The solar return of The Adventure Issue is our celebration of the many ways that Cannabis enhances the creative journey of our lives. The artist Alex Wight, aka Skully Vibes, has been drawing his whole life. He spent six years as the GM of a major Denver dispensary, where he says he developed a deep connection to the plant and the community. He was taking a dab break, and hiking in the Rockies with his wife, when we reached out for the assignment. "Get outside and catch a vibe!"
ILLUSTRATION BY SKULLY VIBES SKULLYVIBES.COM | @SKULLY.VIBES
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Buying weed used to be an adventure; meeting a dealer in a fast-food parking lot or a smoky basement carried an element of criminality and suspe nse. Part of the experience was getting ripped off, or at least not knowing what you were getting for your money. An eighth was $40 back in the late ’90s, when a gallon of gas was $1.79, and a Big Mac was $1.50. Oh, how we all long for those simpler times — but not the waiting for a pot dealer part!
Today, the excitement around buying weed comes from the variety, which is immense, and the many ways Cannabis can go into or on the body. A modern dispensary might have hundreds of different vapes, edibles, concentrates, joints and topicals, along with all the ways to consume.
It’s easier than ever to find a product that is ready to puff on the go, and between vapes and gummies, nobody needs to know that you are floating up the hiking trail instead of climbing it.
Weed is the ultimate companion for adventure, no matter what flavor of life you are experiencing. Cannabis puts us in the moment fo r thrills, enhances appetite and sound for food and concert exper iences and helps us recover and relax for post-fun reflection.
"… NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE FLOATING UP THE HIKING TRAIL INSTEAD OF CLIMBING."
As I prepare for fishing season, topicals and vapes are right next to my emergency radio and survival belt. I feel most connected to nature and grateful for the natural gifts of God when I’m smoking on a river or in the woods in pursuit of a fish or a view.
As we head into the summer season, it’s important to pack your weed bags carefully. Remember that not every travel destination has the same laws regarding the green. You can generally get something where you are going in a checked bag or hidden away, but I recommend leaving it there on the way home. It’s never worth the risk of trouble for what we can buy here legally — unless your idea of an adventure is ending up on “Locked Up Abroad.”
So be safe, avoid sunburn, stay hydrated and thank your local pot shop for powering your next adventure!
CANNABIS WILL TAKE YOU PLACES!
Weed is a core element of adventure
Surrender to the smoke!
Cannabis has been a part of my professional career path for over a decade, and, before I got my first full-time job in the industry, I used the plant as a guide to manifest my dreams. When searching for the next step in my career, I got high and wrote down a list of things that I enjoy. The list included weed, walking, wine and writing. I believe the act of writing out my intentions manifested a job incorporating two things I love: weed and writing.
SINCE THEN, Cannabis has taken me along on many adventures. After many years of working in weed, this career path has taken me all over the world. As a Californian, I first felt I was making it in weed when I had a work trip to New York City. Getting to the place I had always seen on films and TV, which was all the way across the nation, made me feel like I had it made.
I visited the then-headquarters of High Times magazine, where longtime cultivation editor Danny Danko hooked me up with some award-winning concentrates. Later, I blazed up and went on a walk along the High Line — a public park built on a historic elevated rail line — to the Javits Convention Center. I remember the stoney walk being quite the journey, that shatter that Danko gave me was super strong!
Lately, I’ve been feeling a need for similar inspiration. I’m pulling that from my Cannabis community by asking them: Where is the coolest place that Cannabis has taken you?
When I posed that question to my main mentor, cultivation expert Ed Rosenthal, he mentioned a trip to Australia in the 1990s. He talked about a hidden grow that he had explored, reaching different terraced levels as he descended into a valley, and his time at an event called MardiGrass in Nimbin.
“Since my early youth I had dreamed of becoming a writer and plant scientist,” Rosenthal wrote in a 1999 issue of High Times. “However, during high school and college I was drawn to other matters and studied in a totally different area. Somehow, my natural inclinations broke through. My work as a writer for HIGH TIMES has helped me live a fantasy. I have visited gardens and farms on five continents, and been given the opportunity to experience some interesting, unusual and even extraordinary places.”
Rosenthal has recently been making trips to India, a place that helped form his love of Cannabis back in the 1970s. We’ve talked a lot about that, but it was cool to discuss another one of his epic adventures, which took place at the Nimbin MardiGrass festival in Australia and is depicted in one of his most popular books, “The Marijuana Grower’s Handbook.”
“The event was a wild affair and media event,” Rosenthal wrote in High Times. “This festival is the highlight of the year in the small but very sophisticated town, which has several good restaurants and quite a cultural life, mostly homemade. This is very exciting because so many of the people are in the arts.”
Within the magazine, he also recounts the grow he recently told me about while we were smoking a big jar of hash in his front yard.
