Cannabis XXL (Munich, Germany), 8-10 July 2016
The third edition of the Cannabis XXL fair will take place in the Bavarian capital from the 8th to the 10th of July. On the last year edition, the first one, the event gathered more than 2.500 visitors. For further information, visit Cannabis XXL Facebook page.

Cannabis XXL Munich

Hanfparade (Berlin, Germany), 13 August 2016
The 20th edition of this peaceful march in support of cannabis legalisation will take place in the streets of the German capital on Saturday, 13 August 2016 with the motto “Legalisation is in the air“. This march gathers thousands of people and ends with music concerts and other interesting events.

Hanfparade Berlin

Website: http://en.hanfparade.de/

Contact: info@hanfparade.de

Cannatrade (Zurich, Switzerland), 2-4 September 2016
Cannatrade, the Swiss international cannabis fair, is held in Switzerland every two years. Thus, this important event, which hasn’t been held since 2014, will take place this year from the 2nd to the 4th of September in Zurich.

Cannatrade Zurich 2016

Website: http://www.cannatrade.ch/

Contact: contact@cannatrade.ch

Expogrow Irun (Irun, Spain), 16-18 September
The Expogrow fair is the favourite among French growers, since it is held at about 200 metres away from the French-Spanish border. On the last edition – 2015 – two thirds of the total number of visitors (17.000) were French. This fair stands out for its excellent atmosphere and the large number of activities held on the fairground, such as music concerts, sports, speeches, and many more. This year’s edition, the fifth, will be held from the 16th to the 18th September, 2016. See you there!


Website: http://www.expogrow.net/2016/

Contact: zoila@expogrow.net

Cultiva Hanfmesse (Vienna, Austria), 7-9 October 2016
The 9th edition of the marijuana fair held in the Austrian capital will take place from the 7th to the 9th of October, 2016. Among others, some of the novelties of this year’s edition are the Glass Blowing Show and many music concerts.


Website: http://www.cultiva.at/index.php/en/

Contact: info@cultiva.at

Unity Cup (Amsterdam, Holland), 20-23 November 2016
After the disappearance of Amsterdam’s High Times Cannabis Cup in 2014, many coffee shops of the Dutch capital decided to organize a cannabis cup with the following categories: Hashish, Indica, Sativa, Hybrid, Cannabis edibles and Highest THC. This year’s edition will be held at the Melkweg Amsterdam centre.

Amsterdam Unity Cup 2016

Website: http://amsterdam-unity-cup.com/

Contact: contact@amsterdam-unity-cup.com

More cannabis events for 2016
At this moment, we still don’t know if the following events will be held: Cannamed (Valencia, Spain), Canapa (Milan, Italy) andCannafest (Prague, Czech Republic). We’ll update this post as soon as we have more information.

Cannabis Events and Cups for our American friends
May onwards




Lift Cannabis Expo, Toronto, 28-29 May
A perfect place to learn about one of the fastest growing industries of North America, which gathers consumers, professionals, enterpreneurs, job seekers from both America and Europe.

Seed banks, nutrient companies, dispensaries and clinics, hydroponics manufacturers, and many more will gather in Toronto to have a wider knowledge of the cannabis industry.

2016 Lift Cannabis Expo

More info: liftexpo.ca

Cannabis Business Summit, Oakland, 20-22 June
This Californian event describes itself as “the only event where senators, congressional representatives and policy influencers converge with industry leaders and entrepreneurs to shape the cannabis economy.”

As the name suggests, it is mainly focused on business and policy reform.

2016 Cannabis Business Summit and Expo

More info: cannabisbusinesssummit.com

Chalice California, San Bernardino, 9-10 July
An event strickly aimed towards medical marijuana and focused on cannabis concentrates and extracts. Music, glass art, speeches and the awards ceremony for the best concentrates…what else can we ask for?

2016 Chalice California

More info: chalicecalifornia.com

Annual 7/10 events, worldwide, 10 July
A recently established annual event, in which lovers of dabbing and butane honey oil concentrates (BHO) celebrate their passion. Grab your best bubbler and BHO and just dab it!

If you turn 710 upside down it spells out “oil”.

BHO dab (Picture: Andres Rodriguez)

Seattle Hempfest, Seattle, 19-21 August
Seattle Hempfest is probably one of the largest gatherings of cannabis lovers demanding legislation reform of marijuana. This festival is free includes speakers, music bands, business and many more!

This year’s edition will be the 25th, so Seattle Hempfest is a protestival that you can’t miss!

Seattle Hempfest

More info: hempfest.org

Boston Freedom Rally, Boston, 26-27 September
The 27th edition of this classic annual freedom rally will gather once again people asking to end the prohibition on cannabis. An event focused on marijuana reform in which everyone is welcome. Bands, speeches, vendors and lots of cannabis lovers!

