OG Strain samples Bill’s mystery jars, finds blueberry-fueled greatness, and discovers why some outdoor cannabis deserves indoor-level respect

By OG Strain
The Plug’s Pages Magazine

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Every once in a while, somebody reaches out to me with that same hopeful energy.

You know the type.

They’ve got jars. They’ve got confidence. They’ve got that “wait until you try this” look in their eye.

Sometimes it’s justified.

Sometimes it’s absolutely not.

And then there are those rare occasions when someone hands you a stack of mystery jars in a parking lot outside a liquor store in Amsterdam, New York… and every single one turns out to be the real deal.

That’s exactly what happened when I linked up with Bill from No Mountain Higher.

Now before anybody starts assuming this is some paid promotional fluff piece, let me make something crystal clear:

Bill didn’t come to me asking for a feature in The Plug’s Pages.
He didn’t ask for a YouTube plug on Strain’s Strain Review (Talk Cannabis).
He didn’t offer money.
He didn’t ask for hype.

The man pulled up with roughly ten jars of product — nine flower samples and one jar of hash — and asked for only two things:

First, my honest opinion.

Second, if anything stood out as truly special, to simply let the people know.

That’s it.

And if you know me, then you know honesty isn’t negotiable.

If the flower is trash, I’ll say it’s trash.

If it’s mid, I’ll call it mid.

And if it’s fire?

I’ll tell the world exactly why.

After working through the first round of No Mountain Higher’s lineup, I can confidently say this:

Bill and the growers behind No Mountain Higher are producing some of the most impressive outdoor flower I’ve had my hands on in New York.

And that’s not something I say lightly.

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The First Jar: Sub Zero Hit Me Like a Super Boof Uppercut

The very first jar I cracked open hit me with an unmistakable terp profile.

One whiff and I immediately thought:

Super Boof.

That loud, funky, candy-meets-citrus profile cannabis connoisseurs know instantly.

Sure enough, after digging into the genetics, I found out Sub Zero is the offspring of Super Boof and Oreoz.

That made perfect sense.

This flower was absolutely caked.

Heavy trichome coverage. Dense structure. Rich aroma.

The kind of bud that makes you stop and stare for a second before breaking it up because it looks too good to ruin.

Then I packed it into the bubbler and took a blast.

Confirmation.

That unmistakable Super Boof flavor came roaring through.

What shocked me most was learning this was outdoor-grown.

If someone handed this to me blind and told me it came from a premium indoor room, I wouldn’t have questioned it for a second.

That says a lot.

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Space Egg Hash: Houston, We Have Terps

The lone jar of hash in the lineup was Space Egg Hash, and it absolutely delivered.

Rich, smooth, flavorful, and potent enough to remind you real quick that hash isn’t here to play around.

This wasn’t some dry, crumbly afterthought tossed in for variety.

This was proper concentrate craftsmanship.

The kind of hash that makes you pause after the exhale and say:

“Okay… now THAT was nice.”

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Big Apple Kush: New York Flavor With Creative Lift

Next up was Big Apple Kush, and this one immediately stood out.

This cultivar crosses Big Apple (Apple Fritter x Sherb) with Kush Mints, and the result feels like a beautifully balanced hybrid.

To me, it smoked like a true 50/50.

Relaxing enough to settle the body.

Uplifting enough to keep your mind active.

Creative enough to make you suddenly think your next article idea is Pulitzer-worthy.

Flavor-wise, this one brought a unique combination of:

Green apple
Fresh mint
Cookie dough sweetness

And visually?

Dense, chunky green buds absolutely layered in white trichomes.

This is excellent smoke for pain management, stress relief, or creative sessions where you need your body relaxed but your mind still operating.

Basically, this is “write a brilliant article while half-melting into the couch” weed.

A beautiful contradiction.

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Blueberry Muffin: We’ve Already Been Through This

Bill also included Blueberry Muffin, but I’ve already spoken extensively on this strain in previous articles and reviews.

At this point, my opinion is well documented.

