Simple cannabis-infused micro-dose coconut oil chocolate recipe

I have successfully used the following technique to make edibles that are both enjoyable, and have a good therapeutic value. Making very small chocolates is little more difficult so you might elect to make a bigger size. However, smaller sizes allow for a lot more dosing control. Tips for making more potent edibles are included below as well. In any event, let’s get to the good stuff.

Ingredients:
-2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
-14 oz quality coconut oil (should be solid at room temperature)
-28 g quality cannabis
–1cc Mini-ice cube silicone molds (or similar)
-Measuring cups (1/4c will suffice)
-spatula
-oven & baking sheet
-double boiler pan set
-ice water
-french press
-cheese cloth
-oven mitts
-sterile food handling gloves

1. Prepare the cannabis by chunking it up [with scissors] into dime sized chunks. The densest buds will need to be chunked up a little more – light and fluffy buds a little less. I don’t recommend grinding as this will damage more trichomes (where the medicine is) and will make your oil taste more ‘green.’

2. (Optional) Blanch & Rinse: This step is not critical to the process, but will help remove a great deal of ‘green’ taste from your final product. It will also reduce smell during the decarboxylation step and the process does NOT reduce potency.
-Prepare bowl of ice-water
-Bring pot of water to boil
-Tie up prepared cannabis in cheese cloth
-Submerge in boiling water for 5 minutes
-Submerge in ice-water for 5 minutes
NOTE: Never store your cannabis wet. If blanching and rinsing it is recommended to decarboxylate immediately thereafter.

3. Decarbylation: This step converts THCA to THC (psychoactive form).
-Preheat oven to 220 degreesF
-Spread prepared cannabis on baking sheet
-‘Cook’ for 30 minutes
NOTE: You can cook longer at a slightly lower temperature, or for a shorter amount of time at a higher temperature.
TIP: Place your container of coconut oil on the stove top while the oven is on in order to liquefy. Now you’re ready for the next step.

4. Coconut oil infusion: In this step we will transfer the cannabinoids from the cannabis to your oil.
-Place decarboxylated cannabis into your french press.
-Pour 14oz warmed coconut oil over cannabis
-Mix lightly with spatula
-Bring pot of water to a simmer (water level should not be higher than the level of oil in your french press)
-Place french press directly in simmering water and ensure there is no risk of tip-over
-Press down screen on french press just far enough to ensure cannabis is submerged in oil
-Simmer for 6 hours; check water level every 30-60 minutes and add water as needed
-After 6 hours, depress french press fully and pour contents back into coconut oil jar
-Allow to cool for 30 minutes
-Freeze coconut oil for one hour before moving back to refrigerator – keep refrigerated until use
-You should expect about 12 oz of finished canna-oil

5. Making chocolates:
-Start double boiler
-Add 1/4 cup of cannabis-infused coconut oil
-Add 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
-Mix very thoroughly for five minutes after chocolate and oil has melted – watch closely for ‘swirls’ and mix until they disappear
-Quickly and carefully transfer melted chocolate into your molds – use your spatula to get all of your chocolate
-Place molds in freezer for 20-30 minutes
-Once frozen, quickly remove from molds, place in plastic baggies, and put back in freezer or refrigerator. The addition of canna-oil makes the chocolate melt faster.
NOTE: If making for a patient you should strongly consider using sterile food handling gloves.

6. Dosing: As alluded to in the intro; I prefer to use 1cc mini ice cube molds but you can use larger molds if you like. Larger molds make it easier to remove chocolate from the mold, but the smaller molds are much better for dosing control (some of my patients have a low tolerance to THC). Assuming your cannabis was near 20% potency, you’ll end up with 1 cc chocolate cubes that are about 2mg of THC each. Be aware that this is an educated guess and has not been proven by testing.

Be sure to start off with a small dose and wait two hours for it to take effect. I can’t tell you what a small dose is as they depends largely on the individual. I would suggest starting with 5 cc (cubes) if you are an experienced user. My inexperienced patients have started at 3cc with good results. I prefer to wait 1 day between doses to be sure I fully understand the potency. Be careful with edibles as they can be very intoxicating!

