Today’s episode continues our new special series “What Plants Crave from Technology.” In this new series, Dr. Sabeh will be interviewing equipment suppliers, manufacturers, and developers about the unique technological needs for growing crops indoors and greenhouses. This week’s guest is Christine De Jesus, Director of Cultivation for Galenas.

Galenas is a tier-2 organic cultivation facility in Ohio. She nears twenty years of organic farming experience and directed cultivation for over a decade for Great Lakes Brewing Company's Pint Size Farm prior to transitioning to cannabis agriculture. DeJesus is a bi-monthly columnist for Cannabis Business Times magazine. She completed her undergraduate studies at Kent State University and completed a master's program at the University of Pittsburgh.  She has worked in multiple volunteer and professional capacities for organizations working toward the reform of drug policy. DeJesus wrote the current horticulture curriculum for the Cleveland School of Cannabis, with a strong focus on soil health. Her agricultural style focuses on sustainability, regenerative farming, and producing nutrient-dense crops with intense and nuanced flavor profiles.

Christine De Jesus shares her journey from organic farming to directing cultivation at Galenas, a tier-2 organic cannabis facility. She discusses sustainable practices, the challenges of scaling artisan cultivation, and the importance of soil health and environmental management in producing high-quality cannabis.

Timestamp Notes:

00:01:57 Tell us about your journey to Director of Cultivation for Galenas
00: 05:03 What drew you to work at a brewery?
00:08:03 is it possible to continue being a craft or artisan grower at large sale?
00:11:23 Who is driving the demand or what gets grown and sold in the cannabis industry?
00:13:51 Raspberries at pint size farm
00:18:06 Tell me about Galenas
00:21:07 Footprint loophole in state regulation for vertical farms
00:25:21 Was Galenas already set up as an operation before you came on?
00:28:42 Why Organic?
00:32:34 Neem Oil
00:35:31 Kelp and arsenic
00: 40: 13 certified KIND
00:48:58 Managing Your Environment
00:49:43 What are the biggest barriers to sustainable indoor production?
00:54:50 Postponing cannabis measures to a special ballot
01:01:48 How do you see the cannabis industry evolving in general?
01:08:23 What do plants crave?
01:17:35 Are plants introverts or extroverts?
01:17:42 Can cannabis create a more sustainable world?
01:17:50 What has the cannabis plant taught you?
01:17:58 If you could ask researchers to study one thing about cannabis cultivation, what would it be?
01:18:51 Have you ever brewed beer with cannabis?
01:19:24 If you had to pick a vegetable fruit or herb to make a flavored beer, what would you choose?
01:22:24 Thank you and closing out