And yes — I still stand by what I said:

I believe No Mountain Higher’s Blueberry Muffin, grown by Joshua at 4 Acres Farms, deserved a much stronger placement than its official finish at the Empire State Cannabis Cup.

I’ve said what I said.

And I’m not taking it back.

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ADK Blue Lobster: The Crown Jewel

Now we get to one of the stars of this entire lineup.

ADK Blue Lobster.

The second I cracked this jar, the trichomes practically demanded attention.

Light green buds with deeper emerald undertones and amber accents, drenched in frost.

Fresh.

Squishy.

Perfectly cured.

Exactly what serious flower should feel like.

The aroma leaned citrusy and sweet with distinct blueberry influence.

The flavor?

Sweet cream with smooth citrus complexity.

The smoke was incredibly smooth.

The effects were everything I look for in a premium slightly indica-leaning hybrid:

Clear-headed
Relaxing
Mildly uplifting
Creativity-enhancing

This strain carries Apples and Bananas crossed with Eye Candy genetics, and the result is phenomenal.

There’s been a lot of experimentation happening with lobster-based genetics lately:

Blue Lobster.
ADK Blue Lobster.
Blueberry Lobster.
Mountain Lobster.

Everybody’s chasing the wave.

After trying this sample, I completely understand why.

No Mountain Higher has clearly mastered this one.

And here’s the strongest compliment I can give it:

I’ve tried Blue Lobster from many of New York’s top growers.

This cut ranks right there with the top three.

No exaggeration.

That’s elite company.

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Permanent Chimera #35: Beautiful, But Not My Personal Favorite

Now this one is interesting.

The N.M.H. PC35 (Permanent Chimera #35) sample had some of the best bag appeal of the entire bunch.

Inside the jar was one massive, gorgeous bud roughly the size of a Bic lighter.

Light green dominance.
Thick white trichomes.
Dark brown pistils.
A few darker green nodes scattered throughout.

Absolutely stunning.

The cure was excellent.

Fresh, squishy, and ridiculously impressive for outdoor flower.

Visually, it had me excited.

The aroma leaned earthy with some gas.

The flavor followed suit.

And that’s where this one lost me a bit.

Online descriptions often mention blueberry, candy, diesel, and exotic complexity.

I personally didn’t get that.

For me, it lacked the terp richness I typically chase.

That said, credit where it’s due:

The effects were very pleasant.

Euphoric.
Energetic.
Relaxing enough to settle in, but not enough to knock you out.

It gave me a kind of Runtz-adjacent effect profile.

Would I smoke it again?

Absolutely.

Would it be my first jar to grab from this lineup?

Probably not.

And that’s the beauty of honest reviewing.

Not every quality strain needs to be your personal favorite.

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Sherbtang: Outdoor Frost Monster

If bag appeal had a heavyweight title belt, Sherbtang would be fighting for it.

This may genuinely be one of the frostiest outdoor flowers I’ve ever reviewed.

Light and dark green nodes covered in amber trichomes and reddish-brown hairs.

Sticky.
Dense.
Cured perfectly.

The aroma hit that exact profile I’m constantly hunting for:

Fruit and gas.

That magical terp combination every true flavor chaser understands.

The smoke was smooth.

The effects delivered a relaxing euphoric buzz.

And most importantly?

It had that “one more bowl” factor.

This was easily one of my personal favorites from Bill’s lineup.

No debate.

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Lemon G: Quietly Impressive

Sometimes a strain doesn’t scream for attention.

It just quietly performs.

That’s Lemon G.

Beautiful green-and-blue hued buds with reddish-brown pistils and heavy white trichome coverage.

Very attractive flower.

The aroma leaned earthy and citrus-forward.

The taste introduced an interesting minty-earth-citrus combination that made each hit unique.

This is one I need more time with before giving a definitive ranking, but first impressions were very positive.

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A Blueberry Obsession?

After working through these jars, I noticed something hilarious.

No Mountain Higher seems deeply committed to blueberry-forward genetics.

