Once a puppy always a pup

Bindi is still a pup at heart.

Wheat grass fodder

Perfect length for my "girls" on this cold February day

Wheat grass fodder and plenty of water

Wheat grass fodder and plenty of fresh unfrozen water to help keep my kids warm in the horrible cold winter in ohio

Homemade oil for topical use

http://frugallysustainable.com/2015/01/homemade-cbd-rich-herbal-oil-for-topical-use-only/

Click on the link above for more information 

Thankfully for those of us who live in states with medicinal marijuana laws in place, there is greater freedom.

Freedom to explore, test, and discover.

For the population at large…there are more and more ways developing to utilize the medicinal benefits of hemp + CBD without the need for marijuana.

Isolated CBD is legal in all 50 states of the U.S. And the best way that I have found to harness the medicinal power of CBD-rich plant material is through topical use.

In addition to sourcing newer CBD-rich cannabis strains, I have been able to source organic hemp CBD buds, leaves, and seeds from a reputable company online (click here to purchase). This product is a great universal legal choice and it’s THC-free.

And today I want to share with you my process for making CBD-rich herbal oil.

I use this oil topically in a variety of handcrafted recipes for salves, body butters, and creams — those that relieve pain, reduce inflammation + muscle spasms, and function as a sleep aid.

The results have been nothing short of incredible! In the coming days I will share my recipes for the CBD-rich topicals I am enjoying…but for now, let’s start with the oil.

Homemade CBD-Rich Herbal Oil

Ingredients
*It is important to choose as many organic ingredients as possible. I have linked to the products I use personally for this recipe. 

• 1 cup organic, high-quality oil (I like to use a 50-50 blend of this AMAZING organic olive oil + this AMAZING organic coconut oil)
• 7-14 grams Organic Hemp CBD Buds, Leaves

Method

1. Crumble, cut up, or grind the buds, leaves, and stems of the plant material.
2. Put the herb into a small (8 oz.) glass canning jar + cover with the oil of your choosing + screw on the lid.
3. Using a pot, made with some sort of non-reactive material, make a water bath by placing a small piece of cheescloth or a piece of scrap cloth on the bottom of the pan, then place the glass jar full of herb + oil on top. Fill the pot with 2-3 inches of water. Note :: Do not cover the jar with water. 
4. Slowly + gently bring the water in the pot to just below boiling. Note :: 98 degrees Celsius or just below 212 degree Fahrenheit is perfect. 
5. Allow the jar to bathe in this water temperature for 2-3 hours. Be sure to shake the jar periodically throughout the process.
6. Turn off the heat, cover with a cloth, and let it all sit for 1-3 hours. Then repeat the warming process. Let it all sit, covered, overnight.
7. Each day, repeat the gentle warming, shaking, and steeping — ideally for 3 days, but if you’re in a hurry you can make this oil in one day, however it only gets better the longer and gently it is prepared. Note :: My process includes a 9 day journey. On this journey, the herb + oil + I experience three 3-day cycles. After the first and second cycle, the herb is strained and new plant material is replaced. I find this process produces the most magical + potent herbal oil EVER. Use whatever method makes sense to you, your time, and your budget. 
8. Strain off the herb with the help of a strainer + cheesecloth. Now squeeze hard…extracting all of the goodness of the plant!
9. Be sure to return the plant material to the Earth (or save it for use in other recipes).
10. Bottle the oil.

Note :: I know some people (historically myself included) use a crockpot to make herb-infused oils. I no longer recommend this method of extraction. The more I learn about the toxins produced by slow cookers…I’m doing my best to stay away. I prefer not to infuse electricity into my food and especially not into my medicine…if and when I have a choice. With that said, it is an option you may choose if you wish.

Note :: Yuppers…this is the same method I use to create my cannabis-infused oil.

The science behind using heat to create cannabis + CBD-rich medicinal oil.
Why I use the above method for extraction.
(below is an excerpt from a research study produced by the Department of Pharmacy, University of Siena, Italy…read the complete study here)

“Preheating of cannabis samples has been recommended as a way to potentiate the final extract, i.e. to decarboxylate the acidic cannabinoids naturally present in cannabis plant material, such as THCA and CBDA, and turn them into their more potent counterparts such as THC and CBD. Therefore, we tested two decarboxylation methods by heating cannabis plant material”…read more.

To Use

I have used this oil to create the most amazingly effective topical remedies! They’re honestly nothing like anything I’ve created before. They are powerfully treating symptoms associated with:

• muscle soreness after physical activity
• fibromyalgia
• insomnia
• arthritis
• peripheral neuropathy
• muscle spasms
• chronic back pain
• ezcema + psoriasis
• burns from radiation

Pinch Box Tutorial using Stampin' Up! Perpetual Calendar Stamp

How to make an herb infused medicinal oil