“The best flower in the world can’t sell itself if nobody knows it exists.”

Let me ask you something…

Do you own a cannabis business?

Do you believe in your products?

Do you know your flower, rosin, edibles, concentrates, or genetics can stand toe-to-toe with just about anybody else in New York?

Then here’s the million-dollar question…

Who’s making sure people know about you?

Because here’s the truth: you can grow the loudest flower in the state, but if your marketing is whispering, your business will stay quiet.

The cannabis industry is changing fast. New brands are popping up every day. New dispensaries are opening. New growers are entering the game. Customers have more choices than ever before.

That’s exciting…

But it’s also a problem.

Because if people don’t know your name, they can’t become your customers.

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You Focus on Growing Great Cannabis. I’ll Focus on Growing Your Audience.

Your job is to bring quality to the table.

My job is making sure people know it’s sitting on the table.

That’s what I love doing.

I’m not some marketing company that got handed a cannabis account and had to Google what a terpene is.

I live this culture.

I’m at the events.

I’m talking with growers.

I’m interviewing hash makers.

I’m filming dispensaries.

I’m reviewing products.

I’m writing articles.

I’m networking with creators.

I’m building relationships every single week.

When I promote a company, it isn’t because someone handed me a script.

It’s because I actually know the people.

I’ve tried the products.

I’ve heard the story behind the brand.

That authenticity matters.

Cannabis consumers can spot fake promotion quicker than someone who says they “only take one little dab.”

We all know how that story ends.

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More Than Promotion… It’s Partnership.

When I work with a company, I don’t disappear after posting one video.

I’m thinking about your brand constantly.

What article should we write next?

What video would customers enjoy?

What event should we cover?

Who should we collaborate with?

What story hasn’t been told yet?

That’s the difference.

This isn’t simply advertising.

It’s building a brand.

Through The Plug’s Pages Magazine, my YouTube channel Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis), social media, and the relationships I’ve built throughout New York’s cannabis community, I’ve been fortunate enough to help shine a spotlight on some incredible people and businesses.

Every interview opens another door.

Every article starts another conversation.

Every event introduces another audience.

Every collaboration builds another relationship.

That’s how communities grow.

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Watching Good Companies Get the Recognition They Deserve

One of my favorite parts of doing this is watching hardworking people finally get noticed.

I’ve watched businesses gain more visibility after being featured through articles, videos, and ongoing promotion.

I’ve watched customers discover companies they had never heard of before.

I’ve watched craft growers sell through fresh harvests faster because people finally knew what they had available.

Does every bit of that success happen because of me?

Of course not.

Great companies earn loyal customers by creating great products.

But I absolutely believe consistent exposure helps great companies get discovered much faster.

Sometimes all a company needs is somebody willing to tell their story.

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A Humbling Compliment I’ll Never Forget

Recently, Seymour Buds wrote an article describing me as one of the faces of New York’s cannabis community and even compared my passion for the industry to Dope As Yola’s influence in California.

Honestly…

That meant a lot.

Dope As Yola has built something incredible.

I don’t put myself on that level.

Not yet.

But I do understand passion.

I understand commitment.

I understand showing up.

When I say I’m going to support this industry…

I mean it.

Helping New York cannabis grow isn’t just something I do.

It’s something I genuinely love.

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This Isn’t About Getting Rich

If making money was the only goal…

I’d probably choose a career where I didn’t spend half my weekends chasing cannabis events with a camera in one hand and wondering where I left my lighter with the other.

This is bigger than that.

I enjoy helping good companies succeed.

I enjoy seeing people get recognized for the hard work they’ve poured into their businesses.

Do I have bills to pay?

Absolutely.

That’s reality.

I can’t spend every waking hour promoting companies completely free forever.

But I also don’t believe cannabis businesses should have to spend outrageous amounts of money just to get quality promotion.

Some marketing agencies charge thousands of dollars every month.

What I’m trying to build is different.

Real relationships.

Real storytelling.

Real community.

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A Promotional Package That Actually Makes Sense

Whether you’re a small grower…

A processor…

A dispensary…

An edible company…

A solventless hash producer…

Or a brand that’s getting ready to become New York’s next household name…

There’s room to work together.

Maybe your company needs magazine coverage.

Maybe you need YouTube videos.

Maybe you need interviews.

Maybe you need social media content.

Maybe you want all of it.

The goal isn’t selling you the biggest package.

The goal is building the right one.

One that fits your business.

One that fits your budget.

One that helps people remember your name.

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Don’t Wait Until You Think You’re Ready

One mistake I see all the time is companies waiting until someday to begin promoting themselves.

“Someday” is expensive.

Start building your brand today.

Even if you’re not ready to purchase a promotional package, let’s have a conversation.

Let’s talk about your goals.

Let’s talk about your vision.

Let’s figure out what makes your company different.

That conversation costs absolutely nothing.

And it could be the first step toward building something much bigger.

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Final Hit

New York’s cannabis industry is still in its early chapters.

The brands people talk about five years from now are being built today.

