They wear habits and call themselves sisters, but these women are far from conventional nuns. In downtown Long Beach, California, four members of a spiritual order known as the Sisters of the Valley step out of a car — and moments later, one of them lights a cannabis joint.

According to a report in The Times, this unusual sisterhood has dedicated itself to “healing the world through plant-based medicine.” On a one-acre farm in California’s San Joaquin Valley, they grow and sell cannabis products infused with cannabidiol (CBD). Their work has gained global attention — even leading to a cameo in Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest film — but the group now faces a struggle to survive in one of the world’s most competitive legal cannabis markets.

A Mission Rooted in Reinvention

As reported by The Times, the order was founded in 2015 by Sister Kate — born Christine Meeusen — a Wisconsin native who grew up Catholic and later worked as a corporate consultant in Amsterdam. After a painful divorce left her financially devastated and raising three children alone, she returned to the US to start over.

A pivotal moment came in 2011 when she attended an Occupy Wall Street protest dressed as a nun, earning the nickname “Sister Occupy.” That experience, she told The Times, became the foundation of the Sisters of the Valley.

Today, the group has a small core leadership team with members across the US and Latin America. Though they wear habits and take six vows — service, obedience, simplicity, activism, chastity and ecology — they are not affiliated with the Catholic Church. Instead, they draw inspiration from the Beguines, a medieval Christian order once branded heretical by the Vatican.

The sisters also depart from traditional religious doctrine. “We refuse to waste time talking about invisible gods,” Sister Kate told The Times. “We are women of the plant, of the planet, and of the people.”

Struggling to Survive in a Legal Market

While recreational cannabis has been legal in California since 2018, high taxes and strict regulations have forced many small producers out of business — even as the black market continues to flourish.

The Sisters of the Valley, too, have faced financial setbacks. Their annual revenue, The Times reports, has dropped from about $1.2 million before the pandemic to just $350,000 in 2024. Their farm primarily produces low-THC hemp — used to make CBD products that do not cause a high — and ships to customers worldwide, including in the UK.

To survive, the sisters are now expanding into higher-THC products. Partnering with California dispensary chain Catalyst and Los Angeles-based grower Traditional, they plan to launch new products in November.

For the sisters, cultivation remains a spiritual practice. As The Times notes, they treat cannabis plants with “intention and respect,” often creating salt circles around crops for protection. “It’s about ensuring the plants are grown in a spiritual environment,” Sister Kate said.

From Real Life to Reel Life

The Sisters of the Valley’s story even caught Hollywood’s attention. According to The Times, they inspired the fictional “Sisters of the Brave Beaver” in filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, One Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.

Initially, Sister Kate nearly missed the opportunity — mistaking Anderson for a location scout and dismissing him during the pandemic. But the director’s team later invited the real sisters to appear in the film.

The production team consulted them on set design to resemble their real farm closely. “We were treated with so much respect,” Sister Kate recalled. “It was a wonderful experience.”

Danger and Determination

The sisters’ journey hasn’t been without danger. In February, Sister Kate told The Times, their home was sprayed with bullets following a dispute involving neighbours and local vagrants — a terrifying ordeal that she compared to a scene from a movie.

Yet, despite financial pressure and safety concerns, the Sisters of the Valley remain optimistic. With new business partnerships, rising visibility, and unwavering faith in their mission, they believe they can overcome the odds.

“Our future looks bright,” Sister Kate said. “Hell yeah, we will win this fight.”