Community
HIGH ON FRIENDSHIP: HOW THE CANNABIS COMMUNITY BECAME MY SECOND FAMILY
“You know what’s funny? People still ask me, ‘What’s the best thing you’ve found since getting into cannabis?’ They expect me to say a strain… a rosin… maybe some ridiculously terp-loaded flower. They’re always shocked when I answer… ‘The people.’”
When I first started Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis), I thought I was reviewing cannabis.
Turns out… I was reviewing humanity.
Now before anybody starts passing me tissues instead of joints, hear me out.
I have a background in sales and earned a degree in Psychology—the study of human behavior. Between that education and years of working with people, I’ve developed a pretty decent instinct for reading character. No, it’s not foolproof. Sometimes I miss. Sometimes people surprise me. But I’ve learned one thing that holds true in every industry…
Some people have huge hearts.
Some people just have huge wallets.
The cannabis industry is no different.
I’ve met people chasing dollars, and I’ve met people chasing purpose.
Guess which ones I keep around?
Exactly.
From Dispensaries to Dinner Tables
My journey started by walking into local dispensaries with nothing more than curiosity, a camera, and enough enthusiasm to make a budtender slightly nervous.
One of the first people who welcomed me was Joe Rosen from Electric City Cannabis Company, along with his superstar budtender, Sheena. They treated me like I belonged before I ever had a reason to think I did.
Then came Don Andrews and the incredible crew at Upstate Canna, another place where I never felt like just another customer.
Along the way I met amazing budtenders like Kevin at The People’s Joint, Connor and Amy at Cannabis City, and Mirk and his outstanding team at Stage One, including my buddy Scotty Knox.
These aren’t just people handing over eighths across a counter.
They’re educators.
They’re guides.
They’re ambassadors for this plant.
The Event Family
Eventually I started attending Cannabis Cups and community events.
That’s where the family tree really started growing.
I met Damn Sam—better known as Rob Robinson—along with Emily Harper, whose events have brought together some of the best people I’ve met.
I also met Robert Tambasco, the man behind the Empire State Cannabis Cup, who’s helped create another place where this community comes together to celebrate the culture instead of compete against each other.
The Growers Who Grow More Than Cannabis
Then came the growers.
And wow…
Growers are a different breed.
They’re patient.
They’re passionate.
They’re perfectionists.
Sometimes they’ll spend twenty minutes explaining one terpene profile while you’re standing there wondering if you accidentally enrolled in Cannabis University.
My journey started with Tokalotapot Seeds, followed by Cannafaded, and then I met Kiley and the incredible crew at Lazy Day Farm. Kiley welcomed me in, and I also became close with Anne MacPherson, who keeps the administrative side of the farm running while somehow managing to keep everyone else organized too.
I met Johnny Federighi and his life partner Kat, and was lucky enough to enjoy some of Johnny’s homegrown creations.
Another cultivator I’ve grown close with is John Gilboy of Gilly’s Greens, a grower whose passion for quality shows in every harvest.
Then there are the small-batch legends I proudly call friends today—Jason Longhi, Melissa Dopp, and Andy and Bill from No Mountain Higher.
These aren’t just growers.
They’re artists.
Their canvas just happens to smell amazing.
The CrisXotics Crew
One of the biggest blessings has been getting to know the family surrounding CrisXotics.
Of course there’s Cris, but that’s only the beginning.
There’s JMO from The Gas Station.
Key from Keepin’ Edibles Yummy.
Frank and Noelle from Blissful Confections.
Mullet from Adekrondack.
The always-awesome Amy and Bernie from Buddah Brothers.
Choice from Herb and Soul, bringing infused meals that somehow make you hungry while you’re already hungry.
The Candy Cartel.
Bud Master.
And honestly… I’m probably forgetting somebody, and if I am, forgive me. My memory occasionally gets higher than I do.
Friends That Became Family
I’ve known Danni Burns from Hudson Valley Green and Kevin from Higher Beings for a couple of years now.
Those guys have become family.
Especially Will Roman.
I’m convinced Will could roll a joint using a phone charger, a receipt, and positive thinking.
Cross joints?
Easy.
Art?
Absolutely.