Not just by growing incredible cannabis…

But by building relationships.

By staying visible.

By telling their story.

If you’re serious about your business…

If you’re proud of what you’ve created…

If you’re ready for more people to know who you are…

My inbox is open.

Let’s talk.

Let’s build something together.

Because the next cannabis company everyone is talking about…

…could very well be yours.

I’ve sold a lot of things in my life.

Windows.

Mortgages.

Cannabis.

I’ve sat through enough sales meetings, seminars, lectures, and motivational speeches to make a grown man start hearing the word “commission” in his sleep.

One thing I’ve learned is that sales is sales.

The product changes.

Human nature doesn’t.

And there’s one strategy I keep seeing in the cannabis industry that absolutely blows my mind.

The “I’m gonna sit on this forever and wait for a rich guy” strategy.

You know exactly what I’m talking about.

A vendor gets a decent batch. Maybe it’s even a great batch. They put a premium price on it and then spend the next three months staring at it like it’s the last jar of weed left on Earth.

Meanwhile, customers walk by.

Potential sales walk by.

Money walks by.

And the vendor proudly says:

“Nah, I’m waiting for the right customer.”

The right customer?

My brother in cannabis, the right customer just bought an ounce from the table next to you.

The $140 Ounce Problem

Let’s paint a picture.

You’re at an event.

The vendor beside you has ounces for $140.

Your flower is slightly better.

Not twice as good.

Not three times as good.

Slightly better.

But you’re charging double.

Now put yourself in the customer’s shoes.

Most people aren’t shopping for the absolute best flower in the building.

They’re shopping for the best value.

There’s a difference.

Now don’t get me wrong—there are absolutely people like me, OG Strain, who hunt for rare diamonds in the rough and happily pay extra for truly exceptional cannabis. Some consumers chase the best of the best no matter what the price tag says. But those customers are the exception, not the rule.

If they can get something that’s 90% as good for half the price, many of them will happily make that trade all day long.

And honestly?

Can you blame them?

The average consumer isn’t conducting a cannabis wine tasting with a monocle and a clipboard.

They’re trying to stretch their budget.

Profit Is Profit

Here’s where my sales background kicks in.

A lot of vendors focus on maximum profit per sale.

The smart ones focus on maximum profit overall.

Those are two very different things.

Let’s say you make $400 profit from one customer.

Great.

But what if you could have made $150 from four different customers during the same time period?

Now you’re at $600.

And you’ve moved product.

And you’ve built relationships.

And you’ve created repeat customers.

And you’ve generated referrals.

And you’ve freed up capital to buy more inventory.

The goal isn’t to win one transaction.

The goal is to win the game.

Cannabis Isn’t Fine Art

Some vendors treat cannabis like they’re auctioning off a rare painting.

They’re guarding jars like they’re museum exhibits.

Nobody touch it.

Nobody look at it.

Nobody breathe near it.

It’s special.

Meanwhile, the market keeps moving.

Here’s the reality.

Most flower is replaceable.

More is being grown every day.

More is being harvested every day.

More is being packaged every day.

Unless you’re sitting on something truly rare that won’t be available again for six months or longer, why are you acting like it’s the last cut on Earth?

Move it.

Replace it.

Move the next batch.

Replace that too.

Cannabis should move.

That’s what makes businesses grow.

The Rare Strain Exception

Now before somebody starts typing an angry comment, let’s be fair.

There are exceptions.

If you’ve got something genuinely rare.

A cut that’s difficult to find.

A limited release.

Something that won’t be available again anytime soon.

Then yes.

Holding your price can make sense.

Scarcity creates value.

But let’s be honest with ourselves.

Most of the flower people are sitting on isn’t rare.

It’s available.

It’s replaceable.

And if you can call your source tomorrow and get more, then you’re not protecting a treasure.

You’re delaying a sale.

Every Customer Isn’t the Same Customer

Another mistake I see is vendors treating pricing like it’s carved into stone tablets.

The cannabis market has never worked that way.

Every customer is different.

Some customers buy once.

Some buy weekly.

Some buy volume.

Some buy samples.

Some are loyal.

Some are shopping around.

Some vendors.

Some consumers.

Different relationships create different opportunities.

The smartest salespeople understand that flexibility closes deals.

The goal isn’t squeezing every dollar out of every person.

The goal is creating enough value that everyone wants to come back.

Because repeat customers are where the real money lives.

The Jar Doesn’t Get Better Sitting There

One of my favorite questions to ask is this:

How much money is that product making while it’s sitting on your shelf?

The answer is zero.

None.

Not a penny.

In fact, it’s costing you opportunity.

The longer inventory sits, the longer your money is trapped inside it.

That’s money that could have been reinvested into the next pickup.

The next strain.

The next opportunity.

The next customer.

A jar sitting on a shelf is basically a couch potato.

It isn’t working.

It’s just sitting there getting older.

The Biggest Players Understand This

Look around the industry.

The vendors moving serious volume aren’t usually the ones obsessed with squeezing every possible dollar from every sale.

They’re moving product.

