Community
THE 5 WEEKS THAT DRIVE EVERY GROWER CRAZY! š±š³ Why July Is the Most Exciting Month of the Entire Season
There are only two kinds of people in New York during Julyā¦
People growing cannabisā¦
ā¦and people getting tired of hearing about someone elseās cannabis plants.
Letās be honest. If youāre growing this year, youāve probably already shown your garden to at least ten people. Maybe twenty. Maybe the UPS driver. Maybe your neighbor who was just trying to check the mail.
āHey⦠wanna see my girls?ā
Every single grower says it with the same excitement youād expect from someone showing off a newborn baby.
And you know what?
I absolutely love it.
Iāve had people proudly show me beautiful greenhouse monsters pushing through the roof, and Iāve had first-time growers proudly point at a three-foot plant with six leaves missing because a deer decided to sample the menu.
The funny part?
Theyāre both equally excited.
Sometimes I look at a beginnerās plant and think, āWell⦠itās definitely a plant.ā But I would never crush that excitement. Every one of us started somewhere, and that first successful outdoor grow is something you never forget.
Thatās what makes July so special.
This is the month when hope is everywhere.
The hard work is mostly done. The plants are established. Theyāve survived storms, bugs, hungry animals, curious neighbors, and hopefully a few overenthusiastic watering sessions.
Now everyone is waiting for the same thing.
The show.
Here in New York, most outdoor photoperiod plants begin revealing their first white pistilsāthe little hairs that appear at the nodes, right between the branchesāduring the first or second week of August. Thatās Mother Nature flipping the switch from āgrow biggerā to āletās make flowers.ā
Once that happens, the countdown begins.
Most strains need roughly 8 to 10 weeks to fully mature after flowering starts. For many New York growers, that usually puts harvest somewhere between October 15 and October 21, depending on the cultivar and the weather.
And hereās where patience separates good flower from unforgettable flower.
Every grower knows how tempting it is to chop early.
You walk outside every morning thinkingā¦
āThey look done.ā
Then two days laterā¦
āOkay⦠NOW theyāre done.ā
Then another week passes, and suddenly your buds have swollen, the aroma has intensified, and the trichomes seem to have multiplied overnight.
Thatās why so many experienced growers pray for one thing every Octoberā¦
A late frost.
That final week can make an incredible difference. Those extra days often allow the flowers to bulk up, the trichomes to mature, and the terpene profile to fully develop. Sometimes the difference between āpretty goodā and āOH⦠MY⦠GOODNESSā¦ā is simply giving the plant one more week when the weather cooperates.
Greenhouse growers get a little bonus here.
If temperatures only dip to around 31ā32°F (-0.5 to 0°C) for a light overnight frost, a covered greenhouse can often protect plants well enough to squeeze out those extra precious days. Itās not a guarantee, but sometimes that little bit of protection is all you need to cross the finish line.
Of course, Mother Nature always has the final vote.
If a hard freeze is coming, donāt gamble your entire crop trying to squeeze out another couple of days. Harvesting around October 15 can still produce excellent cannabis. Itās when growers start chopping significantly earlier than thatābefore the flowers have had enough time to matureāthat Iāve personally seen plants come out looking and smoking a little underdeveloped.
But letās not rush ahead.
Weāre still in July.
This is the fun part.
This is the month of backyard inspections, daily photo updates, endless conversations about nutrients, and that one friend who somehow measures his plants every afternoon like theyāre children at the doctorās office.
Itās the season where every grower becomes an amateur meteorologist, checking five different weather apps while somehow trusting none of them.
Sunny? Great.
Rain? Weāll manage.
Wind? Tie them down.
Frost in July? Okay⦠now somebodyās lying.
Whether this is your very first outdoor grow or your twentieth season chasing the perfect harvest, take a second to appreciate this part of the journey.
Because before you know it, youāll be trimming until your fingers stick together, wondering why you ever thought growing one more plant was a good idea.
So enjoy the excitement.
