High Times recently followed Mirage Medicinal (IG @miragemedicinal) out of San Francisco for a day-in-the-life look at how to pick, trim and store the buds he sources for his dispensary.

Growers for Mirage Medicinal like Paka Products (IG @pakaproducts) and Fulcrum Labs (IG @fulcrumlabsinc) use a no-till organic-centric farming method to grow quality flowers for top shelf selections. Our very own Malcolm Mirage (IG @malcolmmirage) went straight to the source to see how his products are cared for from start to finish and learned the tricks of the trade when it comes to trimming the perfect pound.

Everyday Paka Products and Fulcrum Labs examine each female plant for signs of stress, growth and anything out of the ordinary. Each plant is handled with care, attention, expertise and precision. High Times black Reefer Madness short-sleeve t-shirt

The most robust and vigorous strains are chosen when selecting genetics for future plant cultivation. Not every clone cutting behaves in the same uniform way, even when coming from the same cloth. High Times black Unleashed Passion long-sleeve t-shirt

Terps fill the air at the end of flowering season, and the fruits of hard labor are finally presented.

Depending on the strain, it could be the heady gasoline fire of an OG or the rotten fruit smell that some exotic strains give off. High Times black Unleashed Passion long-sleeve t-shirt

The bouquet of fresh buds alone are enough to get you high. “Ron English Camo Cap”

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Security is always on a cultivator’s mind. Grows are well hidden, well monitored and hardened by the presence of family pets (including ball pythons) that are usually very, very unfriendly to non-family members.

The proper way to harvest and cure buds is many times passed down from generation to generation or told in secret. “Ron English Strawberry Kush” long sleeve t-shirt

Some people swear by an initial trim for big fan leaves and then hang dry the product for further trimming later. Some industrial farms throw the semi-dry buds into automatic trimming machines, which is like having a blind barber from Super Cuts hack at your head while you pray you don’t lose an ear. All experienced cannabis cultivators will agree that hand trimming every flower is the only way to ensure the highest quality terps stay on the flower. In the end, just like wands chooses the wizard in Harry Potter, the terps choose your nose. The haircut on the buds need to enhance, not detract from, that experience. “Love Your Dealer, Adults Only!” T-shirt | White “Yippie Logo” hat | “High Times Lighters”

When sculpting your buds, always have a wingman. Trimming can be a tedious and boring process, so having someone to chop it up with can keep you from catching mountain fever. You might find yourself passing time by singing old 2 Live Crew songs, listening to Lord of the Rings audiobooks or telling the same rehashed story about how you went streaking in Santa Cruz when you were 19.

The trim of each and every flower fondly known as the “haircut” is very important. When dispensaries, clubs or distributors inspect product, they look for the quality of the trim. Neatly visible calyx and pistils appear white from the trichomes. Not even one centimeter of fan leaf should be left. All P’s should weigh out 454 without excess water weight or vegetation to keep patients happy.

Take a peek at that final product!

To keep cannabis flowers and extracts in good condition, store them in a dark and cool place in an airtight, rigid container. Storing your nugs in plastic sandwich bags leads to rapid bruising and deterioration of the cannabis. Also, the oils produced by the cannabis plant (like limonene) can dissolve the plastic and deposit its residue on the remaining cannabis. You don’t want to consume plastic-soaked cannabis. Oven-safe bags, turkey bags and glass jars are great for storing cannabis. As a rule of thumb , always try to store nugs in glass; keeping your buds in plastic may allow chemicals to seep in.

Last but not least, break up your cannabis, gut your blunt, roll it right, roll it tight and light up! “Ron English Camo Cap”

When visiting your local dispensary, ask your budtender where and how your products are grown. Conduct your own research before going to a new dispensary, and make sure you’re getting quality trees and concentrates.

Photos: IG @supremethang