“The most exciting part of the trip was my visit to a series of patches going downhill through a national wilderness park,” Rosenthal wrote. “The gardener chose places so remote that he reasoned it just wasn’t worth it for the police to seize the plots. Each plot contained 10-20 plants growing in partial sun. The varieties had a lot of Thai and Dutch genetics. I was enticed on the trip with his comforting words that it was ‘almost all downhill.’ I forgot to ask.
‘How steep?’”
CANNABIS AS A CALLING
This March, as a part of Women’s History Month, I had the opportunity to lead a panel at a Nor-Cal Women in Cannabis event that featured four influential women in the California Cannabis industry.
The panel included longtime Cannabis activists Aundre Speciale (owner of the oldest continuously operating dispensary in the nation, the Cannabis Buyers’ Club of Berkeley), Linda Jackson (who helped hundreds of patients receive their medical marijuana recommendations as a nurse with the state’s first cannabis by telemedicine practice), Debby Goldsberry (who co-founded the Cannabis Action Network and Berkeley Patients Group), and Lynnette Shaw (who faced years of federal prose -
cution as the founder of one of the original dispensaries licensed under Proposition 215, the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana).
Each person on the panel had strong ties to the medical marijuana movement and approached the question of where Cannabis has taken them through the lens of their activism.
“Being on the bus with Jack Herer was the craziest, coolest experience of my life,”
Speciale said of a late 1990s Hemp Tour with a traveling coalition of activists who set out to legalize hemp. “Debby (Goldsberry) and I threw a couple of parties at the Playboy Mansion. I don’t know, you guys, if we can even talk about that, but that was a big benefit party.”
the show securely and safely,” as one of the peaks of her life.
“It has been a lot. To quote the Dead, ‘a long, strange trip,’” she said. “We’re not done yet, either. We still have people in jail. We sell persecution, we still have second-class citizenship.”
Like Speciale, Goldsberry mentioned being a part of Jack Herer’s Hemp Tour.
Shaw spoke about her involvement with Dennis Peron, an activist who led the California campaign to legalize Cannabis for medical use.
“It turned me to be the straight, white sound-bite girl because I was photogenic and looked like ivory snow, you know, just to get through to the general public,” Shaw said. “And so Dennis (Peron) sent me as a spokeswoman all over the place; Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Florida. I was down in Los Angeles with Jack (Herer).”
Shaw also discussed being at the Seattle Hempfest “speaking for the cause, playing music and helping run
“Well, on the hemp tours back in the early days, we did 45 states,” she said. “We were always on the Dead tour, because we could give out so much information about marijuana on the Dead tour, like people were coming from everywhere. So we did Dead tour, and then we made friends … and we ended up getting on Further tour, H.O.R.D.E tour, Lollapalooza, a Fishbone tour, a Primus tour, I mean, we had a good time ya’ll, a really good time.”
WORLDWIDE WEED
The women in the panel, along with myself and Rosenthal, also shared international weedy memories of travels to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a core place for classic heads to make stoned memories together, and it still stands as a cool spot to smoke in 2026. But nowadays, there are so many other places opening the doors to people traveling the world searching for the adventure that Cannabis can bring. This plant is a great connector. Where is the coolest place Cannabis has taken you?
ASHLEY ANN
From left: Ellen Holland, Debby Goldsberry, Aundre Speciale, Linda Jackson and Lynnette Shaw
CARY NEWMAN/CREATIVE COMMONS
DENNIS PERON
BARNEY’S FARM IS STILL DOING THE SAME WORK
Derry Brett started collecting Cannabis genetics in the early 1980s, moving through parts of Central and Southeast Asia and bringing seeds back from places where the plant had been grown for generations. Those lines are still in Barney’s Farm’s breeding program — artifacts, yes, but continually worked into whatever comes next as the seed bank's legacy grows.
ARNEY’S FARM now operates as a global seed company with decades of recognition behind it, but Brett doesn’t frame it that way. When the subject of competition comes up, he shrugs it off.
“The market being crowded is a compliment,” he said. “We showed the world what great Cannabis genetics could be.”
He’s more interested in what happens after that first moment of discovery. Finding a standout plant isn’t the problem.
“Anyone can find a fire pheno in a pack of ten,” he said. “That’s luck.”
The work is in getting it to show up again — reliably, under different conditions, for various growers.
That expectation runs through the entire operation. Barney’s Farm has expanded its facilities and invested in lab work, but the release process still comes down to a simple rule: If something isn’t right, it doesn’t ship.
The growers themselves have changed. Brett describes the early coffeeshop years in Amsterdam as a smaller, more exploratory moment.
Now he’s dealing with growers who arrive with a clear set of expectations.
“People know exactly what they want — specific effects, specific flavor profiles, specific cultivation traits,” he said.
That shift has pushed breeding in a different direction. Brett points to the level of terpene complexity now achievable, but doesn’t treat it as a finish line. It’s another variable to stabilize, another thing that has to hold up over time.
