Process Highlight: Cannabis Extraction
At Farmer's Friend we take pride in producing unparalleled oil extracted from cured plant material grown by top-tier Oregon farms. From gorgeous whole plants to crystal-covered trim, our CO2 process takes extraction to new heights with our first-of-its-kind extraction system, designed and built by our Chief Science Officer in collaboration with US and Paraguayan engineers.
Why use CO2? We chose CO2 because it has a low impact on the environment. Our closed-loop system allows us to reuse CO2, making it a sustainable and efficient agent. With low toxicity to humans, CO2 is an ideal option for cannabis extracts, and adds to the safety of our workplace as it is not flammable like butane or propane. CO2 is also more "selective" than other solvents, allowing us to capture more of the cannabinoids as well as a wider terpene profile. This includes more delicate terpenes and aromatics, helping our oil closely mirror the true qualities of each plant.
We begin by milling each strain- grinding it into a fine powder to help increase the surface area, allowing more efficient extraction. The milling process also helps us fit more cannabis into the extraction machine, which can hold about 10 lbs of ground plant material, or "biomass". We grind our cured cannabis right before the extraction process in order to maintain the highest amount of volatile terpenes.
Once ground, we load the biomass into our extraction machine. The system is then filled with liquid CO2, beginning the first part of our 2-step extraction process: Aromatic Fraction Extraction (which we also call "aromatic strip"). We introduced this step in Spring of 2025 in order to extract the lighter and more volatile aromatics including terpenes, aldehydes, ketones, esters, VSCs, and other aromatic compounds found in cannabis. This has immensely elevated our oil, allowing us to capture as much of the plant's essence as possible, giving you an experience that is true to each strain. Parameters are set specifically for a gentle first extraction, with aromatics collecting in a steel collection cup before being transferred to a glass beaker where the remaining CO2 degasses/thaws. Visit our Instagram page to see videos of freshly pulled, bubbling aromatics in our saved "Extraction" stories.
We then reset the parameters on our machine to extract cannabinoids and longer-chain terpenes. Our current machine (installed in 2023) pumps the CO2 5-6 times faster than our old machine, allowing us to extract 10lbs of cannabis in about an hour and a half, including aromatic extraction. This is significantly faster than the 12-24 hours it would take our old machine to extract this same amount of cannabis. Once collected, the raw extracts are ready for the next phase where they are turned into Refined Cannabis Oil, which is then sent to the lab for testing. The entire process takes about 4 days from milling to finished extract. Check back in with the High Friends Blog next month to learn more about the refinement process.