Xora's Cannabis Compendium (All things Good, and Ganja) #2

Xora's Cannabis Compendium (All things Good, and Ganja)
Part 2 - The Active Cannabinoids 


Cannabis as most of you know is a very resinous plant, and this resin (the essential oils and the trichomes - the crystals you see all over your bud ) is made up of a few different cannabinoids, the building blocks of your high! Honestly, there are about 120 different cannabinoids but we only have research on 5 major cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are THC, THCV, CBD, CBN, and CBG.

THC or Tetrahidrocannabinol is what we look to for our high. In occurs in amounts up to 28% in some of our most powerful ganja. It is the main psychoactive cannabinoid in our glorious plant.
THCV or Tetrahydrocannabivarin is another cannabinoid that occurs in higher amount in warm temperature places, due to higher amount of UV light, though it degrades quickly in fresh bud. This cannabinoid makes the high come on faster, and have a more profound effect. More research still needs to be done on THCV.
CBD or Cannabidiol generally occurs in amounts from 0.2 to 3%. It is a very sedative cannabinoid, delays the effects of THC, reduces euphoria, however does help more with pain. In plants with high amounts of THC and CBD you have a strong body high, that helps lots with pain. If you have low THC and large amounts of CBD you are going to feel real tired.
CBN or Cannabinol occurs in very small amount in fresh bud. In hash or bud that has been around a while there are much higher amounts of it, and it is attributed to the "messed up" or groggy feeling. As THC oxides and ages it converts to CBN, so the longer from the harvest the less THC the more CBN, thus the more groggy, not definable high.
CBG or Cannabigerol is non-psychoactive but shown to reduce blood pressure and relieve glaucoma symptoms, other medical benefits may be on the horizon.
Some research has been done on CBC or Cannabichromene and it is thought to make plants seem more psychedelic and intense but this has not been proven.

We explained in the last section the Indica, Sativa, And Afghanica all have very different highs, this is because of different ratio of these cannabinoids. Sadly most Seed Banks only test for THC and CBD but it will illustrate the differences well.

Pineapple Chunk - Indica Dominant
High - Couch Lock    THC: 25%     CBD: 1.1%

Dr. Grinspoon - Sativa
High: Euphoric, Uppy     THC: 25%     CBD: 0.4%

Vanilla Kush - Indica
High: Relaxing, Slowed Down     THC: 25%   CBD: 1.2%

Amnesia Lemon - Sativa/Indica
High: Balanced body/head high, trippy    THC: 25%     CBD 0.7%

I hope you enjoyed this post on the active cannabinoids and will join me for my next post on the essential oils.

Consolidating Cannabis

I have been writing a book about growing for the last year, maybe year and a half, however my notes are half-hazard and scattered all about so this post is in an effort to slowly start logically sorting my book. I hope people reading this don't just learn something, I hope they pass that knowledge on. If we were to put our efforts into making sure everything we do is to the best of our abilities, you better believe it will make a difference in quality. So with out further ado,

Xora's Cannabis Compendium (All thing Good, and Ganja)
Part 1 - The Bud


Have you ever picked up a sack from a friend, asking them how the bud is, what it's like, only to hear "Good" in response? Have you wondered how experienced smokers can take a hit of a bowl and tell you so much about it? I'm here to help you understand the basics of what ideal bud should be like, so when we get to technical discussion on growing you will understand why certain steps (such as proper drying, then curing) can be so essential, and make such a huge difference. 
To start with you must understand the four, yes FOUR, different species of cannabis, Indica, Sativa, Afghanica, and Ruderalis. Each one has different traits, growing habits, and proportions of cannabinoids.
Cannabis Indica is a short plant, usually only growing 5 - 10 feet, with thick, fat, usually dark green leaves. These plants were short crop plants, growing in cold weather regions (mountain bases in India, Pakistan, and other places) where 5 - 7 months is the maximum grow season, as such they evolved a better resistance to cold, greater production of trichomes, and a shorter grow season. The leaves of this plant, like the buds, can vary from dark green to purple, usually an occurrence caused by cool to cold weather during growing. The indoor growers best friend, as it's small stature, compact root system, and generally good yield makes for an easier time.
The high from a typical Indica is very 'stony', resulting in a intense body high (helpful for alleviating muscle pain), a very zoned out feeling, and for many Indica intense couch lock. This is caused from higher amounts of CBD (Usually .8 to 2.%) something we will discuss later.
Cannabis Sativa is the complete opposite, standing in somewhere between 8 - 18 feet. This tall, dispersed plant, has a rather large root systems, and really shines outdoors, where its long thin leaves allow for good light penetration. The plants originated in warmer climates and as such have a longer growing season. These plants though taller, often produce less overall bud, however their extremely low amounts of CBD result an amazingly cerebral, soaring high, leaving you filled with energy and euphoria. The buds generally grow more wispy, and light; rarely is it dense like it's Indica and Afghanica counterparts.
Cannabis Afghanica is a variety few people pay creed in separating from Indica. Originating near in Afghanistan, this desert plant resembles an Indica in many ways. The leaves though fat and stout like and Indica are usually more rounded and marbled. They were were selectively bred for hash, and as such are some amazingly greasy, trichomed cover plants, usually the same height or shorter than pure Indica.  I find these plants give an amazingly spiritual, creative high, while a very comfortable body high leaves you feeling like sitting and talking, or drawing.
Cannabis Ruderalis on its own is pretty much useless ditch weed. So why take notice to it? When bred with a stable Indica, Sativa, or Afghanica you produce an auto variety plant. In other words, you create a hybrid that has less strength then the Parent Plant on its own but will flower in two months no matter the light schedule. Good for Gorrila Grows.

Part two will be about the active cannabinoids and essential oils.

Zucchini Cakes for Meatless Mondays

In the great tadition of other food blogger, and recently having moved in with vegetarian, I am starting my first post with a 'Meatless Mondays' post. This recipe I read first on what has been a favorite site for quite a while, Lifes Ambrosia, and modified it a bit for flavor and to add some veggies. Now sadly I can't include any images until later in the week, so you will have to enjoy it as is for now.
This recipe is great because they can be made into pattys (for burgers), cakes (for sandwhichs or on its own), or balls (makes amazing appatizers).

Zucchini Cakes

•  large zucchini grated, moisture blotted gently with a paper towel
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced super small
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 Cup Spouts (Clover Sprouts are AWESOME)
• 2-3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• (Optional)1/2 cup onions, finely diced
• (Optional)1/2 cup celery, finely diced

Grate the Zucchini into a bowl, then blot with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, stir to get to the bottom zucchini and blot again. Grate the cheese into the bowl, add the sprouts, Optional Ingredients, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, and salt & pepper; mix very well until it is COMPLETELY evenly mixed. Make them into patty or cakes no thicker then an inch or inch and a 1/2 thick, add the oil to a pan, and fry over medium-low heat.