Increase potency by adjusting this recipe in one or more of these ways:

  • Increase Cannabis from 1/2 oz to 1 oz
  • Increase size of the candy mold used
  • Increase infused oil in chocolate mix from 1/4c to 1/2c

    CAUTION: Making all of these adjustment could create extremely potent edibles.

Other notes:

  • I prefer to make a full 12 oz batch of coconut oil at once as this will help ensure consistency of edibles made from it.
  • Test each batch individually and expect some variation in dosing. The larger the ‘batch’ size, the more consistent the potency will be within that batch.
  • Milk chocolate can be used but will melt all over your fingers during this process.
  • Be careful about licking spatulas and fingers as it may become very difficult to get off the couch.
  • There is a large difference in the amount of cannabis you will use if you are processing trim (~triple). Add kief to your trim and it still takes about twice the amount.
  • You may process smaller amounts of oil and cannabis and a ratio of 1g of bud to 1oz of coconut oil or 3g of trim to 1oz coconut oil is a good starting point. 2g of cannabis to 1oz of oil is the ‘sweet spot’ for my patients.
  • This process will work for cannabis containing CBD as well as THC. If CBD is used you will need to adjust your decarboxylation temperature to a minimum of 230 degreesF.
  • You may substitute a double boiler and cheese cloth strainer for the french press. This will be necessary substitution if you grind the cannabis instead of chunking it up.

The notes and tips could go on and on. This is just one of many, many methods for making cannabis-infused coconut oil. This one just happens to be my preferred method at the moment and just about the simplest method I could find using common household items. It is also a method I have found to make edibles with consistent potency which can also be used for micro-dosing.

Bon appetite!
— The Lit Farmer —

When will Missouri dispensaries open?

With an adult use program starting up in neighboring Illinois and a fruitful medical program blooming in Oklahoma, Missouri patients are becoming impatient. Although our medical program has moved relatively fast, it seems to be taking forever for those patients in need. Waiting is intolerable when you are suffering, I get it!

Opening Day: September, 2020

There you have it, my prediction has been written. Cultivation facilities were only awarded licenses on December 26, 2019 and it will take some time to properly build out these high-tech facilities. Once they are fully operational new cultivator be given their commencement inspection to ensure readiness. Assuming they pass on their first try it will then likely be ~4 months before the first crops are ready for store shelves.

  • Cultivation build-outs: 4 months
  • Inspection and remediation: 1 month
  • Initial grow, harvest, dry and cure: 4 months

To be clear, some dispensaries may open early and sell everything except medical marijuana. They will certainly take less time to start operations (hence why the awards came a month later). However, dried flower won’t hit the shelves until the end of September by my reckoning and it’ll take at least another month before edibles and concentrates begin to arrive. Buckle up, it’ll be a little while yet.

I suppose this reinforces the need I see for caregivers and home cultivators, and is why most of my efforts currently are in that vein. I just want to help folks grow at home and find the relief they need. The rest of the industry will come along in due time. Hang in there, my friends.

If you’re wondering about what initial prices might look like, we discussed that in a previous article in relation to the number of issued licenses.

9/23/20 Update: It appears as though my prediction was just a little off. While we are seeing some dispensaries opening with CBD product and other services, we won’t start to see THC products become available in dispensaries until October at the earliest, and perhaps as late as November 2020. Presently, there are only 3 cultivation operations that are approved to commence cultivation activities. However, there are no testing facilities approved as of this update.

I hope you all can find a way to feel better, naturally.
— The Lit Farmer —

Wake up, DHSS!

Due to the laws of supply and demand it can be assumed that the initial months of the Missouri Medical Marijuana Program roll-out will include a limited supply of medical cannabis being sold at very high prices. I’d wager that ounces will easily be found in excess of $400 for medium grade cannabis. This is the case in Oklahoma, after all – which boasts a very large number of cultivators!

