You Never Forget Your Firsts
I never imagined having a job in cannabis. I had spent the past two decades building my career in tech, rising through the ranks in an industry that demanded constant innovation and intense dedication. As fulfilling as that work could be however, it left me craving something more.
When our CEO Anna asked me to join U4EA Farms it felt like a great opportunity to try something new. When I accepted the job, I wasn’t quite sure what that something new really meant, but I was willing to give it a try. Two experiences that have stood out to me and I’ll never forget are my two firsts; the first time I met the plants and my first harvest.
The first time I met the plants
The week before our first harvest it was all hands on deck to defoliate the plants, which really meant removing the big leaves that block light to the bottom flowers. These leaves get large and grow fast, especially in the final stages of growth.
When I walked into the grow room for the first time, the smell was intoxicating. I stood for a moment taking it all in; the racks, the lights, the sound of the room, and the rows of full-grown cannabis plants, their unmistakable scent wafting through the warm air that circulated the room. I knew the smell alone couldn’t make me high, but I felt a sense of euphoria with the amount of weed that laid before me. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Here I was about to do gardening (a passion of mine) on cannabis plants. What?! My inside voice kept whispering I can’t believe this is my job.
That day I spent the afternoon reaching between the branches, gently pulling the leaves that were too big or had dried. My bare arms rubbing against the flower filled plants. Each bud’s tiny crystals glistening in the light with a rich, earthy hue permeating from the leaves. When I left that day my arms were sticky and my back was sore, but none of it mattered. It felt right to me.
My first harvest
By the time the first harvest arrived I had been on board for only three weeks. The anticipation was intense and in the end it took us two days to cut down all the plants. I learned that harvesting cannabis is more than just chopping plants; it’s a celebration of months of hard work. It was about coming together to get the job done and learn from one another. Tech was often a competitive space, but here, collaboration is the norm.
That harvest felt more like a family gathering than a business event, and it reinforced the decision I made to give this new path a try. Harvesting was immensely satisfying and also physically exhausting. We ended the day with a pop of the cork and lots of pictures of the very first harvest U4EA Farms ever had. (So cool to be part of it!)
In tech, everything moves fast. In cannabis, there’s no “fast forward” button on nature; it takes the time it takes, and there’s beauty in that. This slow rhythm has grounded me and reconnected me to a sense of purpose that I didn’t realize I lost. It taught me to be nibble, yet patient, and to be open to change.
Of course, there are challenges in the cannabis industry as well—regulations are strict, there’s still a lingering stigma and the market is competitive. But these hurdles feel different from those I faced in tech. Here, the challenges are rooted in something real, something that I can see and touch and care for. At the end of the day, I feel a satisfaction that goes beyond metrics and numbers.
Now, a few harvests in, I reflect on that first harvest often. I feel grateful for the chance to learn something new, to work with my hands, and to witness firsthand the rewards of patience and dedication. The first harvest was more than just the culmination of work —it was a reminder that sometimes, the things we need most aren’t found in boardrooms or bottom lines, but in nature, in hands-on work, and in the courage to follow even the unlikeliest of paths.