2016 Boston Freedom Rally

More info: The Boston Freedom Rally FB

Lift Cannabis Expo Vancouver, Vancouver, Fall 2016
Lift has announced that their first medical cannabis expo will be held this fall in Vancouver.

Lift Cannabis Expo

More info: Lift Cannabis Expo Vancouver

Emerald Cup, Santa Rosa, 10-11 December
A new edition of this prestigious cup will be held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California. This cup gathers growers, breeders, extract artists, patients and cannabis enthusiasts who enjoy the good vibes, music concerts, speeches, etc. The cup is focused on outdoor cannabis strains.

It’s not a coincidence that the Rolling Stone magazine calls this event “the Academy Awards of the cannabis industry.”

2016 Emerald Cup

 

[Dr Fluff]

It seems more & more people who grow are now getting interested in breeding but what do IBL, S1, BX, F2, landrace mean?
Here's some reading that will help you understand.

Basic nomenclature of cannabis genetics
What is an IBL, S1, BX, F2, landrace, marijuana plant?

Hindu Kush by Sensi Seeds

Often, when it’s time to buy cannabis seeds, the beginner grower can be confused by some acronyms that are written next to the name of the variety. Just with some basic concepts you will be able to get the correct choice between seeds with the same name, but different acronym.

There is a big difference between acquiring a second filial generation (F2) or an IBL, even if we talk about seeds of the same variety. These differences will condition the growth pattern of the plants, and also the final product, so that it is almost essential to learn exactly what is the meaning of these acronyms to be more accurate in choosing which seeds to buy, saving ourselves deceptions and getting closer to our preferences.

Pure Marijuana strains
Also known as landraces or purebreds, pure cannabis strains have been the basis of cannabis breeding over the past decades. These species are endemic from an area, where they have never been crossed (hybridised) with other varieties. There is a large number of landraces from all around the planet, belonging to any of the three families of cannabis, Sativa, Indica and Ruderalis. Nepal is a good example; in this country different pure strains of marijuana (mostly sativa) are grown and you can easily see the differences between genotypes basing on the sea level.

Each variety expresses its genetic code (genotype) with a certain growth and flowering pattern (phenotype), so that pure varieties – with a purest genotype – show great homogeneity, with just few differences between phenotypes. We can expect very little variation between landrace specimens of the same strain, getting plants with very similar growth, organoleptic and psychoactive traits. Good examples of these varieties can be Hindu Kush (Sensi Seeds), Colombia Punto Rojo (Cannabiogen) or China Yunnan (Ace Seeds).

IBL or stabilized cannabis hybrids

F1 Hybrid

The IBL acronym (inbred line), means that the cross was made using plants with almost identical genotype(inbreeding). On the opposite, outbreeding, to introduce new genes in the variety. Although it happens naturally, self-pollination is a common technique used by breeders to fix desirable traits and thus stabilize the genetic line, either landraces or hybrids. In Cannabis genetics IBL seeds should present a highly uniform growth. Classic IBL examples areSkunk and Northern Lights (Sensi Seeds) or White Widow(Greenhouse). There is a huge effort behind IBL’s like these, since a large number of pure specimens had to be used to select the correct parents. In addition, the breeder must fight against inbreeding depression, the result of crossing parents with very similar genetic information. The reward for this job made properly is a highly stable strain.

If we make a cross between two different landrace or IBL lines (parental A and B) with different genotypes, the resulting offspring will be the F1 hybrid, the first filial generation from the cross of the phenotype #1 (Parent A) with the phenotype #2 (Parent B). Commonly in this kind of crosses we will observe a very uniform offspring, also depending on how stable the parents are. The F1 hybrid between two pure strains or IBL’s will show the socalled hybrid vigor – also known as heterosis or outbeedding enhancement – introducing new genes that will produce “better” specimens.

Varieties like Orient Expres (Ace Seeds), Red Afro (Tropical Seeds) or Eddy from Original Delicatessen would be good F1 hybridexamples. Thus, we call F1 to the first filial generation of any cross, while “F1 hybrid” is used when the parents are different landrace or IBL strains.

How to create a polyhybrid

When we cross two F1 individuals (whether landraces, hybrid or polyhybrid varieties), we obtain the second filial generation or F2, and so on with next generations. The second filial generation often gives a more heterogeneous offspring than the F1; we can expect a 25% similar to parent A, 25% to parent B and 50% as an expression of the mixed traits from both parents. As a consequence the stabilization work must continue generation after generation ( F3, F4, F5…) until we find the generation that gives a uniform offspring with the traits that we are seeking.

Many of the seeds that we can find in shops are polyhybrids, crosses between different hybrids. The offspring of such crosses is in many cases quite uneven, producing plants with very different traits. Keep in mind that in these cases, the genetic mix is very varied, so we can not expect polyhybrid offspring to be as homogenous as an F1 hybrid. It is easy to understand how complex it can be to stabilize a cross, since we are mixing different genes from different varieties, which makes the selection and stabilisation process of the different traits a very hard work. The vast majority of hybrids on the market are in fact polyhybrids, like the White Russian (Serious Seeds) or Fruity Jack / Jack el Frutero (Philosopher Seeds).