Given that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is sticking to their guns and limiting the program to 60 cultivation facilities we can almost bet on the fact that prices will remain artificially high long into the future. Ever wonder why the multi-state cannabis operators aren’t in Oklahoma but have come to Missouri in droves? This is why – profits. Not just profits off consumerism, but profits extracted from the shallow pockets of sick people. Gross.

I had so badly held out hope that DHSS would grant far more than 60 paltry licenses for cultivation, especially since the downfall of the MU Market Study. None-the-less, this is hardly an excuse since DHSS leadership is on record as publicly expressing doubt regarding that fateful study. I denounced this study soon after it was published and patient uptake numbers remain within 1% of my monthly projections since patient licenses began to be granted on June 28, 2019. So, there clearly seems to be no excuse for such a limitation other than, “they may.”

Oklahoma has more than 5,000 cultivators as of January 2, 2020 – yet their prices remain somewhat high? Let’s be fair though, the market is still young there and experts agree that by sometime in mid-2021 the prices in Oklahoma will stabilize somewhere around $150 per ounce. C’mon, DHSS. Just take a minute to look at what is going on in the states around us!

Now, wouldn’t that be nice? At $150/ounce I can afford a sufficient amount of medicine and facilities can afford to do business. Even a patient, on a fixed income of $800/month, may be able to purchase just enough to get some relief at those prices. Not at $400+ per ounce! They might be able to afford just enough to get a few good nights of sleep, but that’s it. I guess this doesn’t bode well for folks who can’t cultivate at home and can’t find a caregiver.

What happened to “patient access” promised in the constitution? If feels like the only promise holding up is the promise to make piles of money by a lucky few.

Wake up, DHSS!

Sincerely,
— The Lit Farmer —

NOTE: Since the publishing of this article it has been confirmed by Oklahoma residents that they are already seeing prices at or below $150/oz. They also said it’s ok to be jealous.

Selecting the location for your outdoor cannabis garden

Selecting a good location for an outdoor grow can be crucial to a successful growing season. Although cannabis can perform well in many environments, there are certainly some considerations to make when choosing your outdoor location. Some of what you should consider has to do with the legalities of outdoor cannabis gardening in Missouri. However, since we’ve touched on that in a previous article, let’s have a look at the basic environmental factors.

Soil and Drainage:
Although there are certainly ways to prepare your soil for cannabis, if you have the option you should always start with the best soil available. Dark, crumbly soil is great for cannabis and is an indication of a lot of organic content. However, if you aren’t starting with great soil you might consider raised beds. Further, planting on a hillside can be a challenge during heavy rainfalls as that excess rain can wash out your beds – plan ahead for this.

Raised beds are great for drainage. Cannabis does not like wet feet and planting in low-lying areas that get and stay saturated is not a good idea. While this might be nice in the middle of summer; you will be sad come fall when the roots rot out from under the gorgeous buds that were forming. Similarly, if you plan on using a manufactured soil (bagged soil), avoid digging holes and filling them with potting soil. The difference in soil types will usually prevent cannabis from extending much beyond this hole, the potting soil will dry more quickly in some cases, but in other cases this acts like a miniature pond and traps water and rots roots. When in doubt, raise those beds!

Sunlight:
Cannabis is a sun-loving plant and in order to enjoy the greatest growth, full sun is recommended. South facing slopes are perfect, especially if there isn’t much tree-cover nearby to block the rising and setting sun. Planting rows oriented east to west will help maximize sunlight as well. Be aware that planting directly on the north side of a house, privacy fence, or tree-line can drastically reduce the light your plants receive. You see, in Missouri the sun is never directly over head. In fact, sunlight always comes to us from a slightly southern position. This is why moss and algae grows so well on the northern side of our houses and trees.