The company’s recent move into the U.S. has changed how closely that work is tied to the people using it. Barney’s Farm now handles distribution and is developing genetics in California, where Brett says the conditions allow for a slower, more deliberate pace.
“The quality coming out of that environment is exceptional,” he said, but the bigger shift is proximity — seeing how plants perform and adjusting in real time.
He doesn’t spend much time on the regulatory challenges that come with that shift, even though they’re significant. The U.S. market moves quickly and unevenly. That’s part of the landscape.
What stands out more to him is the broader shift in how Cannabis is treated.
“I’ve spent most of my adult life in an industry that was criminalized, marginalized and misunderstood,” he said.
The change isn’t total, but it’s enough to alter the context in which the work exists.
Brett doesn’t describe the industry as settling into a single shape. Larger operations will continue to expand. Smaller breeders will continue working independently.
“Cannabis has always had a craft culture at its heart,” he said, and he doesn’t expect that to disappear.
“The history of Cannabis is written in these plants.”
The older genetics remain part of that process. Brett still works from the landrace material he collected decades ago, folding it into newer lines rather than separating it.
“Those genetics are irreplaceable,” he said. “The history of Cannabis is written in these plants.”
His focus stays close to where it started. The work is still about taking existing genetics, crossing them and seeing what holds. Some of it traces back to those early collections in Asia. Some of it comes from newer collaborations. Brett mentions Africa as a region he’s watching, but he doesn’t present it as a pivot so much as a continuation.
“What defines us is that we’re still chasing it,” he said. “Still excited by what a new cross might become.”
INTERVIEW | FOUNDER DERRY BRETT
DERRY BRETT
MIMOSA X ORANGE PUNCH
AFGHAN HASH PLANT
FIRE FOLLOWER
Award-winning journalist/author and former Leafly Senior Editor David Downs’ monthly genetics intelligence dispatch.
THE INFLUENTIAL MAKER OF FRUITY PEBBLES OG, STARFIGHTER AND ALIEN ROCK CANDY IS BACK WITH FOUR CROSSES TO HIS KIWI SOURS.
HUNDREDS OF STRAINS bear Alien Genetics’ DNA, including MAC1 and Cookies and Cream. According to Alien and Lady Alien, the two-person team, Alien Genetics is in pursuit of unique terpenes that have a “rotational,” palate-staining quality.
The hottest release of the Kiwi Sours crosses is dubbed Laura Palmer for Alien Genetics’ love of the show “Twin Peaks.” Laura Palmer is (Paris Rock Candy x Marshmallowz) and Kiwi Sours. Get that one before it sells out. Alien made “hundreds” of packs, but that supply is already running low.
The key is the insanely pedigreed Kiwi Sours (Alien Genetics’ Bubble Belts x Moon Arc). What’s in that? Bubble Belts is Rainbow Belts 3.0 and Tahoe Alien Bubble Gum, and it contains some Indiana Bubble Gum. Moon Arc is Moonbow 112 and Alien Rock Candy.
It’s “my favorite thing I’ve made in a long time,” Alien said. “It has a terp profile I just could not get away from. It was sour all over the place, a lot of gas, a lot of kiwi fruit flavor and a ton of candy. It has a bit of a rotational smell: One thing leads you to another, and another, and back around — gas, bubble gum, the kiwi fruit, sour candy. It’s one of those jars you can’t stop opening because it’s a bit of a journey.”
Alien hit Kiwi Sours to (Paris Rock Candy x Marshmallowz), which is [(Perris OG x Alien Rock Candy) x (Hollywood Pure Kush x Moon Arc)]. It’s another epic one in the garden.
“It's one of the loudest flowers I’ve ever smelled. Being in the room while it is harvested is overwhelming and almost offensive to the senses,” Alien said. “I harvested a room of it this morning, and the best way to describe it is: sharp astringent gas, Pine-Sol OG Kush, bitter skunk. It’s got a complex perfume with a bit of candy deep in the background.”
Together with the Kiwi Sours? Yes.
Alien said all the Laura Palmers have the same smell and taste and vary mainly by height. The taller ones yield a little better.
Alien Genetics bred all the Kiwi Sours crosses indoors for organic soil conditions. Alien likes to top them once. They’re going outside in gardens this year. Laura Palmer likes a pretty typical vegetative, flower and harvest process. Alien did recommend some extra silicate.
“The branches just exploded,” he said.
Alien Genetics would love for folks to get some packs and win a hash cup with a pheno, or find a stud and keep on working it. Although it’s tough to think what could improve on all that goodness already packed in there. Alien imagines hitting it back to his Fruity Pebbles OG, but that’s a story for another time.
Founded in 1999 in Honeydew, California, Alien has moved operations to the East Coast, focusing heavily on the New Jersey and New York markets. The company is also currently forming partnerships with commercial facilities from Maine to Florida.