BX or Backcross
Backcrossing is a common technique used by breeders to fix certain traits. This is done by crossing one of the progeny (F1, F2…) with one of the original parents (recurrent parent) which has the desired trait. To have an even more stable expression of the desirable trait, you can cross the BX1 again with the recurrent parent to have a BX2 (squaring) and so on with BX3 (cubing), BX4, BX5…

Backcrossing

This technique is also used to replicate clones in seed form. It is done by choosing a male parent to cross with the clone only, backcrossing it as many times as needed to get an offspring as similar as possible to the original clone. The Apollo 13Bx (TGA Subcool) is an excellent example of this technique.

Tropimango by Philosopher Seeds

S1, feminized cannabis seeds
The acronym S1 refers to the first filial generation as a result of crossing the plant with itself. This is achieved by various techniques aimed to reverse the sex of a desired female, get the pollen use it to pollinate itself. If it’s done properly, we get feminized offspring with the same genotype of the parent used.

As always in genetics, the more stable the parent is, the more stable the offspring will be. This technique can also be used as a regular backcross, selecting and fixing traits but starting with just one parent. Thus, we can find S2 or S3 seeds, which have been backcrossed again with the original parent. Examples of S1 are Tropimango(Philosopher Seeds), S.A.D. (Sweet Seeds) or Trainweck (Greenhouse).

 

[ChillFred]

Cannabis Events for Europeans
May onwards



Expo Cáñamo (Sevilla, Spain), 13-15 May 2016
The second edition of Sevilla’s cannabis fair will be held under the Andalucía sun on the 13, 14 and 15 May, 2016. A perfect chance to meet the renowned cannabis activists Marc and Jodie Emery from Canada!

Expocáñamo Sevilla 2016

Website: http://www.expocanamo.com/

Contact: info@expocanamo.com

Indica Sativa Trade (Bologna, Italy), 20-22 May 2016
4th edition of the Italian cannabis fair, held during the 20,21 and 22 May at the Unipol Arena, Bologna. Here you’ll meet lots of professionals and personalities of the marijuana sector, plus plenty of cannabis-based cosmetics and edibles. As one of the main novelties of this year’s edition we have the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour, which will start in Ljubljana and finish in Bologna during the fair.

Indica Sativa Trade 2016

Website: http://www.indicasativatrade.com/

Contact: info@indicasativatrade.com

Cannabis Liberation Day (Amsterdam, Holland), 12 June 2016
The 8th edition of the Cannabis Liberation Day will be organised at Flevopark in Amsterdam on Tuesday, 12th June 2016. You’ll enjoy lots of music concerts and speeches from cannabis activists about the current situation of Dutch laws in regard to marijuana. This event is organised by the VOC Association and quickly became a reference among cannabis events in Holland.


Website: http://www.cannabisliberationday.org/en/

Contact: info@cannabisliberationday.org

Cannabis XXL (Munich, Germany), 8-10 July 2016
The third edition of the Cannabis XXL fair will take place in the Bavarian capital from the 8th to the 10th of July. On the last year edition, the first one, the event gathered more than 2.500 visitors. For further information, visit Cannabis XXL Facebook page.

Cannabis XXL Munich

Hanfparade (Berlin, Germany), 13 August 2016
The 20th edition of this peaceful march in support of cannabis legalisation will take place in the streets of the German capital on Saturday, 13 August 2016 with the motto “Legalisation is in the air“. This march gathers thousands of people and ends with music concerts and other interesting events.

Hanfparade Berlin

Website: http://en.hanfparade.de/

Contact: info@hanfparade.de

Cannatrade (Zurich, Switzerland), 2-4 September 2016
Cannatrade, the Swiss international cannabis fair, is held in Switzerland every two years. Thus, this important event, which hasn’t been held since 2014, will take place this year from the 2nd to the 4th of September in Zurich.

Cannatrade Zurich 2016

Website: http://www.cannatrade.ch/

Contact: contact@cannatrade.ch

Expogrow Irun (Irun, Spain), 16-18 September
The Expogrow fair is the favourite among French growers, since it is held at about 200 metres away from the French-Spanish border. On the last edition – 2015 – two thirds of the total number of visitors (17.000) were French. This fair stands out for its excellent atmosphere and the large number of activities held on the fairground, such as music concerts, sports, speeches, and many more. This year’s edition, the fifth, will be held from the 16th to the 18th September, 2016. See you there!


Website: http://www.expogrow.net/2016/

Contact: zoila@expogrow.net

Cultiva Hanfmesse (Vienna, Austria), 7-9 October 2016
The 9th edition of the marijuana fair held in the Austrian capital will take place from the 7th to the 9th of October, 2016. Among others, some of the novelties of this year’s edition are the Glass Blowing Show and many music concerts.