Seriously.

Blueberry this.
Blue Lobster that.
Blueberry influence everywhere.

At this point, I’m half-convinced they should rebrand to:

Blueberry Mountain

And honestly?

I wouldn’t hate it.

Because whatever they’re doing with these blueberry-heavy profiles…

It’s working.

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Final Thoughts (For Now)

This article is only phase one.

I’m still working through the remaining samples Bill gifted me, and future updates will include deeper strain analysis and insights from my upcoming interview with Bill himself.

But based on what I’ve reviewed so far, one thing is undeniable:

No Mountain Higher is a brand worth paying attention to.

They’ve achieved something many growers spend years chasing:

Outdoor flower with genuine indoor bag appeal.

That’s rare.

Even rarer is the confidence Bill showed by putting his work in my hands with zero conditions attached.

That tells me everything I need to know.

People who know their product is solid don’t need to beg for hype.

They let the flower speak.

And trust me —

No Mountain Higher’s flower has plenty to say.

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OG Strain’s Early Standouts

Top Tier Favorites So Far:

ADK Blue Lobster
Sherbtang
Sub Zero
Big Apple Kush

Most Visually Impressive:
Permanent Chimera #35

Best Surprise:
How absurdly good this outdoor flower is

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Stay tuned for Part Two, where OG Strain dives deeper into the remaining No Mountain Higher lineup and sits down with Bill to learn what’s really fueling this mountain-grown movement.

By OG Strain — Strain’s Strain Reviews: Talk Cannabis

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Let me paint a picture for you.

You crack open a bag… and before you even see the flower, the aroma hits you so hard your brain goes, “Alright, everybody quiet down—I’m trying to process something important here.” It’s the kind of smell that makes you double-check the bag like, “Did I accidentally buy something illegal in multiple states?”

That was me with 35K.

Dense? Yeah.
Loud? Disrespectfully loud.
Flavor? The kind that makes you pause mid-hit and go, “Hold on… run that back.”

And the high? Oh, we’ll get there.

But first—let’s talk about the man behind it.

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Meet John Gilboy: Not Your Average “Grower”

Some people grow weed.

Then there are people like John “Gilly” Gilboy—who treat cultivation like a calling, a craft, and at times… a borderline obsession that would concern a therapist but impress a connoisseur.

Gilly didn’t just wake up one day and say, “You know what would be fun? Farming top-shelf cannabis.”

Nah. His journey goes back to around 2011, when he got pulled into the California scene—the golden era of Instagram growers flexing plants like they were luxury cars. Names like Subcool and elite geneticists lit the spark.

But the fire? That came later.

When his father was diagnosed with stomach cancer, everything changed.

At a time when access to cannabis medicine like RSO (back then called Phoenix Tears) wasn’t easy, Gilly found himself facing a harsh reality—help wasn’t coming fast enough.

So he made a decision that separates hobbyists from lifers:

He decided to become the help.

That moment didn’t just shape his path—it defined it.

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Gilly’s Greens: No Hype, No Gimmicks, Just Gas

In an industry where brands scream “TOP SHELF!!!” louder than a used car salesman on commission, Gilly’s Greens takes a different route.

Straightforward. Organic. No nonsense.

No flashy overpromises. No inflated egos.

Just: “Here’s the flower. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.”

And honestly? That quiet confidence hits harder than half the marketing campaigns out here.

Because when your product speaks like 35K does… you don’t need to yell.

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From Spray Bottles to Mastery

Now don’t get it twisted—Gilly didn’t come out the gate growing heat.

He told me himself—he made every mistake possible.

Watering plants with a spray bottle.
Tilling soil like he was prepping for a backyard barbecue.
Top dressing every other day like he was seasoning a steak.

If there was a wrong way to do it… he did it.

But here’s the difference:

He wrote it all down.

Every mistake. Every lesson. Every adjustment.

Because his father taught him something simple but powerful:

“Everything is better than a stick in the eye or a hole in the head.”

Not exactly a Hallmark quote—but it gets the point across.

