Hi All who would be interested
I have been quite a long time stalker in the Nexus, basically using it as a type of silent library, but have now realized that active participation would be able to help me in a more personal way, and hopefully bring me to a point where I feel I could bring forth some valuable contribution for others such as what I have gained from the hours spent roaming around here.
I have been collecting and growing quite a few various interesting plants (actives and otherwise medicinal) for the last few years, and doing so pretty much in isolation has been a bit slow going. Recently I have realized the benefit of community and sharing, where everyone can gain and also expand and access much more with shared resources. I would like to start sharing ideas and what has been growing under my watch.
I am currently quite new to the field of practical chemistry, but have been dabbling a bit in the past few months, which makes me realize how many unanswered questions I have. It would be good to provide logs of these, not to try leech out answers from the wealth of knowledge and understanding one can find here, but also to play as an example for things that others on the same path may be stuck with at some stage.
Furthermore I am hoping to be studying chemistry in the years to come, so hopefully something interesting may come of that which would lead to extractions done from the basis of understanding rather than following recipes from the brilliant cookbooks available here.
I have always been a bit weary of using harsh chemicals and solvents for making plant extracts (even though I know if done properly, this is not a problem), so on discovering the food grade techs going around has helped me as a comfortable stepping stone into the world of extractions. I have had quite a couple of successful extracts down, but at this stage just the most basic, such as the mesc limetek.
I have been growing specifically A. Acuminata (will be posting photos sometime in the near future), and I think I am now at the point where sustainable harvesting is a reality, which is really what appeals to me. I have been picking off old yellow leaves of my tree on a near daily basis for quite a while now, and have gathered quite a sample size to experiment with some extractions. I have done a few already, but not really with great success. So I have decided that I will post my plans in ask of guidance, and then follow up with extractions and results. I know there are heaps of techs and advice, and with the correct amount of research nearly anything can be found, but doing this so far has left me in doubt as to why I am not getting the results one would hope for. Also not asking the questions of alterations in methods to suit one personally leaves one a bit blind without the correct chemistry understanding. So perhaps when these extractions are logged, it could help bring about more general conclusions within the community with less explored variations.
Either way, I would not like to keep this too long, just to open some space for what will be coming.
Blessings