Take pictures.
Show off your garden.
Celebrate every inch of growth.
And if Mother Nature is listeningā¦
Letās all say it together.
Dear Weather⦠please give New York one nice, late frost this year.
Our trichomes would sincerely appreciate it.
Community
THIS ISNāT JUST A FESTIVAL⦠ITāS A WHOLE CANNABIS CITY IN THE PINES | Summer High Fest Is About to Change NY Forever
Let me paint you a picture real quickā¦
Itās summer 2026 in New York. Youāre not stuck on your couch scrolling through the same 12 people arguing in comment sections. Youāre not watching someone else ālive lifeā through a phone screen. Youāre somewhere different.
Youāre under the pines. Music is hitting from two stages. The air smells like food trucks, creativity, and maybe a little something sticky from the BudStock side of the world. Somewhere in the distance, someone just won the Home Growers Championship and is acting like they just got drafted into the NBA.
Welcome to Summer High Fest.
And according to Woodz Treez, this isnāt just another cannabis event trying to slap a logo on a flyer and call it culture. This is something built from the ground up with intention, experience, and a little bit of āweāre tired of waiting for someone else to do it right, so we did it ourselves.ā
THREE EVENTS. ONE WEEKEND. ZERO CHILL.
Summer High Fest is not playing small.
2026 marks the first-ever Summer High Festival, but donāt get it twistedāthis thing is built on serious foundation:
Summer High Music Festival (Year 1)
BudStock Cannabis Convention (Year 4)
The Home Growers Championship (Year 3)
So what youāre really getting is not one event⦠but three communities colliding into one giant weekend experience.
And yesāthere are designated 21+ cannabis areas, but thereās also something you donāt see enough in this space: a family-friendly festival atmosphere outside those zones. Music, art, camping, food, vendors, workshops⦠the whole spectrum.
In other words: if you canāt find something to enjoy here, you might just be the problem.
WHY THIS WAS BUILT (AND WHY IT MATTERS)
Woodz Treez made one thing very clear in his interview: this didnāt come from a trend. It came from necessity.
After helping build festival experiences at another venue that eventually shifted, the vision didnāt dieāit evolved.
Instead of folding it, they rebuilt it stronger.
And the mission stayed the same:
A safe, welcoming space where music lovers, artists, growers, cannabis enthusiasts, families, and first-time festival goers can exist together without chaos, ego, or division.
Thatās a rare sentence in 2026.
WHAT YOUāRE WALKING INTO
If you pull up to Summer High, hereās what hits you first:
Itās the energy.
Not forced. Not corporate. Not āplease clap for our brand activation.ā
Just people.
Then everything else stacks on top:
75+ artists across two stages
Hip-Hop, Funk, Reggae, EDM, Bass and live bands
EDM until 4AM
Live painters and artists
Laser shows and immersive visuals
Food vendors
Vendor village
Camping beneath the pines
Educational cannabis programming
21+ giveaways all weekend
And somewhere in the middle of all that⦠youāll probably realize you just met five strangers who now feel like old friends.
Thatās the point.
THE VENDORS ARENāT AN AFTERTHOUGHT
One thing that separates Summer High from the āpop-up and prayā events is the lineup of real community businesses involved.
Cannabis vendors include:
Ganja Pigs
Frost Kingz
Kine Buds
Highly Baked
Fatboyy Cannabis
Bucket Of Budz
Prada Pax
Squids
Mini Mart
Central Oddities
Best Budz
Woodz Treez
Food vendors include Uncle Mitch Munchies, High Hillz Hotdogs, Mrs. Sweets Bake Shoppe, Cosmic Creations, Food For The Homies and The Grovelink.
Artists and creators include Mushroom Girl, Do Not Feed The Art, Ashley In Wonderland, BDA, Crown City Curiosities, Rei Of Light, The LotShop and many more.
Even better, the lineup is still growing.
A LITTLE INSIDER TIP FROM OG STRAINā¦
Since youāre already reading The Plugās Pages, hereās something special.
