Marijuana Business Magazine - March 2018

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Hand trimming results in better quality flower than machine trimming, but it’s not as simple as just snipping leaves wrapped around cannabis flowers. In fact, multiple factors determine a good trim job. Those factors are: • Drying and regulating the moisture within plants. • The particular strains being trimmed. • Knowledge of consumer preferences. • How managers regulate their trimmers’ workloads. But his strategy changed about a dozen years ago when peers told him that if he dried his plants thoroughly – for a week or two – the leaves would be much easier to cut. “If you take the time to let it dry properly, and let it reach a certain moisture level, then it’s not a big pain,” Peters said. His team lets plants dry for about 10 days, although some plants are dry in seven days and others in 14 days, depending on the strain and conditions. Corey Buffkin, a partner and chief culti- vator at Green Man Cannabis, a vertically integrated business in Denver, agreed that dry trimming is the way to go. “We just like the finished product better,” he said. Moisture Levels But what is the right moisture level – and what does a grower need to do to achieve it? Peters reckons he gets rid of about 90% of the moisture in the plant during that one- to two-week drying period. “You are always monitoring and balancing the temperature and humid- ity in your drying room accordingly,” Peters said, noting that the plant should have a little bit more moisture in it while trimming versus when it goes to market. “Once that cannabis gets to the right moisture level, you can maintain temperature and humidity levels and keep that cannabis in storage spaces Jesse Peters is CEO and chief grower at Eco Firma Farms in Oregon. March 2018 • Marijuana Business Magazine • 87