Air:
Folks rarely talk about air flow when planting outdoors. However, it can be very important and should at least be considered. For example, one of the reasons why indoor gardeners utilize a lot of air-flow is to prevent micro-climates in the canopy and to keep fungus spores from settling on leaves. In order to infect a plant, powdery mildew and botrytis spores must settle onto a leave and remain undisturbed for 6-12 hours while it germinates and taps into the plant cells around it.

I have planted apple trees in low-lying areas without adequate air-flow. These trees suffer from a regular case of powdery mildew and often receive the first and last frosts more strongly than their neighbors on top of the ridge. With this in mind, it will be better to surround your plants with a chain link fence lined with shade cloth (for a sight-block) rather than a solid privacy fence that will block the breeze.

Finally, too much air-flow can be an issue too and unprotected plants can be ravaged by storms and wind gusts in general. Strike a balance, if you can.

Welcome to 2020, gardeners. We hope your year is full of bounty. If you appreciate our work, don’t forget to like and share using the links below this article.

Happy Harvests!
— The Lit Farmer —

Missouri outdoor cannabis; preparing your soil for spring

Missouri soils can vary to a great degree. Western soils are higher in magnesium, while soils in the eastern part of the state have less. South of the Missouri River you have rockier soils generally, while you will find hard-pan clay more abundantly to the north. There are tons of gardening videos and articles available to help guide you in analyzing your soil and making appropriate additions. In this article, we’ll keep things a bit more generalized.

By far, the number one way to improve your soil will be to add organic matter. Composting your yard waste is an excellent way to do this but do be aware that they best amendments are well aged compost. Fresh compost may literally be too hot for your plants and the active decomposition process can temporarily lock nutrients away from your cannabis plants.

This is the perfect time of year to source aged compost. Aged horse and cow manure from a nearby farm can be an outstanding addition. Many farmers have no problem with allowing someone access to their barnyard because they need to keep the amount of manure down anyway. Local composting companies often offer deals during the winter as it can be a slow season for compost sales.

Take advantage of your frozen soil by using those cold periods to truck in your composted materials. If the soil is frozen you won’t rut up your property and compact your existing soil. Simply spread a thick layer of composted material over the soil where you intend to put your outdoor garden.

For those of us with difficult soil, I do recommend one cultivation session where you till in the compost into your existing soil. That existing soil serves as an excellent source of trace minerals for your cannabis. All native soils (that haven’t been overworked by modern farming techniques) are laden with these minerals. This cultivation zone can act as a transition from the organic material you are building up and the native soil below.

Finally, it would be worthwhile to invest in some biochar as well. Adding biochar to your soil can significantly enhance the properties your soil. It is the secret ingredient of Amazonian Dark Earth (or just dark earth) which has remained fertile for eons. Biochar can be costly, but even a modest addition of this fabulous soil conditioner will serve you well.

Happy Harvests!
— The Lit Farmer —

Congratulations to Inovatia!

On December 19, 2019, Inovatia Laboratories, LLC was awarded a medical marijuana testing facility license. Located in Fayette, Mo, this company has been in business since 1994. I’m very excited that a hometown, Missouri-owned company has brought home one of these licenses.

I do understand that the real work will now begin and it may be months before any testing facility will be tooled and approved to offer services to the industry. If awarded a cultivation license, Lit Naturals will certainly come to enjoy an ongoing relationship with Inovatia Laboratories, LLC. How great would it be to have the ability to deliver samples via bicycle? Ok, so this may not be practical, but it would be possible in theory!

I hope to hear some announcements in the coming weeks as to the company’s plans. Hopefully those plans will include the ability to test samples from patient cultivators. Not only would this be another potential revenue stream, but I think it would be a great service to those patients. Caregivers who are legally producing medicine for patients would be able to have their materials safety tested. Knowing the specific cannabinoid content of cannabis medicine will also be extremely beneficial for patients who have specific medical needs.