Woodz Treez told me theyāll be representing at Summer High Fest all weekend.
If you stop by their booth, make a purchase, and mention that you read this article or simply tell them, āOG Strain sent me,ā donāt be surprised if they show you a little extra love.
And while youāre there, donāt just walk away with your purchase.
Woodz Treez is planning to have a bong set up at their booth for adults in the designated 21+ area, so stop by, take a hit with the crew, and let them know OG Strain sent you. Itās a great excuse to meet the team, hang out for a minute, and become part of the Summer High experience.
Iām not going to spoil exactly what that āextra loveā might beāthatās between you and them.
Maybe itās something extra.
Maybe itās a surprise.
Maybe itās just some VIP treatment.
The only way to find out⦠is to walk over, take a rip, and say those magic words.
Then come find me later and tell me what happened.
WHY YOU SHOULD SHOW UP (AND NOT JUST āTHINK ABOUT ITā)
Woodz said it perfectly.
This isnāt about spending another weekend staring at a screen.
Itās about disconnecting from everyday life and reconnecting with people.
Camping.
Music.
Art.
Cannabis education.
Great food.
Late-night sets.
Meaningful conversations.
Whether you arrive with twenty friends or by yourself, youāre walking into a community that wants you there.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT?
Most cannabis events focus on one lane.
Summer High combines them all.
A cannabis convention.
A growers championship.
A music festival.
An art festival.
A camping experience.
A community gathering.
Instead of choosing one culture, Summer High brings them together into one unforgettable weekend.
Thatās what makes it different.
LINEUP HIGHLIGHTS
Just so nobody accidentally skips this partā¦
š¶ 75+ Artists including THE BASEMENT CHRONICLES
šŗ Sophistafunk
š¤ Mula Monopoly
šø Sacred Medicine
š„ Broken Harmony Syndicate
š EDM Until 4AM
šØ Live Art
⨠Lasers & Visuals
š Amazing Food Vendors
šļø Vendor Village
And according to Woodz Treezā¦
Theyāre not done announcing surprises yet.
TICKETS
Use Promo Code:
SUMMER50
Offer ends July 4 at 11:59 PM.
Tickets are available online through the Summer High Festival ticket page.
FOLLOW THE FESTIVAL
For updates, announcements, camping information, vendors and everything else, visit the official Summer High website and keep an eye on Woodz Treezās social media pages as they continue posting updates leading up to the event.
FINAL WORD
There was one sentence from the interview that really stuck with me:
āSummer High isnāt just a festivalāitās a community.ā
People throw that word around a lot.
Community.
But after reading everything theyāre building, it doesnāt sound like marketing.
It sounds genuine.
Music.
Cannabis.
Art.
Camping.
Education.
Families.
Growers.
Creators.
Everyone sharing one unforgettable weekend beneath the pines.
If Summer High delivers on everything theyāre promising, this wonāt just be another event on the calendar.
Itāll be the one people spend the next year talking about.
And if you decide to stay homeā¦
Donāt blame me when your friends wonāt stop telling stories about everything you missed.
Community
WHEN THE PLUGS BECOME FAMILY: A FRIDAY NIGHT AT CRISXOTICS THAT FED THE SOUL, THE STOMACH, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
Thereās a certain kind of Friday night that doesnāt just hit differentāit redefines what ādifferentā even means.
I wasnāt planning on making any kind of major move. Just a quick stop. In and out. Grab a little rosin from Buddah Brothers and head back home like a responsible adult⦠or at least whatever version of that I occasionally pretend to be.
Crisxotics was about 20 minutes from my house, but letās be realātime works differently when youāre headed somewhere you know good energy lives. By the time I pulled up, I already knew I wasnāt just ārunning an errand.ā I was stepping into a room where everybody knows your face, your vibe, and probably your last questionable edible decision.
Handshakes flying. āWhatās up OG?ā shouted like Iām some kind of local myth instead of a man with a dream. Itās not a storeāitās a reunion.
