MMJ: The Bounty in Your County

Harvest is approaching and it looks like I am going to have a bumper crop! What am I going to do with all of this delicious marijuana? -Abe Bundance

It’s way better than having too many zucchini, amirite? Congrats on your success. Lucky for you, marijuana is easy to store, and if you do it right, your buds will stay fresh and smokable for a long time.

After you have harvested your bud, you will want to let it dry slowly, so that the chlorophyll dissipates and the danky deliciousness remains. This can take weeks, but if you rush it, you will end up with grass-flavored weed, so take your time. Some people like to dump their stash into paper bags, some folks shell out for fancy curing jars, but however you do it, make sure to dry them slowly and evenly. Heat and light are the natural enemies of cannabis storage, so make sure to keep your buds in a cool dry dark spot. There’s a company called Boveda that makes humidity packets to keep your buds at optimum freshness. Do it right (weedhack: If you plan on storing some buds for a few months, don’t trim them too much. Keep the cover leaves on and trim when you are ready to smoke) and your buds will last until the next harvest, if not longer. Don’t forget to use the trimmings for cooking and making tinctures and lotions and stuff. Sandra Hinchcliffe has a great book called The Cannabis Spa At Home that gives ideas about ways to use all the leftover pot trimmings. I’m glad you’re having a great harvest, and please invite me over to share in the bounty.

Hello Ngaio, I met you at a comedy show earlier this year and I told you I hadn’t smoked a joint in over 24 years because: prison job! But now I’m retired and it’s time to try something new! I have arthritis and want to try an ointment. Also I guess I need a card, right? How do I get one and how much trouble is it? -M.C.C.

Welcome back! There’s no stoner like an old stoner! Cards are easy to get. This paper is full of advertisements by doctors willing to write you a recommendation for medical cannabis. Find a coupon and go see the doctor. Arthritis is definitely a qualifying condition so you shouldn’t have any trouble. Once you get to the dispensary, talk to your budtender and ask about strains high in CBD, a natural anti-inflammatory, and it won’t get you too high.