AKRON, OHIO - March 11, 2019 - PRESS RELEASE - Galenas, a tier-2 licensed medical marijuana cultivator, has hired 12-year farmer for Great Lakes Brewing, Christine DeJesus, as assistant director of cultivation at their state-of-the-art facility located in Akron.
“Galenas has a deep commitment to sustainability and will be one of the most environmentally friendly cultivation facilities in the country. They are dedicated to providing Ohio patients with the highest quality organically-grown cannabis. This opportunity correlates directly with what I have been working toward with 'Pint Size Farm,' as well as with my work in cannabis activism and education,” states DeJesus. “I’ve been sharpening my skills in organic regenerative agriculture for over a decade, growing everything from hops to heirloom tomatoes, and just about the only crop I’ve yet to cultivate is cannabis.”
DeJesus has also donated extensive time in volunteer and professional capacities to multiple organizations working toward the reform of cannabis policy in Ohio. She served as Cuyahoga County captain for the Ohio Rights Group in 2014, lobbied in Washington D.C. with Women Grow in 2015, served as northeast Ohio regional coordinator for Ohioans for Medical Marijuana in 2016 and co-founded the non-profit Midwest CannaWomen in 2017. DeJesus has also created the horticulture curriculum for the Cleveland School of Cannabis, where she spent the past year-and-a-half teaching students about the soil food web, and plant biochemistry and physiology. “I’ve been telling my students that the only facility I would grow for is Galenas, and I’m honored to have this opportunity to cultivate 100-percent organic cannabis in living soil.”
Underground cannabis production has largely been carried out by men, who in many cases have felt more at ease taking the risks of illegal cultivation. Cannabis law reform has offered women an opportunity to use their cultivation skills in a legal context, and to share their compassion and nurturing tendencies with consumers, while also moving into leadership roles. Women make the majority of health and wellness decisions for U.S. households, and women hold a larger share of leadership positions in the nascent cannabis industry than in other American industries.
“The craft-brewing industry very closely parallels the cannabis industry, and hops and cannabis are closely related, both being members of the cannabacae family,” says DeJesus. “I’m thrilled to be able to share my knowledge and experience with Galenas, as they exemplify everything that I have looked for in a long-term relationship with a cannabis company.”
DeJesus plans to continue farming for Great Lakes Brewing, though indirectly, by allowing her solid team of seasoned volunteers to follow in her footsteps, and to work under her direction. “I could never give up Pint Size Farm, it’s such a magical place, and I’ve spent many years building the soil. Healthy soil is the key to growing premium, nutrient-dense plants. Whether it is a food or medicine crop, healthy, living soil is the supreme foundation.”
