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2026 Grower’s Gathering: Cannabis, Clones, Cheap Ounces, and Enough Dogs to Start a Wolf Sanctuary

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By OG Strain for The Plug’s Pages Magazine

There are cannabis events… and then there are Damn Sam events.
And if you’ve ever attended a Grower’s Gathering hosted by Rob Robinson and Emily Harper — better known throughout the canna community as Damn Sam — then you already know you’re not just showing up for weed.


You’re showing up for a full-blown cannabis carnival where somebody’s grandma is buying clones, a guy dressed like Ozzy Osbourne is screaming into a microphone, somebody else is carrying a deer skull through the parking lot like it’s perfectly normal, and at least fourteen dogs are emotionally supporting everyone simultaneously.


This year’s Grower’s Gathering in Palenville, New York was another unforgettable celebration of cannabis culture, community, and controlled chaos in the best possible way.
Held at the beautiful The Griffin House, the event brought together over 50 vendors from all over the region, offering everything from premium flower and hash to genetics, clones, body care products, art, apparel, oddities, and enough cannabis deals to make your wallet nervous before you even parked the car.


And despite windy, overcast weather that looked like Mother Nature herself forgot her lighter, the turnout was massive.


Families came out. Friends came out. Growers came out. Smokers came out.
Even the dogs came out.
Seriously — there were dogs everywhere. Big dogs, little dogs, fluffy dogs, old dogs, dogs that looked like they definitely knew where the hash table was located. If you love cannabis and dogs, this event basically felt like heaven with food trucks.


Vendor Heaven for Cannabis Lovers
One of the highlights of Grower’s Gathering is always the incredible vendor lineup, and this year absolutely delivered.
If you were hunting for quality flower, Higher Beings powered by Hudson Valley Green had people stopping in their tracks with premium buds and good vibes. And of course, the legendary Kevin Graham dropped what may have been the quote of the entire event:
“Every day is a good day OG — every day we wake up breathing is a great day.”
Honestly? That man deserves to have that printed on a rolling tray immediately.
Meanwhile, if genetics are your thing and you enjoy talking terpenes like stockbrokers talk Bitcoin, No Mountain Higher had killer genetics that had growers hovering around the booth like moths around a porch light.
Need clones? No problem.
Smuggles 518 came prepared with clones and genetics for growers ready to kick off the 2026 season, while Haywood Buds also brought healthy clones that had growers acting like proud parents at a plant adoption center.
For people looking for wellness products, Stickman Body Care offered quality flower along with body care products that probably smell better than most people’s apartments.
Fashion lovers had plenty to spend money on too.
Hippiefunland brought colorful tie-dye shirts loud enough to be seen from space, while The Good Sheppards had hats and family silver that looked like something a stylish outlaw wizard would wear while trimming plants under moonlight.
And then came the ounce wars.


If you wanted dense budget-friendly flower, East Coast Remedies was moving $50 ounces that had people checking their pockets twice just to make sure reality hadn’t glitched.
Meanwhile, Shaka Joe’s — famously known as the Home of the Hundred Dollar Ounces — was doing exactly what they’re known for.
And for those wanting premium quality with delivery options nearly everywhere, Backwoods Beauties had $120 ounces and enough interest around the booth to make you think they were handing out winning lottery tickets.
Then, just when you thought the event couldn’t get any more interesting…
You turn a corner and suddenly somebody is selling skulls.
Because of course they are.
Central Oddities brought deer skulls, human skull replicas, furs, and enough strange collectibles to make the entire event feel like a cannabis festival collided head-first with a medieval curiosity shop.


And for hash lovers, Experienced Hashish was serving up quality hash that had seasoned smokers nodding in approval like judges on a cooking show.
Live Music, Great Food, and Ozzy Apparently Returned from the Dead
As if the cannabis itself wasn’t entertaining enough, attendees were also treated to live music and food throughout the day.
But one of the biggest crowd-grabbers was the Ozzy Osbourne cover band Garth.
And listen…


These guys didn’t just play Ozzy.
They looked and sounded so much like Ozzy that half the crowd probably checked the calendar to make sure it wasn’t 1983.
At one point, between the music, the smoke clouds, the barking dogs, and the smell of food in the air, the entire place felt less like an event and more like a cannabis-powered alternate universe where everybody somehow got along.
Which honestly says a lot.


Because unlike the typical drunken bar scene where somebody inevitably argues about nonsense and punches a jukebox, cannabis events like Grower’s Gathering have a completely different energy.
People were friendly.
People were helping each other.
People were laughing.
Growers were sharing advice.
Strangers were becoming friends over jars of flower and conversations about terpenes.
It was community in its purest form.