POT FARMER’S ALMANAC
Get your clones May 16-17 during California’s first Clonetopia at San Francisco’s Solful dispensary and 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond, California. More than 15 varieties from four nurseries will be available, and you can meet the nursery operators.
HendRx Nursery is bringing out its selection of Tire Fire OG for $1,500 per clone. They also have “Surprise 6” packs of six clones for $150 — dealer’s choice.
Purple City Genetics has the never-before-released cut of Habibi (Z x Moroccan Peaches), as well as Lemon Cherry Congo, Watermelon Dream and Cel-Ray. Talking Trees brings out some GDP x Urkle cuts, as well as Strawberry Pop. Haze Valley Nursery offers three varieties of Tom Hill Haze for $1,500 for the three-pack. Haze Valley is also selling clones of the strains Hashburger and Grape Lobster. Visit sfspacewalk.com to learn more.
It’s clone-hardening-off and planting season, which means slowly getting your baby cutting used to the sun and the weather. Harden off your clones by taking them outside in the morning and exposing them to shaded sunlight for a little bit longer each day for a week. Bring them in at night. Remember: Don’t overwater a clone. After a week of increasing amounts of shaded sunlight, plant the clone in a 20-gallon fabric pot of high-quality organic tomato potting soil, and place it in the sunlight.
ALIENGENETICS.ORG
@ITSLADYALIEN
@ALIENGENETICS.OFFICIAL
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KIWI LIME OG
KIWI VELVET LIME
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HOT FOR 2026
MAUKA TO MAKAI
A PAKALOLO-INSPIRED ADVENTURE ACROSS THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAI ` I
The Big Island of Hawai`i embodies a sense of feral magic; it is both ancient and vibrant with new green life. As you set foot on the ‘Āina and breathe in the ocean air, your whole body drops into awe. You feel Tūtū Pele’s mana rising through the warmth of lava rock beneath your feet, her essence carried on salt-kissed trade winds drifting in from the vast Pacific. The land meets you exactly where you are and whispers, “Slow down and breathe in the blessings.” Mauka to makai — mountain to ocean — this island isn’t just a destination, it’s a living, breathing kūpuna, inviting you to remember what it means to be here now.
329 OUT-OF-STATE MEDICAL CANNABIS CARD
My first stop when arriving on the “Big I” is always for some good Aloha-grown, medical-grade ganja from my h ā nai ‘ohana at Big Island Grown. Hawai`i offers an online outof-state patient card known as a “329 OSP.” A valid home-state medical Cannabis card, matching government ID and a nonrefundable $49.50 fee grants patients access to the island’s best medical-grade Pakalolo. Once approved, visitors can access their electronic Hawai`i 329 OSP through an online account, keeping the journey pono, legal and rooted in respect for the plant.
THE B.I.G. ALOHA SESH — MAUKA SIDE
Every adventure is elevated by the perfect Cannabis pairing, so I asked the good people at Big Island Grown for guidance.
In true Aloha spirit, the team’s lead cultivators invited us on a mauka-side waterfall hike to sesh and connect. We arrived at a hidden gem on the Onomea side of the island, known locally as “6 Tons.” Entering through a small opening in the jungle, we mindfully weaved along a riverbed into thick tropical growth. The trail pulsed with life — roots underfoot, mist in the air, everything breathing. For a moment, I felt completely swallowed by the island, like an ant working within a vast, living garden.
The hike was pono, no rush, no hype, just real conversation and connection. We discussed the nuances of growing in a tropical climate, the importance of respecting nature and the team’s humble mission to give back to the island communities.
spinning, laughter echoing through the trees.
Vinyl records played softly, blending with the birds and breeze. We shared a Cuban Linx joint in her tropical garden bursting with orchids and hibiscus. No rush, just storytelling, connection and genuine joy. It was the kind of high that roots you deeper into the moment.
At the waterfall’s crest, the view opened into a breathtaking, lush, green valley stretching toward the deep blue ocean, reflecting sunlight in the distance.
“Big waterfalls call for big dabs,” Vic, B.I.G.’s director of cultivation, laughed, firing up the torch. He blessed us with a Papaya Live Rosin dab. Sweet, juicy, minty terps melted my tension while my mind hummed with gratitude.
We shared plans for the days ahead, snorkeling Kona-side and playing like keiki in the garden at Megan Love’s. They recommended Maui Girl, a bright, uplifting sativa that felt like sunlight dancing on water. It was perfect for a snorkeling adventure, keeping us present and flowing with the ocean. Cuban Linx was also on their list, a creative hybrid with a citrus spark and social energy that is ideal for making art, movement and laughter-filled garden sessions.
