Weed farm lights up St Mary with jobs
Well-needed employment opportunities have come to the youths of Islington through CastleBlack, and the medical marijuana company is seeking to employ dozens more.
When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the area earlier this week, we came up on the development taking shape as men were busy labouring as if they had a deadline to meet.
Our news team was told that the recent rainy weather was somewhat of a setback for the work, which began in November.
Aron Cadeau, CEO of CastleBlack, told THE WEEKEND STAR, “We currently employ 38 full-time guys from the community, and we’ve got 15 part-time guys. Once the project actually starts, we are looking to hire another 75.”
Cadeau told our news team that he is looking to be one of the largest employers in the parish.
One of the workers told THE WEEKEND STAR that he was glad to be involved, and that he is looking for great things from CastleBlack.
“Yeah man, a big thing a gwaan inna St Mary. Everybody involved. A long time Islington want something like this,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cadeau said that building the community has been fun.
“We have been having a lot of fun with it. It’s gonna be really neat when it’s all done. You gotta come back and check it out,” he said.
He then gave our news team a brief tour of the property and work in progress.
HOSTING SICK GUESTS
CastleBlack is looking to house six guest residences for people with chronic illnesses. The property (main building) is just shy of 13,000 square feet.
When it is done, the development will encompass a nursery, generic lab, and 52 greenhouses spread across 22,000 square feet of property.
“It’s going to look like a castle. It’s going to have a medieval theme to it. Everything will be organic. We will have organic fields for vegetables. The locals can come and use the 28.8 acres of land,” he said.
“We are going to integrate them (greenhouses) so they stay naturally between the trees and all that. So we are trying not to disturb the trees or the natural vegetation that is already here.”
Once that work is complete, Cadeau said that between 150 and 200 full-time employees will be needed to manicure the grounds.