Community Spotlight: Jen Reise

From Garden to Grow Tent: Jen’s Cannabis Cultivation Journey

Jen Randolph Reise began her cannabis cultivation journey on August 1, 2023 building on years of experience as a gardener and a deep curiosity about the plant. With a lawyer’s instinct for research, she asked countless questions to clients and friends in the industry and found an invaluable mentor in Bob Walloch of CannaJoyMN.

Since then, Jen has completed several successful harvests (and a few humbling ones). She’s also paid her knowledge forward, teaching others how to grow and clone, part of her broader commitment to uplifting Minnesota’s cannabis community.

As a cannabis attorney, Jen felt it was important to get hands-on with the plan to better serve her clients and understand the nuances of the emerging market. But her inspiration was also personal: she’s the parent of a child who uses medical cannabis, and growing at home allows her to tailor medicine to their needs at a lower cost.

One favorite strain in their household? Garlic Wals from Doug’s Nugs, a high THC-V cultivar known for its uplifting effects.

Growing Pride, Building Community

For Jen, one of the most rewarding aspects of cultivation has been the emotional connection to the process, especially growing year-round.

But growing is just one part of her involvement. Jen plays a vital roles in Minnesota’s cannabis industry, helping small entrepreneurs build compliant, sustainable businesses. She shares updates and education through a biweekly newsletter, frequent webinars, and has led or spoken at over 100 cannabis events over the past two years.

Most recently, Jen launched the North Star Accelerator Program, Minnesota’s first accelerator tailored for cannabis entrepreneurs. The program provides practical education, vetted referrals, and a supportive peer network.

Lessons from the Grow Tent

Jen continues to explore new strains and work with fellow growers across the state. She’s tested JoyBeanCo, an auto flower line from CannaJoyMN designed for beginner growers, and she’s started seeds from industry friends such as Bliss Junky and Peach Pie from Higher Heights. She’s eager to do more of these collaborative grows.

Her biggest advice for beginners? Start simple.

That said, she cautions new growers to get help with drying and curing, and often overlooked but critical step that can ruin a good harvest.

Failure as a Teacher

One of Jen’s most important growing lessons came from an early mistake. During her second or third grow, she experimented with non-feminized, photoperiod seeds. She knew she’d need to identify and remove male plants but wasn’t confident in her ability to spot them early. After leaving town for a long weekend, she returned to find five of the eight plants in her tent had released pollen.

Bob Walloch came over to help assess the damage and remove the males. While she decided to finish growing out the remaining female plants, the yield was poor, teaching her why many commercial growers scrap entire room when males appear.

These days, she sticks to female clones whenever possible to reduce risk and save time.

Looking Ahead

Jen continues to find fulfillment in cultivation, not just as a grower, but as a community builder. And she’s not done yet.

Her North Star Accelerator is actively welcoming new members. If you’re currently at Step 2 (background check) or Step 3 (received your preliminary email) in Minnesota’s licensing process, she encourages you to join.

The program offers expert guidance, vetted resources, and a collaborative network of early-stage cannabis entrepreneurs working to build something meaningful together.

Learn more about the accelerator program
Learn more about Jen Reise