We’re excited to announce a new collaboration with Midwest Extracts. The locally owned, Tulsa-based cannabis processor specializes in the medicinal cannabis rosins, jams, and pens. Like us, they refuse to cut corners. They share our passion for providing a clean, organic product to patients to treat a variety of ailments.

We recently spoke with the company owners, Chris Doughman and Johnathan Hsu, to hear about their story and process.

The Midwest Story

Chris and Jonathan are childhood friends who grew up in Jenks together. Chris built a career as an engineer working for Shell on heat exchangers, and Jonathan worked in the service industry as a bartender.

Because of their entrepreneurial spirit, they often explored different projects and opportunities to go into business together. In anticipation of the passing of SQ 788 in 2018, which legalized medicinal cannabis across Oklahoma, Chris and Jonathan began experimenting with processing cannabis.

During the pandemic, as businesses were shutting their doors, Midwest Extracts began to take off. Qualifying as an “essential business” in the state of Oklahoma, their team was able to double their efforts and begin putting out more product.

Because of Jonathan’s background in the service industry, he knew the value of networking and putting a face with your product: “The customer base I’m used to helped me relate to clients and interface with them. This has been crucial because we are a small company of only four people, and we’re the ones hitting the streets and making sales.”

Today, you can find their concentrates across dispensaries in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City area, and they will soon be expanding into Stillwater. What began as a passion project has grown into a full-time operation.

You can spot their products easily as their company motto, “Quality Matters,” is stamped on every box and lid. This mindset is the driving force behind everything they do.

“It all starts with the grower”

Rocking Star Farm first connected with Midwest Extracts through a mutual friend. Chris and Jonathan came out to tour our facility to get “eyes on the grow,” an essential step when looking for a new partner. Needless to say, they were impressed with the level of care and cleanliness here at RSF.

“We believe the highest quality product going in leads to the highest quality product coming out,” said Jonathan.

Chris and Jonathan knew immediately from the smell that Star Killer would likely produce a good product. They explained that the strong, pleasant aroma is a good indicator of the percentage of terpenes present in the bud. Along with the stickiness, they felt that this popular strain would be a great fit.

Using a jeweler’s lens to get a better look, Chris noted that you could clearly see what he refers to as “grapes,” the little beads that are part of the microscopic trichomes. These trichomes are what contain the active ingredients that will be processed into rosin, so their quality is essential to the end product.

They also noted that Star Killer has a unique, more earthy aroma that is uncommon in processed products, because it is typically more difficult to maintain a more subtle flavor. (This is why rosins and jams often have fruity flavors.) They were confident that Star Killer would not only yield great results, but also set them apart in the market.

Our role at RSF is to grow the best organic cannabis possible by using safe, natural farming processes so patients can receive a clean, effective product. It’s this patient-first mindset that has led to our success, and Midwest Extracts is no different in their philosophy.

“It always starts with the grower. That bud is going to tell a story, and the extractor’s job is to get that story told the best way possible.”

Chris Doughman

Hand washed processing (no solvents!)

Midwest Extracts begins their process by coming to our facility to trim the plants themselves. At RSF, our trimming techniques are optimized for producing flower, but Chris and Jonathan’s specific methods enable them to maximize the effectiveness of handwashing.

Next, the plants are freeze dried for transport. “We need to sustain the best parts of that trichome. If we can get them into a deep freeze quick enough, we’ll get them at their top quality before they start to degrade,” said Chris.

Back at Midwest Extracts, it’s time for washing. While it’s easier to use an automated washing machine to speed up the process, the Midwest team prefers to do it by hand, paying close attention to the color and consistency of the cold water. This process agitates the tiny trichomes found all over the plants, and gently snaps them off into solution.

Because they don’t use harsh solvents or chemicals (only water!), their process preserves the full spectrum of the medicinal properties of the plant.

Once the valuable trichomes and terpenes are in solution, they are filtered out using specialized bags with microscopic filters. Those bags are then pressed in a heated hydraulic press. This removes the trichomes from any residual plant material, creating a clear, golden “sap-like” rosin of differing consistency, based on the application of heat and the product’s intended use.

The final result is a potent, clean, solventless rosin that can find its way into jams, butters, batters, dabs, and numerous other applications that use concentrates.

Finish the story – check out Midwest Extracts

Our collaboration with Midwest Extracts provides a handcrafted, organically sourced rosin with a rich terpene profile. The Star Killer Live Rosin offers an earthy, smooth profile that is uncommon in similar products of lesser quality. We believe Midwest Extracts is leading the way to producing more organically sourced, medicinally responsible rosins that the patient can trust.

Try Star Killer Live Rosin for yourself at dispensaries across the state. To learn more about current supply and locations, follow Midwest Extracts on Instagram!