Trimming Demystified

Trimming is a vast subject covering numerous anecdotes and bits of elusive knowledge. This post is not meant to be all inclusive. I won’t pretend to be an authority on these matters.

That said, there are a lot of common misconceptions about trimming. Like most skilled employment, trimming is not a business that is easy to break into without connections. Flocks of would-be trimmers head to the hills each harvest season expecting a high wage and high times. Rarely do the Emerald Triangle dreamers expect the heavy rain, cold floors, and hard times that await them.

The reasons not to seek trimming jobs are numerous. Worthwhile grows seldom hire newbies. One can expect to be blindfolded, driven up a hill, and led to a crowded shack. Gloves and masks may or may not be provided. Untrusted individuals are often not allowed to bring cell phones or any device which appears to be capable of GPS.

Mechanized trimming is changing the profession. Similar to the way the cotton gin changed agricultural processing of the past, trim machines are changing both the role and the skillset of trim crew members. While there is still nothing quite as nice as a professional hand trim, time is money.

The early trimmers were a bit simplistic, dangerous, and cumbersome. The old Trimbox is what most people think of when they think of mechanized trimmers. Another common model is the Trimpro. The latest model employing this general design is the gasoline-powered Trimpro which is a substantial improvement over earlier designs.

The latest crop of trim machines are much better suited for large processing jobs. Newer, high-end trim machines include the Tumbleweed/Samurai and the Twister. Older models employing the tube design can be found for a substantial discount. Due to the increased use of craigslist by cannabis growers, good deals on these machines can be found on the internet.

Each of these machines has strengths and weaknesses. The primary difference between basic designs of these machines is a familiar concept: top load vs. front load. Another factor which many do not consider is the need for more than one person to operate the high-end machines. As can be seen in the videos, even a small amount can become backed up if a single person is operating the machine.

I do not believe that the trim machine will replace the hand manicurist in the near future. Large flowers are so valuable that it makes financial sense to pay for the mint appearance only a hand manicurist can provide. Smallish flowers, also known as “popcorn” bud or “larf,” are the baby carrots of old-fashioned hand manicuring. For those that don’t know, baby carrots are a product of grinding down small, bruised, and misshapen carrots which would otherwise be discarded. While hand manicurists generally do not look forward to trimming popcorn the masochistic trim machine is always hungry for more.