My First Levo II Infusion

Several months ago, I purchased a Levo II machine from Facebook Marketplace. I was excited to dive in immediately, but I ended up feeling overwhelmed by the idea of using it. I watched a few instructional videos, but they mostly focused on cannabis, which I’m not familiar with. I’m interested in eventually creating gummies for sleep or pain relief, but for now, my priority is to infuse oils, honey, and other ingredients with herbs.

With our yard overflowing with dandelions, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to use my Levo machine for an infusion after I gather a bunch of the flowers. On my initial attempt, I placed fresh flowers directly into the Levo pods and ran a dry cycle. After doing some research, I discovered that the dry cycle is meant for herbs, while the activate setting is specifically for cannabis. Initially, I believed I needed to use both options.  I didn’t check the flowers after that dry cycle; I simply added olive oil and initiated the infusion process. When I dispensed the resulting oil, it turned out quite cloudy.  It should come out clear.

After they dried, I filled the pods with the flowers. I completed two rounds of infusions, as I’ve seen others do. The first infusion lasted for 6 hours at 175 degrees, while the second was for 5 hours. Once the second round was done, I dispensed the oil into a jar. It turned out clear, just as it should. Moving forward, I’ll make sure to dry the herbs before using the Levo. I’m okay with this change since my main goal was to reduce the infusion time.

Below is a photo showcasing my initial two infusions, along with a quart jar that contains a slow infusion I prepared a few months back.  The initial infusion on the left is going to be unusable. I think it’s cloudy due to the dandelions being damp after the drying process. This moisture will likely lead to mold. The second batch in the middle has the same qualities as the long infusion, so it should work perfectly for body butter & salve recipes.

On a different note, if you do pick dandelion for infusing, remember to leave plenty for the bees. The trees and dandelions provide the season’s earliest pollen and nectar, giving them the essential boost they require!