Welcome to the industry!
Eric McSwain, PMP
Founder
Lit Naturals
Fayette, Mo

Grains – feeding your soil

For those of us working with living soil, it is important to give your soil quality inputs in order to maintain proper nutrition in your soil. One type of food every living soil gardener should be using are grains. Grains are full of carbohydrates, which feed the microbes in your soil, and therefore your medical cannabis. If you have earth worms they will love this amendment. Let’s have a look at my favorite two grains in living soil.

Oat Meal: This highly nutritious grain is not only good for people, but for your soil biology as well. Just have a look at the label on a box of oats; it is packed with carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and an array of vitamins and minerals. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and more. Last, but not least, oats are also extremely high in silica which can lead to bigger, stronger plants with thicker cell walls (protection against bugs). I like to top dress my planters with oats every 3 weeks or so and watch as my earthworms convert them into castings. Mix into your new living soil at a rate of ~1/4 cup per cubic feet.

Malted Barley (malt): Like oats, malt is full of nutritional value including minerals. The real magic of malt though has to do with how it is made. Barley is germinated (until a root tip shows) and then heated to kill the seed. This is important because when most plants germinate they change the contents inside the seed into something usable by the young seedling. This is done with enzymes. Adding enzymes to your organic grows are all the rage presently, so why not do it in a natural form?

Malt has enzymes that act specifically against malicious fungi like pythium and fusarium, thus clearing the way for fungi like myccorhizal fungi. A tonic made from soaked malt is great for a seedling’s first watering. Further, you can also find enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins, phosphorus, etc. Best of all, it also contains chitinase, an enzyme that breaks down chitin which is a core component for your beneficial fungi. Used in conjunction with insect frass and/or crustacean meal (both laden with chitin) you have a recipe for a fungi-friendly soil.

I top dress with a little freshly ground malt every 2 weeks. I also recommend adding ~1/4 cup of ground malt per cubic feet of soil I am mixing. Anecdotally, my flowers seem to finish earlier when using this amendment regularly through the growing cycle.

There are many grains that may work for your living soil. What you select may depend on local availability. I’ve selected these two for the silica content of oats and the enzymatic activity of the malted barley. Both are relatively inexpensive as well.

Happy Harvests!
— The Lit Farmer —

Whole malted barley

What patients should know about their caregiver

Missouri medical cannabis patients have already experienced issues with unscrupulous and inexperienced caregivers who promise to cultivate on their behalf. While some supposed caregivers are legitimate scam artists, others are legitimately trying to help. The problem is that most patients aren’t sure how to protect themselves from getting into this situation. Let’s explore some helpful ideas, from a patient perspective, that will both protect the patient and enhance the patient-caregiver relationship.

Non-starters
A non-starter is an informal reference to a person, plan, or idea that has no chance of succeeding or being effective. There are a short list of scenarios that fall into this category. I’ll describe these in the form of questions a patient should ask a potential caregiver. I’d suggest leading with these questions so that the patient can most effectively weed out (pun intended) those who aren’t right for them.

  • “What is your average length of grow cycle and yield?”
    The patient should be looking for benchmarks that reduce to at least 4 ounces per month. While the patient may not need that much medicine, it is an excellent indicator of a cultivator’s ability to grow medicine.
    • If that amount is anything less than 4 ounces per month, walk away.
    • If the caregiver hasn’t had a harvest yet or hasn’t had enough harvests to have an average, walk away.
  • “What is your service charge per ounce?”
    While caregivers should not be selling you cannabis, they can certainly price their services by the ounce. Prices higher than $200 per ounce are just too much, and a price between $150-$200 needs to have strong justification. Non-commercial cultivators should be able to produce medicine for less than $150 per ounce, including $20/hour of the cultivator’s time. For example, I can produce an ounce for less than $100 – including my time.
    • If the cost is higher than $200 per ounce, walk away.
    • If the cost is $150-$200 per ounce, be wary.
  • “Are there any up-front costs before delivery of medicine?”
    Depending on your needs, there may be up-front costs for the cultivator to expand their garden. I have high-needs patients who have caused this need for me. However, if the patient only needs an ounce or two each month a good cultivator should not need to do much expansion at all. Regardless, if expansion is necessary the patient should always arrange to help offset this cost only when medicine begins to be delivered. These costs should be highly detailed and shared with the patient, then the patient can arrange a temporary surcharge per ounce. If the patient elects to expand someone’s garden outright (large one-time fee), you should ensure that all of that equipment belongs to you and that it will be transferred to you should the relationship end. At the end of the day; if the caregiver can’t afford an expansion how could they afford to address unforeseen issues [which will arise] in the garden?
    • If any up-front costs are demanded prior to a completed caregiver registration (you’ll get an email confirmation from the state), walk away.
    • If up-front costs can’t be converted to temporary monthly surcharges, after medicine begins to be delivered, walk away.
  • “If I give you seeds, will you grow them for me?”
    The answer should always be, yes. If not, walk away.
  • “Do I need to purchase all 4 ounces each month?”
    The answer should always be, no. If not, walk away.