Website: http://www.cultiva.at/index.php/en/

Contact: info@cultiva.at

Unity Cup (Amsterdam, Holland), 20-23 November 2016
After the disappearance of Amsterdam’s High Times Cannabis Cup in 2014, many coffee shops of the Dutch capital decided to organize a cannabis cup with the following categories: Hashish, Indica, Sativa, Hybrid, Cannabis edibles and Highest THC. This year’s edition will be held at the Melkweg Amsterdam centre.

Amsterdam Unity Cup 2016

Website: http://amsterdam-unity-cup.com/

Contact: contact@amsterdam-unity-cup.com

More cannabis events for 2016
At this moment, we still don’t know if the following events will be held: Cannamed (Valencia, Spain), Canapa (Milan, Italy) andCannafest (Prague, Czech Republic). We’ll update this post as soon as we have more information.

Cannabis Events and Cups for our American friends
May onwards




Lift Cannabis Expo, Toronto, 28-29 May
A perfect place to learn about one of the fastest growing industries of North America, which gathers consumers, professionals, enterpreneurs, job seekers from both America and Europe.

Seed banks, nutrient companies, dispensaries and clinics, hydroponics manufacturers, and many more will gather in Toronto to have a wider knowledge of the cannabis industry.

2016 Lift Cannabis Expo

More info: liftexpo.ca

Cannabis Business Summit, Oakland, 20-22 June
This Californian event describes itself as “the only event where senators, congressional representatives and policy influencers converge with industry leaders and entrepreneurs to shape the cannabis economy.”

As the name suggests, it is mainly focused on business and policy reform.

2016 Cannabis Business Summit and Expo

More info: cannabisbusinesssummit.com

Chalice California, San Bernardino, 9-10 July
An event strickly aimed towards medical marijuana and focused on cannabis concentrates and extracts. Music, glass art, speeches and the awards ceremony for the best concentrates…what else can we ask for?

2016 Chalice California

More info: chalicecalifornia.com

Annual 7/10 events, worldwide, 10 July
A recently established annual event, in which lovers of dabbing and butane honey oil concentrates (BHO) celebrate their passion. Grab your best bubbler and BHO and just dab it!

If you turn 710 upside down it spells out “oil”.

BHO dab (Picture: Andres Rodriguez)

Seattle Hempfest, Seattle, 19-21 August
Seattle Hempfest is probably one of the largest gatherings of cannabis lovers demanding legislation reform of marijuana. This festival is free includes speakers, music bands, business and many more!

This year’s edition will be the 25th, so Seattle Hempfest is a protestival that you can’t miss!

Seattle Hempfest

More info: hempfest.org

Boston Freedom Rally, Boston, 26-27 September
The 27th edition of this classic annual freedom rally will gather once again people asking to end the prohibition on cannabis. An event focused on marijuana reform in which everyone is welcome. Bands, speeches, vendors and lots of cannabis lovers!

2016 Boston Freedom Rally

More info: The Boston Freedom Rally FB

Lift Cannabis Expo Vancouver, Vancouver, Fall 2016
Lift has announced that their first medical cannabis expo will be held this fall in Vancouver.

Lift Cannabis Expo

More info: Lift Cannabis Expo Vancouver

Emerald Cup, Santa Rosa, 10-11 December
A new edition of this prestigious cup will be held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California. This cup gathers growers, breeders, extract artists, patients and cannabis enthusiasts who enjoy the good vibes, music concerts, speeches, etc. The cup is focused on outdoor cannabis strains.

It’s not a coincidence that the Rolling Stone magazine calls this event “the Academy Awards of the cannabis industry.”

2016 Emerald Cup

Thank you for the info @arty zan ! I gotta get to one event this year!!!

 

[Dr Fluff]

Live Resin, Holy Water, Terp Sarp


Today, the expression Live Resin is increasingly employed and is oftenly used during the discussions between cannabinoid extraction lovers. It can also be found in the way of #hashtags, in comments of BHO pictures on Instagram and other social networks…but what exactly does it mean?

Extraction of Sour Diesel, Live resin

The expression Live Resin is used to speak about concentrated resin made using a solvent – generally butane – and fresh plant material. It consists in freezing the buds/trim right after harvest, without any drying or curing process. Normally, the whole plant is used, which is cut into small nugs and placed inside the extraction tubes, which are then put in the freezer for 12-24 hours. Usingcryogenic freezers or CO2 ice is recommended, since best results come with plant material freezed at temperatures between -30 to -65°C (-22 to -85ºF) .

First Prize in the Dab A Doo Awards in Valencia, Live Resin

Using the whole plant – buds and small leaves – is very important to get the biggest possible diversity of terpenes. The BHO extraction is carried out following the same steps than conventional extractions of dried and cured buds.