Damn Sam Does It Again
None of this happens without the hard work of the hosts.
Special thanks go out to Rob Robinson and Emily Harper for putting together another outstanding and memorable event and helping kick off the 2026 grow season the right way.
And major appreciation also goes to The Griffin House for allowing the community to gather there and create another unforgettable day for cannabis culture in New York.
Grower’s Gathering wasn’t just a cannabis event.
It was a reminder that the cannabis community is filled with good people, positive energy, creativity, laughter, support, music, food, friendship, and apparently an unlimited supply of dogs.


And honestly?
That’s exactly how it should be.

Much love,
OG Strain

Want to attend future Damn Sam events?

You can find upcoming events, details, and information at
Damn Sam Official Website⁠: www.damnsam.com

Watch the full event coverage from OG Strain
The full video premiere is available now on
Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis) on YouTube & the Channel⁠ link is below:

www.damnsam.com

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STONER MAMA NICOLE Breaking Stigma, One Laugh at a Time

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How a Newfoundland mom, cannabis creator, and advocate is turning her own story into a movement built on humor, honesty, and acceptance

There are plenty of cannabis creators on the internet.

There are plenty of moms on the internet.

There are plenty of Canadians on the internet.

Nicole is a Canadian cannabis creator and mom from Newfoundland, a recovering addict, an advocate, and the personality behind a growing community built around something deceptively simple: people should be allowed to talk honestly about cannabis without being treated like a walking Cheech & Chong audition.

Her mission isn’t simply to post about weed.

It’s to change the conversation surrounding it.

MORE THAN THE PLANT

Nicole describes herself as a cannabis advocate and content creator who uses humor, education, and personal experience to challenge the way people think about cannabis.

And that distinction matters.

For decades, cannabis consumers have been shoved into a handful of tired stereotypes. The lazy stoner. The irresponsible parent. The burnout. The guy in the basement surrounded by empty pizza boxes wondering where his lighter went.

Nicole wants people to see something different.

The person behind the plant.

That last part is especially important to her.

Because apparently being a mother doesn’t automatically cancel your ability to know what a cannabis plant is.

Who knew?

Nicole’s message is that cannabis consumers can be parents, professionals, people in recovery, caregivers, entrepreneurs, friends, neighbors, and members of their communities.

In other words: they’re human beings.

FROM FUN CONTENT TO A PURPOSE

Nicole didn’t originally set out to build a movement.

She started creating cannabis content because she wanted to connect with other consumers and share her own experiences. What began as something fun quickly became something much bigger.

She discovered that her voice could help people.

Her content could normalize cannabis.

Her experiences could open conversations.

And her humor could make people stop scrolling long enough to actually listen.

That combination became the foundation of Stoner Mama Nicole.

Make somebody laugh—and make them think.

That might be one of the most effective ways to communicate online.

Give somebody a lecture and they’ll scroll.

Make them laugh first, and suddenly they’re paying attention.

BREAKING THE MOM STEREOTYPE

One of Nicole’s biggest goals is breaking the stigma surrounding cannabis, particularly when it comes to mothers and people in recovery.

She wants people to understand that recovery doesn’t look exactly the same for everyone.

Neither does cannabis.

Nicole isn’t pretending that cannabis is the answer to every problem.

She’s advocating for honest conversations—conversations without automatic judgment, outdated stereotypes, or the assumption that anyone who consumes cannabis must fit into a particular box.

And maybe that’s where her content becomes most powerful.

She’s not asking people to agree with her.

She’s asking people to think.

A CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE

Being based in Canada gives Nicole a unique perspective on the cannabis conversation.

Canada’s legal cannabis framework created an environment where cannabis could be discussed more openly, but legalization didn’t magically make the stigma disappear.

Old stereotypes don’t pack their bags and move out just because Parliament changes the rules.

Misinformation still exists.

Judgment still exists.

Nicole believes the answer isn’t more judgment.

It’s education and open conversation.

That’s exactly where she wants Stoner Mama Nicole to make a difference.

WELCOME TO THE GREEN QUEEN BOUTIQUE

Nicole isn’t stopping with content.

She’s also building The Green Queen Boutique, a cannabis-inspired small business where she creates merchandise and products for the cannabis community.

The Green Queen Boutique gives Nicole an opportunity to turn her creativity into something tangible while building another piece of the brand she’s creating.

And that brand isn’t just a logo.

It’s a community.

COMMUNITY OVER NUMBERS

Ask Nicole what she’s most proud of, and you might expect the answer to involve followers, views, viral posts, or some other social-media number that causes creators to stare at their phones like they’re waiting for the lottery results.

But that’s not what matters most to her.