A STOP AT MEGAN LOVE’S: HOME OF THE HIGH, HAPPY, HOLY, HEALTHY, HULA-HOOPING HIPPY
After stocking the stash, we drifted over to the Megan Love bed-and-breakfast in Kona, a hidden gem that provides a heart-centered ‘ohana experience. Megan herself is a whole vibe, radiating mana Aloha. The space felt like stepping into a childhood backyard where time dissolves; barefoot in the grass, hoops
MAKAI ADVENTURE TIME — SALT WATER AND SURRENDER
The next morning began with Kona coffee and a Maui-Girl-sunrise sesh: light, euphoric and expansive. It set the tone for a twohour snorkel adventure along the Kona Coast with Hawai`i Island and Ocean Tours, where crystal-clear waters and underwater landscapes created a dreamlike playground. Dropping into the ocean, everything softened. Vibrant fish drifted through coral gardens as sunlight flickered in the water like a living mosaic.
Guided by Captain Kekoa, we explored secluded reef pockets near the Captain Cook Monument while appreciating Native Hawaiian storytelling and fresh-cut pineapple. One of the highlights was The Grotto, a sea cave carved by Pele’s ancient fire. This lava tube stretches nearly 14 miles before dropping beneath the coastline, connecting land to ocean.
Locals speak of the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia falling in love with Hawai`i’s waters in the late 1980s, logging hundreds of dives through its volcanic arches and underwater caves. I couldn’t help but playfully wonder if Garcia ever sparked a doobie deep inside Pele’s submerged cathedral.
In true Hawaiian spirit, this adventure wasn’t about chasing a high. It was about flowing with the breathing essence of Aloha — from stillness in the jungle to childlike joy at MeganLoves to the living ancestral presence in the ocean. Mauka to makai; the island has a way of reminding us OGs that life doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s as simple as good people, open air and moments in nature that take your breath away.
THE BRAND HOLDS A GIANT FUNDRAISER EVERY YEAR ON ITS ANNIVERSARY, INVITING OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES TO HELP INCREASE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.
On our last adventure out to Hall of Flowers in Southern California, we stopped at Wheelhouse to check out the Ventura location. Opened in 2024, this is the brand’s third store and one of only three dispensaries operating in the city of Ventura.
WITH DEDICATED PARKING, this is Wheelhouse’s largest retail space. Even though the building seems big, the shop feels inviting from the moment you walk in.
Store supervisor Steven Centeno said that’s no accident. He told Leaf, “Our main goal is striving for great customer service. We try to give a real experience to the people who come in, and that starts the moment you open the door.”
Another thing you’re struck with upon walking in is the incredible mural along the top of the walls, created by Peruvian graffiti artist Roberto Seminario, who tags with SEF.01. With murals in 24 different countries, Seminario’s work exhibits an impressive level of detailed realism with obvious roots in wildstyle.
Besides just the awesome artwork and extensive merch and accessories, Wheelhouse Ventura keeps a section for home growers with a collection of clones and teens from Clone Guy. They also carry an extensive selection of vapes, which Centeno said are super popular at this location — there are currently around 282 vape options on the menu.
When you Google Wheelhouse, you’ll see articles and social media posts detailing the incredible amount of work the dispensary chain has accomplished, donating to community organizations here and at the Venice and Port Hueneme stores. The brand holds a giant fundraiser every year on its anniversary, inviting other local businesses to help increase fundraising efforts.
This year, the team worked with Industry Horror, a nonprofit, horror-inspired clothing company that employs autistic young adults to help them develop trade skills.
In terms of giving back to the customers, Centeno pointed out many ways in which Wheelhouse patrons can get hooked up. Besides an early-bird special from 9-11 a.m., the store offers discounts on twice-monthly Customer Appreciation Days and has a loyalty program where members earn points by shopping.
Become a Wheelhouse VIP today by stopping in at the spacious and welcoming Ventura location, or their spots in Venice and Port Hueneme.
MARKNOXX
A multi-instrumentalist and singer, MARKNOXX is a Sacramento native who’s been living in Los Angeles since his music career first drew him there over a decade ago. When not working at Haus of Grams dispensary, NOXX is usually in the recording studio. You’ve probably heard him performing vocals on 2019’s “I Wanna Thank Me” with Snoop Dogg or playing bass on E-40’s “Rick Rock Horns.”
FOR THIS California-based musician, Cannabis is therapy.
“When I smoke, it relaxes my mind, and I can think things through,” he said. “It puts me in a space where I can relax, be creative and really focus on something — especially with music.”
He told the Leaf that he’s been budtending for three years now. His first job was actually at MedMen’s LAX location, where NOXX said he became one of the store’s top sellers. What he really enjoyed, though, was getting to know all about the California retail market.
“They had a product knowledge system where, for an hour a day, you would have to study the brands on the shelves and get familiar with all of their products,” NOXX said.
It was while working at Medmen that NOXX realized what kind of effect you can have on a person by helping them pick out some Cannabis.
“I learned that the point of a budtender is to meet the needs of every patient who comes with love and respect. Whether that’s someone just looking to have a good time, and you guide them to a strain, or someone looking for something for pain,” he explained. “It’s about helping out your community.”