Other questions and considerations:

  1. “Do you have experience cultivating?”
    The patient will be in better hands with someone who has grown plants before. There is no need to mention cannabis as most horticulture experience transfers directly.
  2. “Do you have any other patients and would they be willing to be a reference for you?”
    It’s better if they have existing patients who will speak on their behalf. However, many patients will feel this is an invasion of privacy – which should be respected.
    • If yes, the caregiver should at least be able to show a caregiver number. A patient can verify the validity with DHSS if desired.
  3. “What cultivation methods do you use?”
    This is a good question if the patient has a preference of hydro, soil, organic, etc.
  4. “Which varieties do you have available?”
    It is important that the cultivator has, or plans to have, a selection of varieties. In this way you can sample them all to find the one(s) that work best for you. You can also make note and check their descriptions on leafly.com to see if they might work for you.
  5. “What do you use for pest management?”
    Take notes of the answers to this and do some research (asking experienced growers is good) on whether or not those things are healthy for medical cananbis.
  6. “Do you have experience helping others medicate with cannabis?”
    Although this isn’t a strong requirement, a knowledgeable grower can be a real asset. They should know that high-THC varieties are not the only medicine to be found. In fact, most conditions can be treated best using a combination of THC and CBD.

At the end of the day, a patient should truly ‘follow your gut.’ I believe there is definitely truth to this axiom. If it doesn’t feel right, then avoid the situation! If you do interrogate a potential caregiver and you decide to go forward, these questions will have at least helped you to understand your caregiver better and will only serve to strengthen your relationship. Remember, patience is key. It takes 2.5 – 4 months to grow cannabis from seed to medicine ready to consume.

Do you have other questions you would add to this list, or experiences to share with fellow patients and caregivers? Please share that feedback! I will update this article when I receive feedback with the hope is that this can become a go-to resource for patients who are searching for a caregiver.

Best of luck!
— The Lit Farmer —

Taking cuttings; we’re all doing it wrong

Yes, I’ve been doing it wrong too! Bro-science tells us that we should be taking cuttings from the top most portion of the plant, strip all leaves and cut the new leaf tips when we take cuttings. As it turns out, this isn’t at all the best way to go about taking cannabis cuttings. While there may be some truth to those extra leaves providing a place for mold to grow, the right solution doesn’t seem to be in cutting the leaf tips off. Here is a summary of the recent research performed on the topic of cannabis soft-tissue propagation:

  • Leaving 3 leaves had the highest success rate and leaving 2 leaves had the second highest success rate – both of which are better than stripping all leaves.
  • Leaving leaves whole (not cutting tips) increases success rate significantly.
  • Position of cutting doesn’t matter. Cuttings taken from the top of the plant and the bottom branches have very similar success rates.
  • Rooting hormones, specifically IBA (indole 3 butyric acid), greatly enhance root density and success rates.

As always, don’t take it from me. Check out this KIS Organics Cannabis and Cultivation Science podcast and listen to Dr. Kaplan talk about his research on the topic (00:40:00 through 00:50:35). I’m changing the way I take cuttings, how about you?