Learn. Adjust. Improve.

That mindset is what turned trial-and-error into elite-level execution.

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Let’s Talk About 35K (Because We Have To)

Now… the star of the show.

35K — a cross between Permanent Chimera 35 and Kush N Keyz 13.

(If you know, you know. If you don’t… just understand these genetics are not playing around.)

Sourced through Floraganix and Keepers Clones—people Gilly doesn’t just work with, but genuinely rocks with—this strain is the result of serious hunting and even more serious selection.

And it shows.

What Makes 35K Different?

Structure: Dense enough to make you question physics
Color: Loud and photogenic—Instagram ready without a filter
Aroma: Piney kush with floral layers that linger
Terpenes: Heavy on pinene—aka your brain’s favorite “let’s go do something productive” button

Now here’s where Gilly gets surgical.

He pulls this strain earlier than most growers would.

Why?

To preserve that uplifting, euphoric, sativa-leaning effect.

And let me confirm something for you:

Mission accomplished.

This isn’t that “sit down and rethink your life” type of high.

This is that “clean the house, start a business, text your ex ‘I forgive you but also no’” kind of energy.

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The Secret Sauce: It’s Not Just One Thing

Everybody wants to know the cheat code.

Is it genetics? Soil? Nutrients? Environment?

Yes.

Also… no.

According to Gilly, it’s the combination:

A custom soil mix with 10+ components
Fully cycled, high-production living soil
Precise environmental control
Stability throughout the grow
And the biggest factor of all…

TLC.

Not the R&B group.
(Although honestly, they probably could grow fire too.)

He doesn’t believe in “set it and forget it.”

This isn’t a crockpot.

This is craftsmanship.

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What Separates Top-Shelf from “Yeah, It’s Cool”?

I’ll simplify it:

Top-shelf flower feels intentional.

Everything about it—look, smell, taste, effect—feels like it was meant to be that way.

Average flower feels like it just… happened.

Gilly’s work? Intentional.

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What’s Next for Gilly’s Greens?

If you think 35K is the ceiling, you’re already behind.

Gilly’s currently working with some serious contenders:

A wild “Freak Cut” of Kush N Keyz with unique expressions
Garlic Dip #3 — a resilient, swelling beast that checks every grower box

No collaborations right now—by design.

He’s locked in on:

Hunting elite genetics with Floraganix
Dialing in new grow spaces
Expanding into New York and Missouri
Building toward a nursery + craft grow operation within the next 3–5 years

And here’s the part that really matters:

He’s not chasing money.

He’s chasing purpose.

“I just want to provide the right flower and medicine for the people that need it.”

In a space full of shortcuts, that mindset is rare.

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Final Thoughts from OG Strain

I’ve tried a lot of flower.

Some good. Some great. Some that made me question my life choices.

But every now and then… you come across something that reminds you why you fell in love with cannabis in the first place.

35K did that for me.

And Gilly?

He’s not just growing weed.

He’s building something real.

So if you see the name Gilly’s Greens pop up…

Don’t scroll past it.

That might be your first mistake.

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Watch the Full 35K Review by OG Strain:

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Plugs Pages Magazine
Where the culture connects.

To contact John Gilboy, Gilly Greens email:

John@gillysgreens.com

There’s judging a cannabis cup…
…and then there’s surviving one.

Back in the fall rolling into early this year, I had the honor (and at times, the emotional endurance test) of serving as a judge at the Empire State Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, New York, hosted by Robert Tambasco. Roughly 30 of us took on the responsibility of evaluating the best flower growers had to offer across New York State.

I judged both indoor and outdoor categories.

Let me tell you right now—those were two very different experiences.

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Indoor vs. Outdoor: A Tale of Two Realities

The indoor competition?
Smooth. Enjoyable. Competitive in the way you want it to be. Quality across the board. Judges smiling, nodding, probably texting their friends like, “Yeah, I’m working real hard right now 😎.”

The outdoor competition?
Let’s just say… it built character.