Building relationships.

Creating repeat business.

Keeping inventory flowing.

Keeping customers happy.

Keeping money moving.

Momentum matters.

Volume matters.

Reputation matters.

A customer who feels they got a good deal often becomes a customer for years.

A customer who feels they’re getting squeezed usually becomes somebody else’s customer.

Final Hit

I’ve spent years in sales.

I’ve watched top performers in multiple industries.

And one lesson keeps showing up over and over again.

You can’t deposit inventory into your bank account.

You can only deposit sales.

If a product is replaceable, move it.

If a profit is available, take it.

If a customer wants to buy, sell to them.

Because the cannabis industry isn’t a museum.

It’s a business.

And the vendors who understand that usually aren’t sitting around waiting for the perfect customer.

They’re too busy counting the money from all the customers they already sold to.

Two Events. One Saturday. Full-State Cannabis Culture Collision.

Written by OG Strain (Talk Cannabis Edition)

SATURDAY, MAY 2ND — UPSTATE NEW YORK GOES FULL CULTURE MODE

Let’s get this straight from the jump:

This is a Saturday takeover day in Upstate New York cannabis culture.

Not a weekday warmup. Not a “stop by after work” situation.

This is a full weekend-level activation, where the entire scene splits into two major events happening at the same time—both loaded with vendors, music, food, and real community energy.

On one side: Palenville’s Growers Gathering, deep in the woods.
On the other: Fort Plain’s Spring High Festival, structured, open, and fully loaded.

Two destinations. Same culture. Different expression.

And OG Strain? Somewhere between both, pretending fuel prices don’t exist.

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EVENT ONE: THE GROWERS GATHERING — PALENVILLE, NY

Hosted by Damn Sam & Higher Beings

Hidden in the wooded landscape of Palenville, New York, the Growers Gathering returns as one of the most authentic cannabis community meetups in the region.

This year’s event is hosted by Damn Sam and Higher Beings, continuing a grassroots tradition that feels more like stepping into a living cannabis ecosystem than attending a scheduled event.

The gathering takes place at the same private outdoor location used for the 2025 Damn Sam Cannabis Cup, a well-known forest-style venue within the community that has become synonymous with raw, underground cannabis culture in Upstate New York.

This is not polished corporate cannabis.
This is growers, creators, and consumers in the same space actually interacting.

🌿 What You’ll Find in Palenville:

THC vendors (flower, concentrates, edibles, infused products)
Seed and clone vendors for growers and cultivators
Vape and extract hardware vendors
Food vendors keeping the energy steady all day
Live music throughout the event
Real-time networking between growers, breeders, and enthusiasts
Deep-dive cannabis conversations that don’t end in five minutes

It’s outdoor, it’s natural, and it runs through the daylight hours into early evening before wrapping with the sun.

📍 Location: Palenville, NY (private outdoor 2025 Cannabis Cup grounds)

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EVENT TWO: SPRING HIGH FESTIVAL — FORT PLAIN, NY

Hosted by Crisxotics

On the opposite side of the map, the Spring High Festival takes over Fort Plain, New York from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM at:

📍 317 New Turnpike Rd, Fort Plain, NY

Presented by Crisxotics, this event brings a more structured festival environment while still fully rooted in cannabis culture.

Where Palenville leans natural and underground, Fort Plain leans organized, accessible, and vendor-forward—but both land in the same place culturally: community and plant appreciation.

🌞 What You’ll Find in Fort Plain:

THC product vendors (flower, concentrates, edibles, infused goods)
Seed and clone vendors for growers and collectors
Vape and hardware vendors
Food vendors across the grounds
Live music and DJ sets throughout the day
Community networking and brand exposure
A clean, structured festival flow from afternoon to evening

This is the kind of event where you “just stop by” and somehow end up staying until closing because you ran into six people you didn’t expect to see.

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OG STRAIN’S DILEMMA: TWO LANES, ONE SATURDAY

Here’s where the story actually gets fun.

With new wheels on the road, OG Strain is officially mobile enough to reach either event on May 2nd.

And that creates the real question:

Do you go deep into the woods where the growers are… or stay in the structured festival lane where everything is flowing clean?

Because this isn’t a competition—it’s a split identity moment for the culture.

Palenville represents the raw grower DNA and underground cannabis roots.
Fort Plain represents the organized expansion, visibility, and modern cannabis marketplace energy.

Same plant. Same community. Different frequency.

And OG Strain’s final destination?

Still unannounced.

Because sometimes the story is better when it arrives before the headline does.

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FINAL WORD

May 2nd, 2026 is not just another event date—it’s a statewide cultural split moment for Upstate New York cannabis.

Two events running simultaneously.
Both packed with vendors, music, food, and community energy.
Both representing different sides of the same movement.

Whether you end up in Palenville or Fort Plain, you’re not just attending an event—you’re stepping into a culture that’s actively building itself in real time.

And somewhere on that road, OG Strain will be there… probably acting like the GPS is “deciding for him.”

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Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis)
Plugs Pages Magazine Feature Series