Nicole says building Stoner Mama Nicole into a real community and brand is what she’s most proud of.

That’s a pretty important distinction.

Because followers are statistics.

People are people.

And Nicole wants the people behind those statistics to know they aren’t alone.

She especially values connecting with other moms and showing them that they don’t have to feel isolated simply because they consume cannabis.

THE MOVEMENT IS BIGGER THAN NICOLE

The word community comes up repeatedly when Nicole talks about what she’s building.

And that’s not accidental.

For her, cannabis represents connection and acceptance.

That’s what separates an influencer from an advocate.

An influencer can tell you what they’re doing.

An advocate gives you a reason to care.

Nicole wants to become a recognized cannabis creator and advocate who helps change the way people view cannabis—especially when the conversation involves moms and people in recovery.

That’s not a small goal.

But then again, she isn’t building a small brand.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

If Nicole has anything to say about it, Stoner Mama Nicole is only getting started.

She envisions a much bigger brand with collaborations, cannabis events, brand partnerships, merchandise, and continued growth for The Green Queen Boutique.

But despite those ambitions, there’s one thing she doesn’t want to lose along the way:

Authenticity.

That’s important because the internet has a funny way of turning genuine people into marketing machines.

One minute you’re posting something because it makes you laugh.

Nicole’s goal is to grow without losing the person who started it all.

Stoner Mama Nicole.

The mom.

The creator.

The advocate.

The woman in recovery.

The Canadian.

The person behind the plant.

THE PERSON BEHIND THE PLANT

At its heart, Stoner Mama Nicole isn’t really about cannabis.

It’s about people.

It’s about giving cannabis consumers permission to be seen as more than a stereotype.

It’s about moms knowing they’re not alone.

It’s about education replacing misinformation.

It’s about humor opening doors that arguments never could.

And it’s about one Newfoundland mom using her own experiences to say something remarkably powerful:

You don’t have to fit the stereotype.

You can be a mother.

You can be in recovery.

You can be an entrepreneur.

You can be an advocate.

You can love cannabis.

And you can still be completely, unapologetically yourself.

That’s the world Stoner Mama Nicole is trying to build.

And judging by what she’s already created, she isn’t just talking about the future.

She’s already growing it.

STONEY MAMA NICOLE

Cannabis Creator • Advocate • Mom • Entrepreneur

Follow the journey of Stoner Mama Nicole and discover the community she’s building around cannabis, connection, education, humor, and breaking the stigma.

The Green Queen Boutique represents the entrepreneurial side of that movement—bringing Nicole’s cannabis-inspired creativity directly to the community she loves.

Because at the end of the day, the plant is only part of the story.

The people are the story.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fgu244FWi/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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REEDS AMONST THE WEED

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It is a scientific fact that listening to music is enhanced in many ways when the listener has indulged in weed. THC nudges parts of the brain designed to absorb sound, including music to become stimulated on a higher level.


THC influences the brain’s ability to let listeners think about the music differently, they hear more within each note, they feel more from the experience of music. Music becomes something like a magic carpet ride. Weed allows the listeners to literally become one within the melody, they are physically stimulated. In addition, the senses are heightened offering a person who is lit to see the color of the music, the story hidden within the music and create a unique movie that only they can see.


What could be more magical than a concert where the reeds play amongst the weed? On Saturday, August 15th a lucky few will get to inhabit music in a way they perhaps have never imagined.


Clarinet trio, Take Three will play a free concert at Lazy Day Farm, a top-notch cannabis cultivator in Durham, N.Y. The members of this professional group have played everywhere from the well-known concert halls to the Grand Canyon.



Each member’s instrument, from the base clarinet, played by Steve Miller to Suzanne Coletta’s, and Steve Silverstein’s, clarinets transform the program into a sensual, funny, soothing, plifting trip. The trio has been able to create harmonies so expertly woven together that the audience, seated in the walnut grove, become en-wrapped in a group experience that wipes away the real world.


Imagine relaxing on your blanket or chair, ganja smoke swirling around you as your mind absorbs the special notes that only multiple clarinets can produce. Music by Mozart becomes a transporter to another time and place. A piece by Debussy becomes an animated painting in your head.


The scene behind the trio is the lush greenness of the cannabis field, where the plants appear to be swaying to the melodies. The enchanted walnut grove presents a safeplace here the mind can wander into the outer space of the brain.


When weed is blended with live music the woes and troubles of the world drift away on the gentle breeze, the hive mind of the audience takes over resulting in an unforgettable unreal feeling of peace.

https://Lazydayfarmer.com

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The Team Behind the Movement: Why The Plug’s Pages Magazine Is Just Getting Started

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Every publication reaches a point where it stops feeling like a business and starts feeling like a movement.

