FEMININE DIVINE

Jessi Lane, Patient Advocate is a writer and Oklahoma cannabis industry professional since 2018. She is a Certified Cannacian III and Trichome Institute Certified Cannabis Consultant with a “full spectrum” Postpartum Wellness background.

Rise to Shine: a Latina Grower’s Commitment to Environmentally Responsible Practices in the Shadow of Climate Change Crisis and Industry Mayhem

mother, Lupe, that Lally would rekindle and reconnect with her customs, opening that legacy lifeline for Theresa and her children. “I will never be a Gatekeeper,” she tells us. Theresa understands her role is to am- plify the voices of those who are directly affected by racism and bigotry.

“I was just kayaking, traveling, and getting drunk.” Theresa left her life of corporate medical malpractice litigation behind her i n

“Good morning, beauties. Rise to shine!” This is the way Theresa Goughenour, owner and operator of The Magic Dragonfly Farm, begins each new day; by inspiring those that lean into her, be it friend or flower.

When you walk into a Latina’s home, you better bring your appetite. This is certainly the case when visiting Harmony Star Farm, the sprawling 80-acre property that includes a private lake. “When I found this house it had no roof, no doors. The wood floors were good, but no water or power,” she tells us. This house and the farm have been a labor of love. Beautiful Avocado toast with fresh spinach, tomatoes, and fruit that looked like it fell right off the cover of Food & Wine was served at a large welcoming kitchen table big enough to comfortably feed 12 people. Big enough for Theresa to unpack the journey and transformation that is The Magic Dragonfly Farm.

Theresa is a spicy mother of 4 from Kent Island, Maryland, with which her Marylander accent still lingers. Born in Guam, Theresa grew up in Southern California and was raised in a holistically practicing home by Patricia Lally, the current Director of Racial Equity Works for the Greater Seattle Area. Lally has served as the Director of the city of Seattle’s Office for Civil Rights and as Assistant US Attorney where she was responsible for over 300 grand jury presentations leading to felony indictments. Lally and her three siblings are very accomplished in the Western sense, all of them becoming doctors or lawyers. While education was clearly very important, they were not brought up with Mexican traditions and were instructed to only use English in the house as they were whitewashed to assimilate. It wasn’t until the passing of Theresa’s GrandMaryland when her then spouse was transferred for work. They chose to build a sprawling, marbled home in the Maple Ridge neighborhood of Owasso purely by selecting its location on a map. “There was water, and there was land,” she recalls. She quickly found she was a - albeit beautiful and rare - fish swimming against the current that is the typical nuclear family Owasso culture. Upon deciding to homeschool she told her son Jack, who happens to be neurodivergent, “I’m not gonna make you change to fit in.”

Theresa found like-minded mothers in crunchy mom groups but wasn’t fond of the cultural appropriation and gatekeeping she witnessed. Theresa was interested in holistic living without the mom-shaming. She had grown to love Great Pyrenees dogs and got the crunchy idea to weave her dog’s hair into a woven wrap. But in typical Theresa fashion, she wanted to learn to use the loom herself, so she purchased one. However, Theresa hated spinning and - ever the environmentalist - she hated the waste this craft produced even more. She created wool dryer balls and learned to extract lanolin, commonly used

in association with breastfeeding and in the cloth diapering community. Theresa was now operating an Animal Welfare approved, Grass-fed certified Lanolin production company she named The Impermeable Shepherdess.

Theresa made the decision to leave Owasso and move her family into a one room in-law suite to learn to garden from a master gardener. “I don’t know if that’s rational,” she tells us with a grin. Theresa spent her first 3 months in Nim’s home learning to use a Thai broom correctly. “She did everything so beautifully,” recalled Theresa. “She wasn’t interested in a rushed job.” Min’s motto was, “do it beautifully always.” Theresa had the ambitions of turning Min’s beautiful garden into a co-op to feed those who are without, as she is a natural nurturer, a humanist. Theresa has been known to give someone a dozen eggs, some silky chickens, puppy cuddles during quarantine, or even a piece of her mind. She is genuine and upfront in her convictions.

