Does anyone harvest the top branches, minus the cola, and then let the bottom ones grow some more so the trichomes can catch up?

Its a common technique.
Whatever is closer to the light will finish first.

Although personally I'd think the stress involving removing the top colas / what has completed would be quite devastating to the lower branches, although some people say this isn't true. But how can it not be true, considering that removing just 1 fan leave in one fowl swoop can cause growth-halting stress?

I have never seen 1 fan leaf stress a plant (bs), the gurus say not to remove more than about 40% or the leaves. late

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have a nice day

yea i take of fan leaves all the time. of course when i do it they are around 50% dead already but if i take off a handful at a time i've never seen any growth halting

I always cut from the nicest looking branches near bottom and work up!!