For me, that moment came when I looked around and realized I wasn’t simply building another cannabis magazine—I was surrounded by a team of people who genuinely believe in this industry, respect its culture, and work tirelessly to elevate it.

As CEO of The Plug’s Pages Magazine, I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together.

To think that we’ve grown into one of the most widely circulated cannabis publications in the country—and now find ourselves competing neck-and-neck with our former employer—is something I never take for granted. Being second only to High Times in national circulation is an incredible achievement, but rankings alone don’t define success.

Our readers do.

Every article you read, every issue you share, every business you discover through our pages, and every conversation that begins because of something we publish has helped shape what The Plug’s Pages Magazine has become. None of this happens without the people who continue believing in what we’re building.

For that, I am sincerely grateful.

But no publication succeeds because of one person.

It succeeds because of its people.

I’ve known Seymour Buds for many years. We’ve weathered challenges together, celebrated victories together, and shared a vision for what cannabis journalism could become long before this magazine existed. Seymour has remained exactly the kind of person every publication hopes to have—a dependable voice, an experienced writer, and someone who genuinely cares about both the industry and the community surrounding it.

He’s been with me through thick and thin, and our magazine is stronger because of him.

Then came someone who, quite honestly, surprised all of us.

OG Strain.

Sometimes people arrive with a résumé.

Sometimes they arrive with passion.

And every once in a while, someone arrives with both.

Writing comes naturally to him.

His understanding of cannabis comes naturally.

Connecting with people comes naturally.

Those qualities cannot be taught.

They have to be lived.

That authenticity is exactly what makes his work resonate with readers.

There are plenty of people who write about cannabis.

Far fewer actually live the culture every single day.

OG Strain does.

His passion extends well beyond the pages of this magazine.

Many readers know him as the creator and host of Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis) on YouTube, where he reviews cannabis strains, growers, products, dispensaries, distributors, and cannabis events throughout the Northeast. But the channel has grown into much more than reviews. It has become a destination for cannabis entertainment, educational content, community spotlights, interviews, humorous skits, and creative series like Mr. Water Bong & Ms. Dab Rig—all created with the same goal of celebrating the cannabis community while making people smile.

His creativity doesn’t stop there.

Using music-generation technology, he has written promotional rap songs and original anthems for numerous cannabis companies throughout the Northeast, helping brands develop a unique identity while connecting with customers in an entirely new way.

That level of dedication is rare.

What impresses me even more is that none of it comes from obligation.

It comes from genuine enthusiasm.

He loves seeing cannabis businesses succeed.

He enjoys shining a spotlight on people who often don’t receive one.

He understands that behind every brand is a family, an entrepreneur, a grower, or a dream worth sharing.

That’s what separates promotion from storytelling.

And that’s what separates content creators from community builders.

Perhaps what impresses me most is his work ethic.

There was a point where OG Strain was producing articles for The Plug’s Pages Magazine nearly every single day.

Without that level of commitment, we’d likely publish only a fraction of the stories we’re able to share.

Simply put, he has helped expand both our reach and our vision.

When Seymour, OG Strain, and I work together, each of us brings something different to the table.

Seymour brings experience.

OG Strain brings relentless creativity and energy.

I bring years of publishing, journalism, and leadership.

Together, we’ve built something that none of us could have created alone.

Every successful company needs a strong foundation.

Ours is built on trust, passion, and a shared belief that the cannabis community deserves honest, engaging, and professional coverage.

As we continue growing, we’re also expanding our mission.

We don’t simply want to report on the cannabis industry.

We want to help build it.

Many businesses struggle to get noticed.

Others simply don’t know where to begin.

That’s where we come in.

Whether it’s through feature articles, interviews, event coverage, educational content, product spotlights, or innovative promotional opportunities, our goal is to help connect great companies with the people who are looking for exactly what they offer.

We’re creating something that goes beyond advertising.

We’re building relationships.

We’re building community.

And we’re building a platform where authentic voices matter.

The future of The Plug’s Pages Magazine has never looked brighter.

This is only the beginning.

If you’ve been following our journey, thank you for believing in us.

And if you’re one of the thousands of readers who continue supporting this publication issue after issue, know that every page we publish is written with you in mind.

I’m proud of this magazine.

I’m proud of where we’ve been.

I’m even more excited about where we’re headed.

Most of all, I’m proud of the people standing beside me.

Seymour Buds.

OG Strain.

And every reader who has helped turn The Plug’s Pages Magazine into one of the fastest-growing voices in cannabis media.

We’re not slowing down.

In many ways…

We’re just getting started.

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