First thing I noticed? JMO from The Gas Station wasnāt at his usual post. That hit me harder than expected. He told me last time he had something for me, and now Iām walking around like a kid checking every table like, āDid I miss my present or my purpose?ā Still, the night had other plans.
I made my way to Buddah BrothersāBernie and Amyāmy destination, my mission, my reason for leaving the house in the first place. I hit them with the obvious question:
āWhatās up with the rosin?ā
They looked at me like a man about to receive news he wasnāt emotionally prepared for.
Sold out.
Just like that. Gone.
Now Iām standing there doing mental math like: I drove here. I parked. I committed. And the universe just said, āYeah⦠no rosin for you.ā
I almost mourned it on the spot.
But Bernie? Bernie didnāt let the sadness sit too long. Before I could even fully spiral into disappointment, he was already moving like a man who refuses to let someone leave empty-handed. He starts digging into his own head stash like itās not even a question.
āDonāt worry, man.ā
And just like that⦠I was blessed.
A little over a half gram of cold cureāno charge, no hesitation, no corporate energy. Just pure community care. The kind of move you donāt forget, even when your memory is slightly compromised by the next edible.
Then he hits me with:
āCome meet somebody.ā
Thatās how I met Choice from Herb and Soul.
But before we even make it ten steps, we get intercepted like Iām in some kind of edible Avengers crossover episode.
Enter: Key Key.
If you know, you know.
She stops me like sheās been waiting all week for this exact moment.
āOG, I made you a gift bag.ā
Now Iāve been in this game long enough to know surprises usually come with fine print. But not this time.
This was not a bag.
This was a portable festival of generosity.
Doritos. Milky Way bars. gummies, Sweet Tarts, brownies, drinks, candies, High C style juices, Fritos, infused everythingābut somehow still feeling like a hug instead of a product display. And then she pulls out these peach cobbler cinnamon pie creations that should be illegal purely based on how fast they disappear.
She asked me what flavor I like. Peach? Apple? Like I had a real choice in the presence of greatness.
I said peach.
I chose correctly.
Because that pie didnāt taste like dessertāit tasted like somebodyās grandmother decided to get into culinary wizardry and bless the streets.
At that point, Iām holding more free kindness than Iāve ever seen in one place in my life.
And I still havenāt spent a dollar.
Bernieās cold cure in one hand energy. Key Keyās infused universe in the other. And Iām thinking, this is either the best night ever or Iām already too high to understand reality.
Then comes Choice.
Herb and Soul.
And let me tell you somethingāthis man doesnāt just cook food. He negotiates peace treaties between hunger and happiness.
Rasta pasta chicken dinner. Infused. Homemade. Soulful enough to make you reconsider every microwave meal youāve ever trusted.
He tells me it normally goes for $11.
Then hands me one anyway.
Just⦠because.
At this point Iām not even sure if Iām in a vendor market or a generosity glitch in the matrix.
Now hereās the part that sticks with me the most.
Iāve got one good hand and one bad hand, and Iām trying to carry what feels like a Thanksgiving dinner, a dispensary blessing, and a dessert festival all at once back to the car without dropping anything like a rookie.
And I realize something in that moment:
I didnāt spend a single dollar.
Not one.
But I left with more than I could carry.
More than just products. More than just edibles and rosin and food.
I left with proof that community still exists in places people donāt always expect it.
Now let me be clearāI support these vendors. Always have. Always will. Iāve spent real money at Crisxotics more times than I can count. But this night? This night wasnāt about transactions.
It was about people showing love to somebody theyāve come to know as more than just a customer.
It was about Bernie and Amy making sure I didnāt leave empty-handed.
It was about Key Key showing generosity like itās second nature.
It was about Choice feeding people like heās been doing it his whole life for the right reasons.
And me?
I went home, ate everything (because letās be honestāāsaving edibles for laterā is a myth I tell myself when I want to feel responsible), and slept so good I didnāt wake up until 4 PM the next day.
