Perfect Cannabis Curing at Home: Cannatrol's Science-Based Solution
- Ishqa Hillman
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Listen to the full interview here.
From Cheese Caves to Cannabis: The Accidental Innovation
Jane Sandelman laughs when she talks about how Cannatrol began. "We wound up in the cheese business," she says, describing the unexpected journey from running a Vermont inn to building cannabis curing systems used worldwide.
Twenty-three years ago, Jane and her husband Dave left corporate life, bought a boarded-up inn in Vermont, and spent 10 years running a farm-to-table restaurant. Through the restaurant, they befriended local cheese makers who complained about unpredictable conditions in their aging caves.
Dave, an inventor with 23 patents, thought: "Let me tinker around with that and see if I can come up with something."
That tinkering became the foundation for Cannatrol's technology—now used for cannabis, but originally perfected over 15 years across cheese, charcuterie, and dry-aged steaks.
"One day we just had this epiphany," Jane recalls. "I bet this would work on weed."
Why Cannabis Curing Systems Matter: Perfect Cannabis Curing at Home
The new Cool Cure home unit holds about 2.5 pounds of wet flower—perfect for home growers who've invested months nurturing a few plants.
"You're only halfway there when you cut the plant down," Jane emphasizes. "It's a continuum. You have to give it all the love all the way through."
For home growers, the post-harvest process represents the riskiest phase. Spend months growing perfect plants, then destroy everything in the drying and curing process? Heartbreaking.
"We like to say there's no risk in your post-harvest," Jane explains. "That's what we bring to the party."
The Rise of Home Growing
Jane sees a major shift happening. "People are growing at home for economics, but I think it's also quality. The commercial industry's race to the bottom—quality took a hit."
With uncertainty in legal markets and inconsistent commercial product, home growers are becoming true connoisseurs. "It's really a passion to grow the plant," Jane notes. "Home growers are such connoisseurs. They really know what they like."
Growing clubs like ILGM are teaching thousands nationwide. But perfect growing means nothing without proper curing.
Cannatrol is launching a larger home unit later this year holding up to 11 wet pounds—addressing growers in states allowing 12 plants (compared to California's six-plant limit).
The Science Behind Consistent Cannabis Curing
What separates Cannatrol from traditional drying methods? Science over "bro science."
"Legacy growers say, 'It's gotta be 60/60, I gotta stand on my left foot and bring my lucky jacket,'" Jane jokes. "But now we have science available to us."
How Water Activity Creates Perfect Cures
The key is understanding bound vs. unbound water in cannabis flowers.
Unbound water: Where mold and microbes grow. This must be removed quickly.
Bound water: Where enzyme reactions, sugar conversions, and carbohydrate transformations happen. This creates delicious, potent flower.
"If you overdry your flower, you take too much water out—you're killing everything," Jane explains. "You're stopping the processes that have to happen for a great cure."
Cannatrol systems remove dangerous unbound water while preserving bound water for proper curing. Some strains finish in eight days; others need four weeks depending on genetics.
"We give people a stable environment where they can actually apply their craft," Jane says. "Now you can craft your flower the way you want it."
Commercial Applications: Consistency Across Locations
For multi-state operators (MSOs), Cannatrol solves the consistency problem.
"You could be in Florida or Denver and have the same exact product for your consumer," Jane points out. "No matter what's going on outside—whether you're in humid Thailand or dry Denver—you always get the same results."
One Massachusetts craft grower told Jane: "I wish I had one room for every different cultivar because I wanna set the room exactly to best express these genetics."
For large commercial operations with numerous employees, standardization becomes critical. "Everybody and their uncle is working there. They need standard operating procedures," Jane notes.
The Lab Testing Advantage
Consistency isn't just about quality—it's about passing lab tests.
When flower doesn't reach stable water activity quickly enough, mold develops. Failed batches mean lost revenue.
"If you don't get that flower to a stable condition fairly quickly, you can grow mold. That's when you have problems," Jane explains.
Cannatrol systems dramatically reduce the variables that lead to failed tests, protecting growers' investments.
Beyond Cannabis: Saffron, Hops, and Future Applications
The technology works for any crop requiring precise moisture control.
Saffron: A Vermont initiative to make saffron a local crop uses Cannatrol. Side-by-side comparisons show dramatically better smell and appearance.