Out of 37 outdoor entries, a solid 75% were, and I’m choosing my words carefully here… rough. We’re talking leafy, under-trimmed, harsh-smoking, “did this plant offend you personally?” type flower. Some entries felt like first grows—and honestly, they probably were.

And look, this isn’t me being disrespectful. Everybody starts somewhere. But when you’re judging a cannabis cup, you expect a certain level of polish. Instead, a lot of us judges were out here fighting for our lungs like it was a championship bout.

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The Bright Spots (Yes, There Were Some)

Now before you think it was all doom and despair—there were standouts.

The clear and rightful winner?
Banana Melt by Curtis Kling. No debate. No controversy. That strain earned its crown, and I had it locked in at #1 on my personal scorecard too. Respect where it’s due.

Other memorable entries included:
    •    GG1
    •    Permanent Marker
    •    Purple Ghost Candy

All solid. All respectable. All shining brighter when surrounded by… well… the rest of the lineup.

But one strain stood out to me in a way that stuck long after the judging ended.

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The One That Got Away: Blueberry Muffin

Let’s talk about Blueberry Muffin from 4 Acres Farms, grown by Joshua.

This strain wasn’t just good—it was memorable. And in a category where a lot of entries were forgettable for the wrong reasons, that matters.

On my personal scorecard?

👉 #2.

Not #10.
Not “somewhere in the middle.”
Number. Two.

So What Happened?

Official results came in…

Blueberry Muffin placed #11.

Yeah. Eleven.

And that didn’t sit right with me then—and it definitely doesn’t sit right with me now.

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Let’s Break It Down (Because I Actually Took Notes)

This wasn’t a sympathy pick. I didn’t just throw it a high score because it didn’t hurt me to smoke it.

I ran every strain through the same process. No shortcuts. No “eh, close enough.” If it crossed my table, it got evaluated properly.

And Blueberry Muffin delivered:
    •    Aroma: Sweet, fruity, unmistakable blueberry notes
    •    Flavor: Smooth, flavorful, dessert-like inhale that actually translated from the nose
    •    Appearance: Frosty, trichome-rich, visually appealing
    •    Effects: Immediate. Potent. Two hits in and it was, “Woohoo—yeah, I’m home.”

We’re talking:
    •    Uplifting
    •    Mood-boosting
    •    Relaxing
    •    Pain-relieving

This wasn’t mid-tier. This wasn’t average.

This was top-three caliber flower.

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My Theory (And Yeah, I’m Saying It Out Loud)

Here’s what I believe happened:

There were so many rough entries in the outdoor category that some judges—whether they realize it or not—started rushing. Skimming. Mentally checking out just to get through the pile.

And in doing that?

They overlooked a gem.

Because when you go from smoking something that feels like it was trimmed with a lawnmower… to something actually dialed in… your perception can get warped if you’re not staying sharp.

I stayed sharp.

And that’s why I stand on this:

👉 4 Acres Farms deserved second place.
👉 Blueberry Muffin should have placed.

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To Be Clear…

Placing #11 out of 37 is not a failure. That’s above average. That’s respectable.

But this isn’t about “respectable.”

This is about what was deserved.

And in my professional opinion as a judge who actually gave every entry a fair run—

This strain got overlooked.

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So I Took It a Step Further

I didn’t just sit on this take.

I made a full video review of the Blueberry Muffin from 4 Acres Farms—breaking it down, showing the flower, and backing up everything I’m saying right here with real evidence.

Because talk is cheap.

Proof isn’t.

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Now I’m Putting It On You

I want you to decide.

👇 Watch the video below.
👇 Look at the photos.
👇 Hear the breakdown.

Then head to YouTube and leave a comment:
    •    Do you agree with me that Blueberry Muffin should’ve taken second place?
OR
    •    Do you side with the official results placing it at #11?

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Final Hit

Cups come and go. Winners get trophies.

But sometimes?

The real story is about the one that should’ve been standing next to them.

And this time…

That story smells a whole lot like blueberries.