Magic?
Possibly.
Then there’s Woodz Treez, who recently teamed up with me and Sammy for one of my favorite blind rosin tasting videos I’ve ever filmed.
Good people make good content.
It’s really that simple.
The Syracuse Brothers
Years ago I met Jus from The Basement Chronicles when they opened for Afroman.
I’ll be honest…
They stole the show.
I’ve been a fan ever since.
The more I’ve gotten to know those Syracuse brothers, the more I’ve realized they’re exactly the same off stage as they are on it—genuine, humble, and full of heart.
The People Making a Difference
I’ve also had the privilege of getting to know Jon Dow, and I look forward to honoring his late brother and celebrating the impact he made on this community.
I’ve become better friends with Ivan from Central Oddities, whose elite cold-cure rosin and ever-present RSO have made quite an impression on me.
Then there’s Adam Hagadone, known online as the Bipolar Grower.
Adam doesn’t just grow cannabis.
He grows hope.
He makes RSO to help people who need it—especially those who can’t afford it.
That’s the kind of heart you don’t forget.
Speaking of giant hearts…
How could I leave out Big Willey Will, who’s constantly sharing infused recipes with the community simply because he loves helping people enjoy cannabis in new ways?
Beyond New York
This journey hasn’t stopped at state lines.
I’ve met incredible growers across the country like Geoff Feff, whose garden photographs make cannabis lovers stop scrolling every single time.
I’ve built friendships online with people I still can’t wait to meet in person, including the crew at TorKd Farms, especially Josh Cooper.
One collaboration I’ll never forget was working with OG Granny, proving once again that passion for cannabis has no age limit.
And yes…
Getting endorsed by Afroman?
That was one of those “Is this real life?” moments.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Nancy and Deanna, the brilliant women behind Tartubes—proof that innovation in cannabis comes from all kinds of creative minds.
This Community Changed Me
If I forgot someone, please know it wasn’t intentional.
That’s the downside of meeting so many incredible people.
You worry about leaving someone out who made a real impact on your life.
The truth is…
Every handshake…
Every interview…
Every collaboration…
Every shared joint…
Every conversation over a dab rig…
Has strengthened my commitment to this community.
People reach out asking me to review products.
Some want honest feedback.
Some hope for the famous OG Strain Approved stamp.
Some even ask for endorsements.
Here’s the thing…
I’ve never accepted money to endorse cannabis.
Never.
And I never will.
If I recommend something, it’s because I actually use it.
Because I actually love it.
Because I’d tell my own friends to buy it.
Trust is worth more than sponsorship money.
That’s a hill I’ll happily smoke on.
I’m Not Chasing Clout—I’m Chasing Community
I’ve never wanted to be the loudest voice in cannabis.
I just wanted to be an honest one.
I carved out my own lane.
I’m not trying to be somebody else.
I’m not chasing clout.
I’m chasing conversations.
I’m chasing friendships.
I’m chasing laughter.
I’m chasing authenticity.
Looking back, I realize I didn’t just build a YouTube channel.
I didn’t just become a cannabis reviewer.
Somewhere along the way…
I found a second family.
And if you’ve ever shared a laugh, a story, a collaboration, a harvest, a dab, a meal, or even just a few minutes of your time with me…
Thank you.
Because the greatest thing I’ve discovered in cannabis wasn’t hidden inside a jar.
It was standing right beside it.
Stay lifted… stay genuine… and never underestimate the power of good people.
Community
If You Hate Everybody Here, Why Are You Here?
The cannabis community is supposed to be many things.
It can be competitive. It can be loud. It can be opinionated. People are going to disagree about strains, brands, growers, products, events and just about everything else under the sun.
But at its best, a community is still a community.
That means there has to be some level of mutual respect.
And lately, there is something I have been thinking about—not because I want to start drama, and certainly not because I want to write a hit piece about anyone. In fact, the entire reason I am writing this without using a name is because I do not believe in publicly humiliating people for the sake of entertainment.
This is about a pattern.
There is a person in our cannabis community who, from what I and many others have witnessed, seems to have a negative comment for almost everybody.
Post about somebody? There is a negative comment.