Happy Harvests!
— The Lit Farmer —

Removing leaf tips, as shown in this cutting, decreases success rates.

The caregiver cultivator; a step by step

This article is designed to provide the details one needs to become a caregiver for a medical cannabis patient in Missouri and cultivate on their behalf. A previous article detailed how to become and caregiver and provided information about caregiving in general. Here, we’ll dig a little deeper and discuss the process in more detail. This article will be longer than most found on this site and for good reason.

1: I recommend becoming a patient cultivator and starting your own personal garden before growing for someone else. What you learn during this process will be helpful in understanding what kind of patient you can help, and how many. For example, if the limitations in your grow don’t allow for much production then you will want to find a patient who doesn’t need much medicinal cannabis. I know a number of patients who use an ounce or less per month. Naturally, experienced growers can skip this step.

2: Develop a full understanding of your costs to cultivate. A previous article describes this process, provides a spreadsheet for your use, and gives a real-life example. At the end of the day, if you can’t produce an ounce of medicine for less than $200 then you should reconsider being a caregiver. With the limitation of 3 patients, you can’t make a living doing it, even at the prices found in the criminal market. Further, you should also consider whether or not you will give a price break to ‘low income’ patients (a designation found on their patient card). For example, I waive my time (labor costs) for those patients. Many patients are on fixed incomes and if your prices are too high, you’re just taking food off their table.

3: Understand that a patient should not be responsible for your startup costs. Those will be your lights, after all. If you think about it, it works this way in other markets such as trucking. You can make more money if you own your own semi-truck. However, you’ll never find someone to haul for if you insist on charging them for the cost of your rig before taking the first load. That makes no sense. Likewise, a cabinet maker doesn’t charge his first customer for the cost of equipment in his wood shop. Yes, you should charge enough to reimburse yourself for the equipment needed – but this should be done over the useful life of that equipment.

4. Develop an understanding of how to use cannabis medicinally. No, it isn’t always about getting high – nor should it be. Some patients can be very sensitive to THC so the caregiver needs to be prepared to help with this. Therapeutic use is about treating symptoms with the minimal number of side effects. That said, ‘euphoria’ is a side effect. If that is desirable, that’s just fine too.

5: Find a patient who needs someone to cultivate for them. Patients are clamoring for trusted caregivers, so this shouldn’t be an issue. It will be important to interview the patient to:

  • Ensure that the patient has a valid MMMP Patient Card
  • Understand what their monthly consumption looks like (new patients won’t know)
  • Determine income status (e.g. ‘low income’)
  • Which are their preferred varieties or types (e.g. high THC, 1:1 CBD:THC, high CBD, etc)
  • Ensure that the patient is also a licensed patient cultivator
    • If they aren’t, they should be. Someone will need to pay the $100 and if the patient registers then they can keep the ability to cultivate should the patient/caregiver relationship end. They could even transfer that to another caregiver if needed.
    • If they apply to cultivate they should describe how they would do this at their current location (and change it later)

6: At this point you are ready to apply to be their caregiver. It is assumed that you have already discussed price in addition to the questions above.

7: Once approved, the patient will need to update their cultivation address and description. The patient should:

  • Log in to MyComplia
  • Start a New Application
  • Select Patient Update
  • Update with caregiver name and caregiver number (CAR#) if needed
  • Update Cultivation address to: <caregiver’s cultivation address>
  • Update Cultivation process description – (sample description only): “<caregiver name> will cultivate on my behalf at <caregiver’s cultivation address> in a locked room accessible only to <caregiver name>. No cultivation activities will be visible to the public.”

8: Finally, when the patient’s update has been approved you should both receive a new cultivation document listing the correct location and caregiver information. At this point, cultivation activities on behalf of the patient may begin.

I’d really love to see all patient cultivators be a caregiver for at least one other person. Chances are, you’re already producing an extra ounce or two each month – so why not share the love?!

Happy Harvests!
— The Lit Farmer —