Community
From Soil, Struggle, and Soul: Hudson Valley Green Wins Big at the Palenville Cannabis Cup”
Palenville, New York — The air was thick with terpenes, competition, and community as the Damn Sam Cannabis Cup 2025 took over the Catskills this October. Over a hundred vendors lined the festival grounds, each with their own claim to “top-shelf” glory. But when the smoke cleared, one name stood tall above them all: Hudson Valley Green, taking home 1st Place with their strain Gas Face — a collaboration with Higher Beings.
This win didn’t come from corporate strategy or fancy investors. As their founder put it, “Hudson Valley Green didn’t start in a boardroom. It started with soil, struggle, and soul.”
And that’s exactly what the judges — and the people — felt.
Even before the winners were announced, the buzz around Hudson Valley Green’s tent was undeniable. Among the crowd was OG Strain, host of Strain’s Strain Reviews (Talk Cannabis) and staff writer for The Plug’s Pages Magazine, attending with his son, rap artist Jake Strain, fresh off tour with Afroman. Out of nearly 100 vendors, the two cannabis connoisseurs were on a mission: find the best flower at the festival — no bias, no hype, just the real deal.
When they reached Hudson Valley Green’s booth, the decision was instant.
“Their flower looked, smelled, and felt different,” OG recalled. “You could see the care in every jar.”
Jake couldn’t choose just one.
“They all looked fire,” he laughed. “I had to grab all fourteen strains they had. These guys are my new plug for sure.”
Hours later, when the judges crowned Gas Face as 1st Place Winner, the moment hit even harder — proof that Hudson Valley Green’s passion, precision, and authenticity speak louder than hype.
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Rooted in Vision — Growing More Than Flower
Hudson Valley Green is more than a grow — it’s a movement. “We envision a world where cannabis culture is celebrated as art, healing, and community — not just commerce,” the founder explained. “We’re cultivating something that bridges nature, creativity, and consciousness.”
Their approach to growing is deeply intentional. “Our flower isn’t a product — it’s a story told in terpenes and texture,” they said. Each strain carries a frequency, from the earthy calm of Composure to the cosmic lift of Interstella.
Innovation drives every harvest. “We don’t just grow strains — we design experiences,” the team shared. “Every cultivar starts with proven lineage and evolves through phenotype hunting and refinement. We honor the roots of the game while pushing cannabis into its next generation.”
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Top-Shelf Redefined
Ask Hudson Valley Green what “top-shelf” means, and they’ll tell you:
🌿 Small batch. Hand finished. Grown with intention.
🔥 Premium flavor. Authentic energy. Real roots.
💎 “It’s not about being the most expensive — it’s about being undeniably excellent.”
Their post-harvest process follows the same philosophy. “Greatness can’t be rushed,” they said. “Once the flower is harvested, the real magic begins in the drying rooms — patience, precision, and respect for the plant. That’s how good flower becomes unforgettable flower.”
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Higher Beings and Higher Purpose
The connection with Higher Beings isn’t just business — it’s synergy. “We’ve been feeding each other’s growth, not just as brands but as people,” they said. “We brought the craft, they brought the elevation — together, we’re building a bridge between cultivation and consciousness. We grow better together.”
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Challenges, Character, and Culture
“The hardest part about being a grower today isn’t the cultivation — it’s the climate,” they admitted. “We’re living in a time where passion competes with profit. Corporate money’s trying to mimic what real growers built from the ground up. It’s not hard to grow weed. It’s hard to keep it real when the world keeps selling fake.”
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Looking Ahead
When asked what’s next, their answer came with a smile: “Riding a weed rocket to the moon.”
And after this Cannabis Cup win, no one’s doubting that trajectory.
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A Final Word from the Roots
“To every grower putting love into the soil — we see you,” they said. “This plant tests your patience, your discipline, and your soul, but it also rewards you with purpose. Keep your roots pure. Don’t forget why you started.”
If this is your first time hearing about Hudson Valley Green — welcome to the family.
They’re not just growing weed. They’re cultivating culture.
And as The Plug’s Pages can confirm — they’ve earned every bud of their legend.
Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/hudson_valley_green_/
https://www.instagram.com/higherbeingscny?igsh=MTlieDQ1djVnMGM0Yg==
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/19rMcdw3rt/
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✍ Written by Seymour Buds
For The Plug’s Pages Magazine — Issue #10, Winter 2025
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.
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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.
Community
The Team Behind the Movement: Why The Plug’s Pages Magazine Is Just Getting Started
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.
From the moment OG Strain joined The Plug’s Pages Magazine, it became clear that we weren’t simply adding another contributor—we were adding someone whose creativity seemed to have no ceiling.
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.
Companies including Gilly’s Greens, No Mountain Higher, Buddah Brothers, Higher Beings Powered by Hudson Valley Green, Adekrondack, The Gas Station, Key (Keeping Edibles Yummy), Blissful Confections, Ashley Kryptonite, Smokers Section, and many others have all been the subjects of his creative promotional work.
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.
He has become our most active contributor, and through his dedication, our readers have been introduced to more businesses, more events, more growers, more products, and more members of the cannabis community than ever before.
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.
That means creating opportunities for cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, processors, event organizers, content creators, and entrepreneurs to tell their stories in meaningful ways.
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.
If you’re a cannabis business looking for a platform that genuinely wants to see you succeed, we’d love to help tell your story.
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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