Generally speaking, we only consider trimming our harvest after our buds have been washed, dried, and cured.

Trimming your stalks

Truth be told, we don't really believe in trimming - at least not to the point where all that's left is bud sans leaves of any kind.

In fact, we find the sugar leaves to have a different, even preferable terpene profile in many strains, and often prefer it for daily consumption. Naturally, it doesn't hurt that high brix cannabis leaves tend to be absolutely covered in resin. Keeping and storing those leaves on the bud (and the bud on the 'stick') tends to protect it and cure it better in the long term. 

The bottom line: To each their own. For us, we only like to smoke resin-covered things, so if it's not tip-to-tail dripping in resin, we'll pluck it off and toss it back in the soil to recycle for the next round.  

Storage and aging

After trimming (if you decide to trim at all), place your buds into airtight glass containers. You'll want enough of them so that the buds can rest gently on each other. Never stuff the buds into a container, as this can create dense locations for water to collect and mold to grow. For the first couple weeks, check on your curing jars as often as possible (every day is best) to check on the moisture of the curing buds. If they are still damp, open the jar to let in some fresh air and let out moist air. For dire moisture situations, you can insert a clean dry paper towel or other food-safe desiccant.