Blending is a simple process, but has the potential to make or break a product. Cart Farming is an art as much as it is a science. The most important aspects of one’s blends are:
- Cleanliness of starting material
- Quality of flavoring additives
- Technique used when mixing
Your starting material should be clean. This means deodorized and free of diluting agents. Clean material gives your blend the best head start possible, as you will have complete control of viscosity and flavor. Your starting material should have no distinct odor, and should not flow freely when flipped for at least 45 minutes at room temperature.
There are two ways to flavor your material. Some operations like to utilize terpenes for a true to for cannabis oil. Other operations utilize flavor concentrates and diluents (for correct viscosity).
- Botanical terpenes can be harsh when used excessively. To remedy this, some producers will utilize cannabis or hemp terpenes, either as a stand-alone product, or to add to the flavor of botanical terpenes.
- Flavor concentrates typically require very low concentrations to impart huge flavor. They rarely add harshness themselves; the diluent used to thin the oil to correct viscosity typically does this. Our producers have reported that C8 caprylic acid has been the smoothest cutting agent.
Mixing is where an operation can be made or broken. Utilizing a hotplate/magnetic stirrer to heat and mix one’s solution is often utilized by inexperienced Cart Farmers due to the excessive costs of the correct mixing solutions. Magnetic stirrers take a very long time to heat a solution, and even longer to mix it. Even after the ~45 minutes it takes to blend, the oil will have uneven concentrations of terpenes and cannabinoids throughout. This will lead to some cartridges having not enough flavor, and some cartridges having too much.
A better solution is heating one’s material in the glass container it came in utilizing heating pads and the aforementioned hot plate. Once to the correct temperature (80-100c, dependent of viscosity and equipment) the flavoring components can be added to the mixture and be mixed. A more dangerous, but quicker solution is microwaving the material in 15-20 second bursts until the correct temperature is achieved.
A uniform mix can be achieved by utilizing a homogenizer. Most of these mixers take 20-45 seconds to evenly disperse the constituents in the oil. The oil to be mixed MUST be at the correct temperature, otherwise, it will damage your equipment. Most homogenizers require 1-5 minute cleaning/lubrication after usage to prevent friction and contamination when mixing successive batches.