During the Medical Cannabis Cup of Michigan in August 2015, terpene analysis on Live Resin samples were performed, which revealed much higher terpene concentrations than regular BHO extractions. These type of cannabis concentrates are now inevitable for dab lovers. In American dispensaries, Live Resin extracts can easily exceed in about 10 to 30$ the price of extractions made from dry buds.

Today, it’s not strange to see Live Resin extractions being awarded in cannabis cups, as for example during the last Dab A Doo in Valencia, were Oil Hunters were awarded with the first prize for their Somango OG Live Resin – which was highly appreciated by our team – and 710 Crew won the third prize with their Sour Amnesia Live Resin.

Live Resin is a relatively recent extraction method. Its “invention” is attributed to a grower named William “Kind Bill” Fenger, a man from Colorado specialized in cannabinoid extractions since 1980, and who directed the first legal crop exclusively dedicated to the production of marijuana concentrates in 2010. A little bit later, he had the idea of extracting cannabinoids from fresh plant material using butane. He then named the resulting product Live Resin. The first strain with which he used this technique was Original Diesel, a clone from Florida. He was amazed by the taste, smell and effect of this extract; it was one of the best things he had ever smoked.

Live Resin, Extraction of Sour Diesel

Live Resin: Terpenes to the max!
Kind Bill wanted to keep the powerful scent you smell while you are trimming a fresh plant in a cannabinoid extraction. This smell is caused by the many terpenes present in the cannabis plant, but a large part of them are lost during the first week of the drying process, as was stated in a study performed in 1995 and called The Volatile Oil.

Monoterpenes like Myrcene and Limonene evaporate more quickly than the larger and heavy-weightier Sesquiterpenes, as happens with caryophyllene, which represents a large part of the terpene concentration found after drying the buds.

A recent study conducted in the Mississippi University about extractions from fresh plants, reveals much higher levels of monoterpenes – more volatile – in this type of extractions, which are responsible for the powerful and floral flavour of the marijuana plant that, in turn, provides the Live Resin with this fresh and fruity flavor. If we compare it with an extraction made from cured buds, the latter contains 2-4 % less monoterpenes than those contained in Live Resin samples.

Analysis realized during the Medical Cannabis Cup in Michigan in August 2015

Therefore, we must remind that the moisture present in the cannabis buds can impede the butane to act as solvent. That’s whyfreezing the buds at the lowest possible temperature is so important. One of the secrets to get a uniform Live Resin product, free from chlorophyll, is freezing everything during the extraction process. In this way, we must make the process quickly after removing the tubes from the freezer. This can be problematic for closed-loop systems since the parts of these systems can’t be placed in the freezer. The butane bottles should also be frozen before starting the extraction process.

While final yields are similar, fresh weed occupies more volume than dried buds, so if you want to have the same yield with fresh plant material you’ll need a bigger extractor. Also remember that yields greatly depend on varieties and the amount of resin glands contained on the flowers.

Live Resin

The end product can vary depending on the used temperatures during the extraction process, the humidity of the base material, the genetics and the type of purging you have used. The consistency of the final product reflects the humidity level and the terpene content of each extract. Therefore, the result when using fresh plant material is always very clear and golden. It shouldn’t be surprising if the liquid that comes out of the tube during the extraction process is completely transparent. Thus, it will be necessary tocollect the resin to appreciate the fruits of the work done.

Shatter Live Resin, Strawberry Banana

A Shatter-type Live Resin extract – or slightly more liquid (SAP) – is difficult to obtain, since using high quality weed and applying extremely cold temperatures will be necessary, even performing a second dewaxing (using another solvent to remove the waxes) to maintain its consistency. Its scent is more discreet, but it retains the terpenes longer if properly stored. You can get a more grainy result (budder/crumble) – that is extremely rich in terpenes and releases a very powerful smell – by using slightly warmer temperatures during the purging process. Therefore, Live Resin extractions must be consumed as quickly as possible since their organoleptic properties quickly degrade. It should be noted that, in the case of budder, degradation happens even more quickly. We recommend to store the extract in the fridge and always protect it from light and moisture.

Holy Water, Terp Sap and The Clear

Sap Live Resin Sugar Pop

We find other terminologies that coexist with the term “Live Resin”, as in the case of “Holy Water”, “Terp Sap” or also “The Clear”. These extractions can have up to 20% of terpenes and all show a very fluid appearance. Extracts like The Clear or Terp Sap have a certain amount of food grade terpenes added in the recipe to improve their flavor. On the other hand, Holy Water is a type of extraction performed by a company which uses a process that yields more liquid concentrates, providing unbelievable terpene concentrations (sometimes, even more than the The Clear or Terp Sap extractions).