Mention somebody’s accomplishment? There is a criticism.
Share something positive about a person in the industry? Somehow, here comes another insult, another complaint, another unnecessary shot.
And after watching this happen repeatedly, I have to ask a question:
If you genuinely dislike nearly everyone in a community, why are you trying so hard to be part of it?
That is not sarcasm. I honestly want to understand it.
Smoking cannabis alone does not automatically make us a community. Community requires people. Relationships. Shared experiences. Support. Respect. Even disagreement can be healthy—but there is a difference between having an opinion and making hostility your entire personality.
You do not have to like everyone. Nobody does.
You do not have to agree with everyone. Thank God, because if we all agreed on everything, we’d have no comments section and half of Facebook would immediately go out of business.
But if every conversation turns into an opportunity to insult somebody, attack somebody, embarrass somebody or remind the world how much you dislike somebody, eventually people have to ask what is really going on.
And before anyone misunderstands me, this article is not written from a place of hatred.
Actually, it is quite the opposite.
I believe people can be carrying pain that the rest of us cannot see. People can be dealing with difficult relationships, stressful circumstances, loneliness, trauma, personal struggles or things that happened long before we ever met them. None of us knows the entire story behind another person’s behavior.
That is one of the reasons I try not to judge people too quickly.
But understanding someone and excusing everything they do are not the same thing.
You can have compassion for someone while still setting boundaries.
You can feel sorry for someone’s struggles while also saying, “You do not get to use your pain as permission to mistreat everyone around you.”
That is where I think we sometimes get confused.
Kindness does not mean becoming somebody’s punching bag.
Acceptance does not mean accepting abuse.
Compassion does not mean pretending harmful behavior is harmless.
And free speech absolutely does not mean anyone else is required to provide an unlimited audience for repeated personal attacks.
I believe strongly in free speech. That is one reason I have chosen not to block people simply because they disagree with me or say something I do not like. I do not want to surround myself with people who only tell me what I want to hear.
Criticism is part of life.
But there is a huge difference between constructive criticism and constantly tearing down the people around you.
One helps people grow.
The other just spreads misery.
So if you are reading this and thinking, “I wonder if OG Strain is talking about me?”—well, I am not going to name anyone.
But here is what I will say:
If you know that you regularly attack people unprovoked, insult people who have done nothing to you, and find yourself unable to say something positive about almost anyone in the community, then maybe this article is worth thinking about.
Not because you should be ashamed.
Because you can change.
Try being nice.
Seriously. Just try it.
Try congratulating somebody when they succeed.
Try scrolling past something instead of attacking the person who posted it.
Try disagreeing without making it personal.
Try giving someone the same grace you probably hope people will give you when you are having a bad day.
You might be surprised by what happens.
Because the energy we put into the world has a way of coming back around. Call it karma, the law of attraction, cause and effect, or just common sense—if you constantly put negativity into every room you enter, eventually people are going to expect negativity whenever you arrive.
And then you may begin to wonder why everyone is negative toward you.
Sometimes, we have to look honestly at what we are putting out there.
If you put out kindness, kindness is more likely to find you.
If you put out respect, people are more likely to respect you.
If you put out constant hostility, insults and bitterness, eventually that is the energy that will surround you.
And at that point, you cannot blame everyone else forever.
The truth is, life is too short to wake up every day angry at people who may not even know you are angry at them.
It is too short to spend your time searching for another person to criticize.
It is too short to be miserable for sport.
And it is definitely too short to become known in a community primarily as the person everybody expects to start a fight in the comments.
That is not a legacy.
That is exhausting.
The cannabis community already has enough people outside of it judging us, criticizing us and telling us who we are supposed to be. We do not need to spend every day doing the same thing to each other.
We can disagree.
We can debate.
We can have different opinions.
We can even occasionally get on each other’s nerves—because let’s be honest, if you’re in this industry long enough, somebody is eventually going to annoy the hell out of you.
But we should still remember that there are human beings behind the usernames.
And if someone is genuinely struggling, I hope they seek support and allow trusted people to help them. Statements about not wanting to be alive should always be taken seriously, not used as a weapon in an argument or dismissed as “just drama.”
There is no shame in needing help.
