The Hermanas del Valle – often called “cannabis nuns” – are an all-female community born in California in 2015 with a very concrete goal: to grow cannabis and transform it into natural remedies. The dress may be deceiving, but it is not a religious order. The project is rather inspired by the tradition of ancient herbalists, who cured with what nature offered.
At the origin there is Sister Kate, pseudonym of Christine Meeusen. Her story starts from medical advice: using cannabis to alleviate the symptoms of early menopause. From there, together with the experience gained in social activism during Occupy, the idea of building a community based on agriculture, self-sufficiency and respect for natural cycles, in particular the lunar ones, was born.
Today they operate from a farm in Merced, where they grow hemp and produce various derivatives. The best known is CBD oil, appreciated because it has no psychoactive effects and is used to manage pain, anxiety and sleep disorders. Among the most recent experiments there is also a mushroom coffee: a functional drink designed to support mental well-being without altering perception, without psychotropic effects.
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How to enter the Hermanas del Valle community
The nuns live following natural rhythms and practice new moon and full moon ceremonies to maintain harmony, considered fundamental in the preparation of their remedies. The organization is divided between “orthodox” sisters, who live on the farm, and “satellite” sisters, who collaborate from other locations, including Mexico and New Zealand.
Joining the Hermanas del Valle requires a simple but rigorous process: filling out a membership form, reading their internal manual and spending time on the farm to learn about their lifestyle.
Sister Kate’s goal is clear: to create a global network of self-employed women, capable of producing natural medicines locally, without depending on industrial transport. The Hermanas del Valle want to demonstrate that cannabis can be an ally for health, far from the stereotypes and logic of the recreational market.
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