“I have felt so disrespected by the [Oklahoma cannabis] industry,” she says, “I am a relevant activist.” As a member of the National Hispanic Cannabis Coalition and Women Who CANnabis, Theresa is also an established environmental advocate. “Change happens at a table,” she says, “If you don’t have a lobbyist that is good at what they do you’re fucked.” She has spoken before legislative committees for renewable climate energy with Climate Parents. She told Tulsa Kids Magazine in 2017, “I am motivated by my core beliefs that renewable climate energy, effective and impactful climate laws and funding for innovative science are what will ensure a future for our children’s children.” But Theresa feels the cannabis industry doesn’t see the value in her. “Let’s take out the emotions and just have conversations and we’ll get somewhere,” she believes. Racism, sexism, and ostracism are prevalent in our high stakes, competitive industry. “A wise grower once told me that if you haven’t had a failed harvest, you haven’t ever commercially grown,” Theresa relayed. Upon the passing of 788 Min and Theresa’s spouses, Marvin and Rustic, partnered and turned the garden into a commercial grow, making The Magic Dragonfly Farm one of the first in the green rush to license in September 2018. But as is common in our industry, conflict within the team arose following a failed harvest. The two parties amicably parted ways, dissolving their partnership and splitting the assets. Theresa was the owner of her own newfound property, Harmony Star Farm. “This is the land that heals my soul,” she wistfully recounts. Deflated, Theresa kicked Rustic out. Five days later she filed for divorce and with no experience in growing personally, she tearfully turned to the land asking, “what do you want to be, farm?” The land answered her. “And suddenly you just know it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”

Theresa’s children’s father, Charles, joined her in Oklahoma and came to the rescue. Where Theresa is scattered, Charles is constant, precise. Not only did he finish her farmhouse - making it habitable - he also designed and produced nearly perfect indoor grow rooms for her, each meticulous detail noted and applauded by the OMMA agent who recently performed their assessment. It is a modest grow. “There is no closet with money,” she tells us. “I’m not stacking cash under the bed.” There is really very little money coming in currently, but the future looks bright for Theresa, Charles, the kids, and the dogs of The Magic Dragonfly Farm. “When you are in the grind, your kids are in it with you,” she remarks.

Theresa mentored under Mike Theissen who, she tells us, taught her all she now knows about growing in exchange for two dozen eggs. “She also wildly exaggerates,” Mike jokes. “When she and I first started talking she was really really down. Husband left, crop was shit, and she just wanted to finish out the last harvest and call it quits,” he relayed. “And if it was anyone else, I would encourage them to leave, but Theresa is the type of person this industry needs.” Mike goes on to say, “I wrote her some things to do, and the most important thing was to smile. It’s on the list. The plants know when things are off, and they know when things are good. Now they have a feedback loop of good vibes.” Can all commercial grows just hire Mike Theissen to consult? What happy medicine we’d all have.

All on her own with Charles’ support, and in association with Tenkiller Trees, Theresa and The Magic Dragonfly Farm now provide patients with RSO at an affordable price. They are focusing on one strain at a time in their indoor grow featuring Sueno Bordello, Birthday Cake, Skywalker OG, Frosted Sherbet, and Orange Velvet. “Dragonflies symbolize change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization,” Theresa says. “In a constantly changing industry, we will always be here growing your medicine.” The Magic Dragonfly Farm clones and RSO can be found currently at Tahlequah Holistic Cannabis Co. Tahlequah Holistic is a Native and locally owned retailer offering their Penny RSO Program to patients with qualifying conditions. “I feel like I’ve been exposed to all the Oklahoma Industry has to offer,” she reflects. And in the future? She tells us, “I won’t look back.” 21