This kind of liquid concentrate is ideal to be used with “Pen” vaporizers, since they are difficult to handle if you want to use a traditional dabber. Several American medical patients use to mix a small amount of Holy Water or The Clear with traditional concentrates (budder/shatter/sap), thus allowing an easier handling. Holy Water, The Clear or Terp Sap are extremely rich in terpenes and cannabinoids (sometimes above 90% THC).

An extraction tube filled with fresh frozen buds

The only way to get the exact desired type of extraction is to practice and learn about new cannabinoid and terpene extraction techniques. Many of these different methods have been developed by the pioneers of BHO, as is the case of “Kind Bill”, who always tries to be at the forefront of extraction techniques and constantly contributes with new information of vital interest.

 

[Dr Fluff]

Hashishene, the new terpene of cannabis
Hashish and terpenes

As we already know, terpenes are responsible for the taste and scent of many of the vegetables that produce them. They are a broad class of organic hydrocarbons derived from isoprene (CH2=C(CH3)CH=CH2) which compose the bulk of resins and essential oils of plants, thus providing unique flavours to each individual as a result of terpene combination. They are also called terpenoids when they have undergone an oxidating or molecular re-combination process. As we also know, most cannabis terpenes have properties of great medicinal value.

As the flowering stage progresses, more and more terpenes are secreted inside the trichome heads, so that the terpene profile of the plant changes as it ripens. The same thing happens when drying and curing buds, the process of oxidation and partial decarboxylation to which buds are exposed makes their terpene range to change over time. Some terpenes will degrade faster than others, so the terpene range of the weed – we must remember that we know of more than 100 terpenes in cannabis – will vary unless it is vacuum-sealed and properly stored. This fact explains why the smell and taste of one sample can evolve throughout the drying and curing process.

Different hashish samples

Probably, any concentrate lover has realized that, many times, the extraction process changes the terpene profile of the weed, so the resulting extract lacks some of the organoleptic features of the buds from which it comes. In this way, cannabis extracts have a common taste and smell – with subtle variations – regardless of the strain used to make them. This happens especially when using dried/cured plant material, since as we have already seen in our posts about Fresh Frozen and Fresh Chilled, these type of concentrates have a smell and taste much closer to those of the fresh plant material. Somehow, isolating and concentrating the resing glands leads us to limit the terpene range, so we can’t properly appreciate the “personality” of each sample. But, why does it happen?

Study on the volatile compounds of cannabis sativa
A study conducted by Jean-Jaques Filippi, Marie Marchini, Céline Charvoz, Laurence Dujourdy and Nicolas Baldovini (“Multidimensional analysis of cannabis volatile constituents: Identification of 5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane as a volatile marker of hashish, the resin of Cannabis sativa L.“) at the end of 2014 seems to have found the answer to this question. According to these researchers, the typical “hashish flavour” of many resin extracts made from dried and oxidized buds comes from the degradation of a single terpene, which creates an unusual and rare monoterpene (5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane). The five researchers propose in their study a name for this particular monoterpene, Hashishene. While the rearrangement of myrcene and the formation of 5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane was already investigated by Robert S. H. Liu and George S. Hammond in 1965 (US 3380903 A), this phenomenon had never been observed before in hashish samples.

Cannabis buds and hashish have different terpene profiles

The volatile constituents of the samples used to conduct the study (fresh buds, dried buds and hashish) were investigated using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hyphenated gas chromatography techniques (GC-MS, GC×GC-MS), showing clear differences in terpene profile between weed and hashish samples, mainly resulting from photo-oxidation of the plant material during the drying and extraction processes. Thus, the hashish samples analyzed showed considerable amounts of a rare monoterpene among their volatile compounds, which came from a rearrangement of beta-myrcene during the manufacture of hashish. Moreover, the researchers claim that this monoterpene would be almost exclusive from cannabis plants, so they propose to call this new volatile marker “Hashishene”.

Let’s take a closer look now at what is beta-myrcene and how it degrades into Hashishene.

What is beta-myrcene?

Myrcene

Beta-myrcene – also known as myrcene – is a natural hydrocarbon (7-Methyl-3-methylene-1,6-octadiene), more precisely one of the most important monoterpenes found in cannabis plants (it is also found in other plants like hops, parsley or bay) and widely used in the production of fragances for its pleasant scent, although it is unstable in air and tends to polymerize. Its name comes from Myrcia sphaerocarpa, a medicinal plant found in Brazil with high amounts of myrcene.

Myrcene is also a precusor to other terpenes, helping to form them, and synergizes their antibiotic properties. It is also believed to play a crucial role in the effects of cannabis. A study conducted in Switzerland in 1997 showed that myrcene was the most common terpene in 16 different cannabis strains, being over 50% the total terpene content of some of them.