When Medmen filed for bankruptcy, NOXX returned to music fulltime but remained interested in budtending. Around October 2025, while talking with a good friend and fellow musician, DJ Qwess Coast, he mentioned wanting to get back to working with Cannabis. Qwess Coast told NOXX about a new store he was opening called Haus of Grams. NOXX quickly signed on to this team, which he said is composed of a large percentage of artists, musicians and creators — the perfect place for a creative individual to discuss their needs with someone who speaks their language. Like with his last store, NOXX told us he’s once again a top seller at Haus of Grams, something he attributed to a managementadvised focus on the customer experience.
Even though NOXX loves budtending, he dreams of someday working with a brand to create his own signature strain. When asked what that would look like, he had his answer locked and loaded.
“I love Purple, the original Purple from back in the day,” NOXX said. “I would want to resurrect that and breed it with some Peanut Butter Breath or Lamb’s Breath. Those are my other top strains, so if I had a strain, I’d want it to mimic those frequencies, but also be some gassy Purple.”
Check out NOXX’s upcoming album, “E.A.R.S.,” on his website.
LIVE ROSIN MEGA PEACHES MEGA PEACHES
ACCORDING TO Jordan Watts, head hash maker and rosin technician at Fire King, the loud, savory, sour-peach aroma of the final Mega Peaches live rosin will smack you in the face.
“It’s going to translate 100% into flavor, and that flavor lasts for a long time afterwards,” Watts said.
Here’s how it came together. Breeder Staefli Farms made Mega Peaches from Moroccan Peaches and Ilmonic. Neokom then regeneratively grew Mega Peaches outdoors in the same living soil that the farm uses to produce its famous actual-fruit peaches.
They hand-leafed, harvested and froze those buds, and sent about 100 pounds to Fire King. Making solventless since 2010, Fire King used reverse-osmosis-filtered snowmelt from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, chilled down to near-freezing, as well as two shapes of ice for the washing stage.
Watts said that the resulting cold-water extract was like “mining platinum-white gold.”
Next came a blast chiller and a freeze-drying stage that yielded a “perfectly white, reflective sheet,” according to Watts, of what looked like “salt and cookie dough completely congealed to itself.”
Fire King keeps the fresh-frozen bubble hash in this form until it’s time to heat-press it. Coming out of the heat press, Watts said that it was “bright neon yellow first, and completely translucent.”
Next, they waited for the terpenes and cannabinoids to separate, then agitated them and cold-cured the hash for three to six weeks, depending on the strain.
Watts described the high as a “true hybrid high with a lofty, oldschool head feel, like, ‘Oops, I left my keys in the freezer,’ and, at the same time, the full-body melt of an LA Connie, Affi or an OG.” Watts dabbed his on a Dr. Dabber Switch2 with as little water in it as possible. He recommends keeping the Mega Peaches live rosin in a cold, dark room, ideally refrigerated in a zip-close bag to preserve the terpenes as he hashed them.
“True hybrid high with a lofty, old-school head feel ...”
Turtle Topia
Sweet candy blends with fuel undertones, and the smoke is creamy and smooth, delivering a heavy-hitting, dreamy stone.
Over the past year, he ran a pheno hunt out of his house, looking for the next hit.
“Valentine’s Day 2024, I put an Instagram post that said ‘Love is in the air, I’m looking for some pollen to breed with my girls, hit me up,’” Morgan said. One of his breeder friends brought him Ztopia pollen along with a couple of others, and Morgan got busy matchmaking. “I took eight of my strains — and had three different pollens — and did a breeding project in my fucking basement,” he said. “Turtle Pie needed a face-lift. Now, with this new lineage I’ve bred into it, it’s viable again. I think this is going to hit. It’s a perfect mix of candy and gas.” He selected 25 finalists out of the hunt, and figures he’s going to be releasing six or seven under the Turtle Pie Co.
TURTLE PIE CO.
name. Leaf got a preview of another strain from this upcoming drop, the Saturday Cartoonz, in the March Flower Issue. But the TurtleTopia, a cross of (Turtle Pie bx to OG) x (Ztopia Runtz x Zkittlez), definitely deserves its place in the spotlight as a Strain of the Month. The tight, chunky nugs showcase a mix of frosted light and dark green coloring, sprinkled with orange and hints of purple. Sweet candy blends with fuel undertones, and the smoke is creamy and smooth, delivering a heavy-hitting, dreamy stone. It’s a worthy update for a Northern California modern classic. It’s not available yet — this is a preview. The drop won’t happen until later in 2026, along with some others from the new Turtle Pie lineup. Keep an eye out for details on the brand’s Instagram.
“That strain was crossed with SFV OG, right as OGs and Cookies were the hype,” Matt “Turtle” Morgan, founder and owner, said. “Immediately, we knew we were onto something. The euphoric feeling and potency of smoking Turtle Pie was unlike other stuff we were used to, and we were Cookies and OG dudes.”