Which, for the record, is not medical advice. Itās just what happened.
So this is a thank you.
To Crisxoticsāfor being the hub where this kind of energy even exists.
To Buddah BrothersāBernie and Amyāfor the kindness that doesnāt come with a price tag.
To Key Keyāfor feeding people like love is the main ingredient.
And to Choice of Herb and Soulāfor proving that a plate of food can carry as much soul as any conversation.
This isnāt just a plug scene.
Itās a family scene.
And if youāve never been to Crisxotics on a Friday⦠you might think you understand what community looks like.
But trust me.
You donāt.
Not until youāve left with both hands full, your heart fuller, and your wallet still exactly where it started.
- OG Strain
Community
THE PLATFORM THAT DECIDES WHO GETS HEARD
Why Millions of Users Feel Facebook Has Lost Its Neutral Ground ā and Why Iām Calling for a One-Day Shutdown on August 15
Facebook was once the digital town square.
A place where voices could be heard, communities could grow, and information could spread instantly across the world. It was built on the idea of connection.
But today, many usersāincluding myselfāfeel that something fundamental has changed.
And whether people agree on the reasons or not, the feeling is becoming more common: Facebook no longer feels neutral.
As a cannabis advocate, journalist, and contributor to The Plugās Pages Magazine, Iāve experienced repeated content restrictions tied to cannabis-related postsāeven when those posts contain no sales, no offers, and no transactions of any kind.
No ābuy now.ā
No āDM for purchase.ā
No exchange of goods or services.
Just journalism. Just reporting. Just culture.
Yet posts can still be flagged or restricted simply because they contain cannabis-related language or references.
And I want to be clear about what that means from my perspective:
It creates the feeling that even discussing a legal or emerging industry can put your voice at risk.
Many users across different communities share similar concernsānot just in cannabis, but in politics, health discussions, and controversial topics in general. Whether through automated systems, keyword triggers, or moderation policies, people often report experiencing sudden restrictions, removals, or account limitations that feel unclear and difficult to appeal.
And one of the most frustrating parts, according to many users, is what happens next.
In some cases, restrictions are lifted later without explanation. Content is restored. Accounts are reactivated. But the question remains:
Why was it removed in the first place?
This lack of transparency leaves creators, journalists, and everyday users trying to guess where the invisible lines are drawn.
For some, it feels like walking through a system where the rules are not always visible until they are suddenly enforced.
For others, it raises a deeper concern: who decides what information is allowed to circulate in the first place?
Iām not saying Facebook is the only platform with moderation policies. Every major platform has them. But what I am sayingābased on my experience and what many users expressāis that the scale of influence Facebook holds makes these decisions feel especially impactful.
Because when a platform that large restricts content, it doesnāt just affect one post.
It affects reach.
It affects income.
It affects conversations.
It affects visibility.
And it affects whether certain topics are even seen at all.
Thatās why this is not just about frustration. Itās about choice.
On August 15, I am calling for a peaceful, voluntary 24-hour break from Facebook.
Not a deletion.
Not a permanent exit.
Just one day.
A pause.
A moment for users to step back and explore other platforms like X, independent media, direct communities, and alternative spaces where conversation continues without interruption.
The goal is simple: awareness.
To show what happens when users choose where their attention goes.
To remind people that no single platform is the only option.
And to demonstrate that collective actionāno matter how small it seems individuallyācan create a message when done together.
If you rely on Facebook for communication, you can return the next day.
If you use it for business, your work continues.
If you use it for community, your community will still be there.
But for one day, we step outside the system and observe it from the outside.
Because sometimes, the most powerful statement users can make is simply this:
We can log off.
Whether you agree with every concern raised here or not, the larger question remains worth asking:
How much control should any single platform have over global conversation?
And what happens when users decide to explore what else exists beyond it?
On August 15, we find out.
ā OG Strain
The Plugās Pages Magazine
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