There is no shame in changing.
And there is no shame in admitting that the way you have been treating people is not the way you want to continue living.
Second chances matter.
Growth matters.
But growth begins when we are willing to look in the mirror.
So this is not a hit piece.
This is an invitation.
To the person who feels this article might be about them: You do not have to leave the community. You do not have to become best friends with everybody. You do not even have to suddenly agree with people you dislike.
Just try being kind.
Try it for a day.
Then another.
And see what happens.
Because if you truly cannot find anything you like about anyone in a community, if every person is an enemy and every success deserves an insult, then maybe the problem is not the entire community.
Maybe it is time to look inward.
And if you are someone who recognizes exactly who I am talking about without me ever having to say a name, then I hope you take something from this article too.
Do not turn this into another opportunity for gossip.
Do not attack that person.
Do not send them hateful messages.
That would completely miss the point.
The answer to negativity is not more negativity.
The answer is accountability, boundaries, compassion and, whenever possible, growth.
At the end of the day, we are all putting something into this community.
The question is:
What are you putting into it?
Because eventually, whether we realize it or not, people remember how we made them feel.
So if you are going to be part of a community, be part of it.
Support someone.
Encourage someone.
Disagree without destroying someone.
And when you are tempted to leave another cruel, unnecessary comment, maybe stop for just one second and ask yourself:
“What am I really putting out into the world?”
Then choose something better.
I promise you—kindness is a lot easier to carry than hate.
Community
STONER MAMA NICOLE Breaking Stigma, One Laugh at a Time
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.
And then there’s Stoner Mama Nicole—who apparently decided we needed all three rolled into one, with a healthy dose of humor, a little Newfoundland attitude, and absolutely no interest in fitting neatly into somebody else’s stereotype.
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.
She believes cannabis can be medicine, and she wants people to understand that cannabis consumers are everyday people—moms included.
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.
She creates relatable cannabis content, memes, product showcases, and educational posts, but her favorite material is the kind that accomplishes two things at once:
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.
Her own experience has given her perspective that can’t simply be manufactured with a clever caption or a trending sound.
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.
And there are still plenty of people who have never bothered to learn about cannabis beyond whatever they heard from somebody’s cousin’s brother’s friend’s uncle in 1987.
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.
It’s another extension of the same philosophy behind her content: creativity, cannabis, connection, and 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.
When somebody tells her that something she posted helped them, educated them, or simply made them laugh, that means more than numbers ever could.
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.
Through cannabis, she’s met people she may never have encountered otherwise. She’s found a community where people can be themselves, and she’s using her platform to help expand that sense of belonging.
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.
The next minute somebody is telling you what time to post, what trend to follow, what algorithm to chase, and whether your cannabis leaf needs to be rotated 17 degrees for maximum engagement.
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 people in recovery understanding that their journey doesn’t have to look exactly like somebody else’s.
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
Community
REEDS AMONST THE WEED
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.
When a concert- goer is stoned, then everything about each note, each instrument becomes amplified. When the brain synchronizes with the sound, the experience becomes unbelievably delightful.
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.
-
Cannabis Hall Of Fame8 months agoShe Didn’t Tiptoe In — OG Granny Blew the Door Off the Internet 💥🌿
-
Cannabis Hall Of Fame11 months agoTokalotapot & Cannafae: The Couple That Made Weed Legal (Not Really, But It Feels Like It)
-
Cannabis Hall Of Fame6 months ago“Damn Sam”, The Man Who Kept the 518 Lit (and Safe) Before It Was Legal to Say “Lit”
-
Cannabis Hall Of Fame12 months agoDope as Yola: From the Bottom to Cannabis Hall of Fame
-
Community7 months agoEmpire State Cannabis Cup: An OG Strain Community Walkthrough
-
Community10 months agoFrom Soil, Struggle, and Soul: Hudson Valley Green Wins Big at the Palenville Cannabis Cup”
-
Community11 months ago🔥 HARVEST HYSTERIA: WHERE THE BUD AT, NEW YORK?!
-
Humor12 months agoOG Strain: The 518’s True Connoisseur Bringing Cannabis Reviews and Comedy Gold to YouTube