Myrcene can change the permeability of cell membranes to allow more cannabinoid absorption by the brain, thus regulating the effects of other cannabinoids (in a similar way thanCBD does). It is also believed that myrcene makes THC, CBD and CBG more effective. Myrcene has many therapeutic effects, being used to relax muscles and combat pain. It also has anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory properties, plus antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiseptic, and anti-carcinogen effects. It slows bacterial growth, inhibits cell mutation (a very important factor when fighting cancer), suppresses muscle spasms and is even used to treat psychosis because of its relaxing and calming effect.

Its smell is very complex, earthy, balsamic and spicy, but also reminiscent of grapes, peaches, vanilla, grass, wood and pepper. Both the smell and taste dissipate with high temperatures.

Beta-myrcene:

• Name: 7-Methyl-3-methylene-1,6-octadiene
• Formula: C10H16
• Molecular Weight: 136.23404 g/mol
• Decarboxylation Point: 115-145°C (239°F to 293°F)
• Boiling Point: 168°C (334°F, 442ºK)
• Critical Pressure: 2421.88 kPa
• LD50 (Lethal Dose): >5g/kg

Therapeutic uses of myrcene:

• Analgesic – Pain relief
• Antibacterial – Slows bacterial growth
• Anti-Diabetic – Helps mitigate the effects of diabetes
• Anti-inflammatory – Systemic reduction of inflammations
• Anti-Insomnia – Aids with sleep disorders
• Anti-Proliferative/Anti-Mutagenic – Inhibits cell mutation, including cancer cells
• Antipsychotic – Tranquilizing effects, relieves symptoms of psychosis
• Antispasmodic – Suppresses muscle spasms

Beta-myrcene molecule ball

Hashishene as rearrangement of beta-myrcene
We know that cannabis contains high amounts of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Alpha and beta-pinene, beta-myrcene and limonene are the most commonly found monoterpenes, while the predominant sesquiterpenes are beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene. Seven out of ten cannabis samples used in this study contained large amounts of beta-myrcene (19,5-28,7%), but what about the hashish samples?

After a first series of analyses, researchers found out that every hashish sample contained remarkable amounts of an unusual monoterpene – 5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane – eluting before alpha-pinene. This finding was quite surprising since this compound had only been isolated once before this study – although it was first identified in Boswellia species – and it was as a constituent of the essential oil of Mentha cardiaca L. Moreover, and on a second series of analyses, “hashishene” was found in almost all hashish samples among the most abundant apolar constituents (1,1-14-9%), while it was detected in samples of dried and fresh herb in very low amounts. A total of 186 constituents were identified in these analyses.

Hashish has high amounts of Hashishene

Before this study, beta-myrcene was already considered as one of the most abundant volatile constituents of cannabis, and has been proposed as specific marker of marijuana. According to the results of this study, the presence of “hashishene” would be directly linked with the high amounts of beta-myrcene detected in fresh cannabis buds. Researchers state that exposure to sunlight would be one of the factors related with the formation of hashishene from beta-myrcene, supporting the photolytic origin of “hashishene”.

All hashish samples showed a wider diversity in oxygenated terpenes than cannabis buds, and many alcohols, aldehydes and ketones could be related to the hydrocarbons found in cannabis. They observed that many oxygenated derivatives actually came from the initial terpenes, more specifically from a photo-oxydation process. In this way, terpene photo-oxidation leads to the formation of allylic hydroperoxides, which will soon generate alcohols when losing an oxygen atom.

Synthesis of hashishene from myrcene using UV-light

Other volatile constituents widely detected in most hashish samples were caryophyllene/humulane derivatives – as well as linear alkanes, esters, fatty acids or alcohols – all as a result of processes of isomerization, dehydration, cyclisation and photo-oxidation from the manufacture of hashish. Researchers propose to rename monoterpene 5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane – aphotolytic rearrangement of beta-myrcene – as “hashishene” due to its rare occurrence in other essential oils and to its high abundance in hashish.

Hashishene:

• Name: 5,5-dimethyl-1-vinylbicyclo[2.1.1]hexane
• Formula: C10H16
• Molecular Weight: 136.234 g/mol
• Boiling Point: 161°C (321°F, 434ºK)
• Critical Pressure: 3022.28 kPa

 

[Dr Fluff]

Fresh Frozen cannabis extractions
What is Fresh Frozen cannabis resin?

Hashish made from fresh frozen buds

Marijuana concentrates are becoming increasingly popular among therapeutical users, especially in the USA, so new techniques are being constantly developed in this field: after the Rosin Tech, we present you here the Fresh Frozen, a high quality solventless concentrate that can be dabbed without problem.

As the name suggests, this hashish is made from fresh frozen plant material, either trim or buds. Right after the harvest – and without drying it – the plant material is frozen for later processing. This technique presents two main advantages: on one hand, the buds/trim are not crumbled as if they were dried, so less plant debris will contaminate our resin. On the other hand, and since we have not dried the buds, trichomes keep more terpenes and their profile is much closer to the live plant.