Flash-forward to a decade later, and the prevalence of hashable candy strains has pushed Morgan to hunt for new heaters.
scene for the past decade, with strains like Prickly Pear and the eponymous Turtle Pie garnering demand on the top shelf at local dispensaries. That original Turtle Pie strain was a huge hit back in the early days, a cross of OG and Cookies, originally called Sweet Cooks.
may 2026
glynraven gardens
Located on top of a ridge with stunning views of Mendocino County, this farm offers overnight stays in a few different lodging styles, including a hemp house, an Airstream trailer and a yurt. Tent and recreational vehicle camping are also available, along with composting toilets and showers. Beyond the Cannabis garden, the property’s highlight is the lavish infinity pool, which provides an unparalleled view of the area while you soak. Cannabis tastings are an option for daytime visitors with a reservation. The tastings include a flight of four flowers and a day pass to enjoy the pool and the grounds. GLYNRAVENGARDENS.COM | @GLYNRAVEN.GARDENS
Taking glamping to a higher level
Camping with Cannabis
These unique spots, located in the country’s Cannabis heartland, allow visitors to toke up while gazing at ganja flowers growing naturally under the
a Cannabis farm is an unforgettable experience that offers a deeper connection with the plant. You really never forget the first time you look out over a field of buds swaying in the breeze or take a picture of yourself next to a plant that’s
Plus, these farms are in some of Northern California’s most beautiful and rugged outdoor locations with plenty of local wildlife viewing, hiking and adventure beyond simply enjoying the plants.
So stop the smoke-and-scroll and return to nature, if only for a weekend. With these campsites, the idea is to get off the grid and find the kind of peace that only the phenomenal sight of Cannabis plants growing in a natural landscape can provide. It’s time to smell the flowers. Instead of the usual camping trip you were planning on this summer, improve your mental wellbeing by booking a stay at one of these green spaces, and find out what it’s really
sun roots farm
This retreat is located in Covelo and is bookable through Harvest Hosts. It is billed by owners Patricia Vargas and Forrest Gauder in the camp listing as a “wildlife sanctuary escape off the beaten path, perfect for eco-minded travelers.” Vargas and Gauder told the Leaf that this spot is for RV campers, with hookups available and septic upon request. There are orchards, flowers, Cannabis gardens and a herd of friendly alpacas — which may be a highlight for animal lovers. They offer private garden tours, and there’s an on-site farm shop set up in a vintage Airstream. Campsites open for reservations in June. @SUNROOTSFARM
POHOTOS BY HIPCAMP
sol spirit farm
Wake up to the smell of Cannabis terpenes at this farm stay in Trinity County. Sol Spirit Retreats offers a glamping experience with tent accommodations that include real beds. The regeneratively grown Cannabis here is top notch, and a stay covers breakfast, dinner and an on-site farm tour. Get high and be on the lookout for Bigfoot, as this area is the epicenter for Sasquatch sightings. SOLSPIRITFARM.COM | @SOLSPIRITFARM
valkyrie farm
We also found a camp location posted on Airbnb with three different rentals on their 2-acre Cannabis farm. Located in Freshwater Valley, just east of Eureka, you can choose between a one-bedroom apartment, a two-bedroom farmhouse or an Airstream trailer with an attached hot tub. Surrounded by redwood trees, the accommodations are Cannabis-friendly, but you can’t smoke indoors. The proprietors give seasonal tours of the garden and encourage visitors to “walk around the farm, visit our quirky goats, and unwind” in the camp listing. @VALKYRIEFARM
f
ive sisters farm
This regenerative Cannabis farm is located at the Southern Humboldt County line, adjacent to French’s Camp, where the legendary Reggae on the River music festival was held for 40 years. There are two fully furnished tent areas on the property, plus campsites with space to bring your own tent or RV. The camp features a hot outdoor shower and Wi-Fi, and you’re less than a mile from Richardson Grove State Park. The farm website invites visitors to “see cannabis as it has been grown for decades, under the open sun in native soil getting afternoon wind gusts coming up the South Fork Eel River running below.” FIVESISTERSFARM.CO | @FIVESISTERSFARMS
pot stops
Cannabis Consumption Lounges across California
Finally, more consumption lounges are opening up all over the country. Even though it’s a slow roll, the number is growing steadily as people are enjoying that out-and-about bong rip, not to mention how many places are offering delicious, specially curated menus on-site.
FOR THIS YEAR’S ADVENTURE ISSUE, we thought, what better way to plan your summer road trip than a list of Cannabis cafes in California? Hit the road and then stop to hit the rig at any one of these spots. Our research discovered a massive 32 locations where you can smoke, with even more set to open in 2026. By no means does this guide include every single one, so jump on our interactive Google map to see what’s close by or suggest a lounge we missed.