Hops: "Imagine if you dried hops in a Cannatrol system," Jane muses. "They dry hops at 120 degrees—imagine drying your weed at 120 degrees! You're burning off really nice, delicate terpenes. Imagine what beer might taste like with preserved hop terpenes."
Yield improvements: Commercial customers report 3-5% yield increases by not overdrying. "That drops right to the bottom line," Jane notes.
The 50-Year Cannabis Journey
Jane first consumed cannabis around age 13—"probably hoping my mother's not listening," she laughs. That was in the 1970s: "We were smoking pretty crappy weed."
She describes the ritual: "You'd get your Rolling Stone double album out, crunch up the weed, take your Easy Wider papers, and seed it."
Both Jane and Dave have been consumers for roughly 50 years. When Vermont held legalization hearings, Dave testified: "Hi, I'm David Sandelman. I have 23 patents. I started smoking pot when I was 13. It just goes to show you—it's fine."
"He's such a wise ass," Jane shared affectionately.
Building Business Together for 32 Years
Marriage is one thing. Running multiple businesses together for decades? That's another level.
When a flight attendant asked their secret after seeing them holding hands on a plane, Jane deadpanned: "Noise-canceling headphones. Probably gummies too."
This isn't their first business together. After leaving corporate life 23 years ago, they bought and ran a Vermont inn for 10 years. "We had a ball, an absolute ball."
They work well together because their skills complement perfectly: Dave handles engineering, Jane handles marketing.
"We always have these fights," Jane laughs. "'You gotta get the product ready!' 'It's not ready.' 'We gotta get it to market!' 'Not until it's perfect.' We have our own little department meetings."
Their division of labor works: Dave perfects the technology, Jane communicates its value to the market.
Overcoming Cannabis Stigma in Ancillary Business
Even as an ancillary company that never touches the plant, Cannatrol faces cannabis industry challenges.
"Our insurance company called and canceled our insurance," Jane recalls. "Really? I'm cannabis adjacent—I don't even touch the plant. But there's such a stigma."
Banking issues, credit card processing problems, insurance cancellations—all the plant-touching company problems affect adjacent businesses too.
On rescheduling: "It's a good first step. It's not the final step, but at least we're moving in the right direction. We're not gonna get it all at once."
Jane contrasts U.S. complexity with countries that "just behave like a country—what a concept."
What's Next for Cannatrol
2026 expansion includes:
Larger home unit (11 wet pounds)
Smaller commercial unit
Executive team growth (EVP of Marketing, EVP of Sales)
Cooperative marketing partnerships
Grow room technology (bringing stability to vegetative/flowering phases)
International installations (Thailand, Argentina, Portugal, Germany)
Cannabis trade shows across U.S., Europe, and South America
"We're working on bringing our technology into the grow room," Jane reveals. "People with our systems asked, 'This is so stable—can I put it in my grow room?'"
The vision? Cannatrol systems as standard as kitchen appliances.
"When you're building a house and picking out appliances—your oven, microwave, wine cooler—you get your Cannatrol too and put it right in your kitchen," Jane imagines.
Key Takeaways
For Home Growers:
You're only halfway done when you cut the plant
Proper curing protects months of growing investment
Cannatrol removes post-harvest risk
2.5-pound and 11-pound home units available
For Commercial Growers:
Consistency across locations regardless of climate
3-5% yield improvements from not overdrying
Dramatically reduced failed lab tests
Standard operating procedures for large teams
Craft growers can dial in specific cultivar expressions
The Science:
Remove unbound water (prevents mold)
Preserve bound water (enables proper curing)
Water activity is key metric, not just humidity
Different genetics require different cure times
Business Lessons:
Science beats "bro science"
Complementary skills make strong partnerships
Solve real problems, don't create products seeking problems
Take care of your people—20 employees with great benefits
Want the Full Conversation?
Jane shares even more in the complete episode, including:
✨ Her friend's cancer and making medical edibles
✨ Growing at the office (staying within legal limits)
✨ The first grower who refused to return their prototype
✨ International cannabis market differences
✨ Why ancillary businesses still face banking issues
✨ Dave's testimony at Vermont legalization hearings
✨ Their 4:20 smoke circle tradition
Listen to the full episode:
Connect with Jane and Cannatrol:
Website: Cannatrols.com
Linkedin: Jane Sandelman
Learn about Cool Cure home units and commercial systems
Find them at cannabis trade shows worldwide
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