Drying fresh frozen hashish

How to make Fresh Frozen hashish?
Fresh frozen is a variation on the ice water hash technique, usually performed with collection bags like Ice-O-Lator. We need the same exact materials used for this type of extractions: a bucket, a set of collection bags to isolate and collect the different resin grades, ice cubes, water, and something to stir the mix in case we are not using a washing machine. Since this type of concentrates are extremely sticky, using a silicone skimmer or similar is advised.

Once harvested, put the fresh buds/trim in the freezer for few hours. Removing all fan leaves (those without trichomes) is always recommended. Also, you should try to use small buds; in case you are using large ones, try to break them into smaller pieces.

Fresh frozen plant material ready for the extraction process

Meanwhile, put your bubble hash bags inside the bucket and fill it with water and ice cubes.

Once the plant material is frozen, put it in the bucket and gently stir the mix for a few minutes (3-10 minutes for the first run). As happens with the traditional ice water technique, try not to be too aggressive and do not use electric devices like blenders, since they greatly increase the chances to contaminate our resin with plant debris.

Fresh frozen extraction process

Once done, remove the bag with the ice cubes and the buds. You can keep it for a second run or to make butter and cook these delicious cannabis muffins. Collect your different resin grades and leave them to dry. To make this process easier, you can leave the bag in the freezer for some minutes and use a frozen spoon to collect the resin. In this way, resin is frozen and thus much easier to handle.

Fresh frozen resin ready to dry

The last step is drying our resin for some days, after which it acquires a translucent appearance. To keep the terpenes as intact as possible, drying the resin in a cool and dry place is advised; connoisseurs often dry it and store it in the fridge.

As it dries, the resin changes its colour

Fresh frozen cannabis concentrate

 

[Tetra9]

Happy Day Stoners ! My Ladybug army has arrived and is ready to eat the face off of anyone that messes with my outdoor plants ! Aphids, Mites, Gypsy Moths, Beware !
View attachment 566506

@Mossy The Ladybugs were 10 USD and they ship from either California or Maryland. Thanks for the rep ! I put half in my flower garden (roses,pansies,and some pretty coral flowers). The other half is sleeping in my fridge until I take my plants into the woods. I hope they stick around for awhile after I let them out ! Time will tell

 

[Tetra9]

Fresh Frozen cannabis extractions
What is Fresh Frozen cannabis resin?

Hashish made from fresh frozen buds

Marijuana concentrates are becoming increasingly popular among therapeutical users, especially in the USA, so new techniques are being constantly developed in this field: after the Rosin Tech, we present you here the Fresh Frozen, a high quality solventless concentrate that can be dabbed without problem.

As the name suggests, this hashish is made from fresh frozen plant material, either trim or buds. Right after the harvest – and without drying it – the plant material is frozen for later processing. This technique presents two main advantages: on one hand, the buds/trim are not crumbled as if they were dried, so less plant debris will contaminate our resin. On the other hand, and since we have not dried the buds, trichomes keep more terpenes and their profile is much closer to the live plant.

Drying fresh frozen hashish

How to make Fresh Frozen hashish?
Fresh frozen is a variation on the ice water hash technique, usually performed with collection bags like Ice-O-Lator. We need the same exact materials used for this type of extractions: a bucket, a set of collection bags to isolate and collect the different resin grades, ice cubes, water, and something to stir the mix in case we are not using a washing machine. Since this type of concentrates are extremely sticky, using a silicone skimmer or similar is advised.

Once harvested, put the fresh buds/trim in the freezer for few hours. Removing all fan leaves (those without trichomes) is always recommended. Also, you should try to use small buds; in case you are using large ones, try to break them into smaller pieces.

Fresh frozen plant material ready for the extraction process

Meanwhile, put your bubble hash bags inside the bucket and fill it with water and ice cubes.

Once the plant material is frozen, put it in the bucket and gently stir the mix for a few minutes (3-10 minutes for the first run). As happens with the traditional ice water technique, try not to be too aggressive and do not use electric devices like blenders, since they greatly increase the chances to contaminate our resin with plant debris.

Fresh frozen extraction process

Once done, remove the bag with the ice cubes and the buds. You can keep it for a second run or to make butter and cook these delicious cannabis muffins. Collect your different resin grades and leave them to dry. To make this process easier, you can leave the bag in the freezer for some minutes and use a frozen spoon to collect the resin. In this way, resin is frozen and thus much easier to handle.

Fresh frozen resin ready to dry

The last step is drying our resin for some days, after which it acquires a translucent appearance. To keep the terpenes as intact as possible, drying the resin in a cool and dry place is advised; connoisseurs often dry it and store it in the fridge.

As it dries, the resin changes its colour

Fresh frozen cannabis concentrate

Awesome post, I can vouch for this, as well as pushing fresh flowers BHO style. Great info, especially the breakdown and analysis of the differences between extracts and it's components. Too early for so many syllables from my brain though.
Good day @arty zan