Cookies Coalinga cookiescoalinga.com
Natural Healing Center Leemore @nhcsloco | nhcdispensaries.com
northern southern
Barbary Coast San Francisco @barbarycoastsfc barbarycoastsf.com
Wheelhouse Lounge Port Hueneme @visitwheelhouse | visitwheelhouse.com
to toke
Cannabis complements music in magical ways, but when it comes to concerts, consumers are often left without ways to light up legally. Many generations have snuck smokables past security, stuffing them into secret stash pockets or whatever crevice their clothes could provide passage in. But gone are the days of smuggling smokes, bridled in bras and warm boots — smashed and suspiciously damp — only to be speedily sucked down among the legs of strangers, crouched in the chaotic safety of their shadows. Today, as Cannabis laws and event organizers catch up, there’s a growing movement of music festivals welcoming consumers with progressive policies and official, smokefriendly sections. Check out a few of them here!
COOKS VALLEY, CA
n orthern n ights
the miraCle in mundelein
While the official 2026 dates have yet to be announced, predictions place this year’s festival sometime in September again. Last year’s lineup featured a blend of jam band, hip-hop, reggae and funk genres — an excellent soundtrack for the official open-consumption policy, where you can spark up “anywhere within The Miracle Concert,” or at one of the grounds' “multiple rolling stations, dab bars, vape bars,” and more. themiracleconcert.com | @miracleconcert
The Dirtybird Campout at Northern Nights Music Festival is tucked into the ancient redwoods of Cooks Valley, California. This music and camping experience features river swimming, art, yoga and over 18 electronic music artists. It is the first event in the nation to allow consumption, dating back to the 2013 medical days. That tradition continues today, with sales and seshes contained to the Tree Lounge for those 21-plus. At Northern Nights, you can choose your own adventure — from free riverside tent camping to shaded Redwood Grove sites, group options, RV hookups and full glamping. Grab your gear and roll up this July 17–19, with musical headliners CloZee, Justin Martin and LP Giobbi. northernnights.org | @nnmfestival
puffCon
If you want to puff where it isn't just accepted, but encouraged, Puffco’s annual downtown Los Angeles block party is where concentrate culture comes to life. While it strays slightly from a traditional music festival structure, you’ll find live music, immersive art, over 75 Cannabis brands and a fully open-consumption policy. That means your rig, pen or preroll is welcome everywhere on the grounds. Puffcon 2026 lands on Oct. 3–4 at LA Center Studios. puffcon.com | @puffcon_la
Florida Groves is another all-ages festival option with a 21-plus Cannabis section. This two-day celebration of music, art and Cannabis culture kicks off at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando. Once inside, you can head to the Green Grove (presented by Cookies) for activations and appearances by budding brands all weekend. Since Florida runs a medical program, doctors are even on-site to get you MMJ-certified on the spot (with an appointment). Check out headliners Goose and Daily Bread holding down four stages, April 11–12, 2027. floridagroves.com | @floridagrovesfest
A Field Guide to Canna-Friendly Music Festivals
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
outside lands
Outside Lands is a three-day celebration bursting with music, food, art, wine, beer and Bay Area culture. It’s set across 80 acres of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park with a special section called Grass Lands. This 21-plus Cannabis marketplace and consumption area made history in 2019 as the first official Cannabis sales and consumption experience at a (major) U.S. music festival. This Aug. 7–9, you can hit the joint and then the mainstage to see headliners Charli XCX, The Strokes and Rüfüs Du Sol. sfoutsidelands.com | @outsidelands
r eggae on the r iver
Sprouting along the same stretch of the Eel River in Humboldt County, first in 1984 as a community fundraiser, Reggae on the River brings three days of all-ages reggae to the County Line Ranch. The grounds are openly Cannabis-friendly, with direct-to-consumer sales from local Emerald Triangle-family farms on-site. Camp on the riverbed, in the Persimmon Grove, by the lot or glamp your way through the weekend this Aug. 14–16, with headliners Burning Spear, Kabaka Pyramid and Don Carlos. reggaeontheriver.com | @reggaeontheriver
LOS ANGELES, CA
ORLANDO, FL
HUMBOLT, CA
MUNDELEIN,
Smoke, stars and serenity
An interview with astrophotographer Mike Clem
Smoke, stars and serenity
It’s April in the Mid-Atlantic, and Mike Clem steps onto the hallowed grounds of Antietam National Battlefield in Washington County, Maryland — home to the bloodiest single day in American history.
SPRING HAS BEEN slow to arrive, but under a clear sky on April 20, Clem is determined to carry out his mission. The Thurmont, Maryland, native pulls a lighter from his pocket and sparks up a well-crafted cannon of Good Vibes Only 42ZEN.
Accompanied by his girlfriend, Libby, the two prepare to photograph the night sky.
As remnants of smoke drift across the field, the stark backdrop of history is not lost on the 48-year-old photographer.
“It just feels like we’re at a time in society where there is constant battle,” he said, pointing to political unrest, economic divides and personal struggles.
A patient care specialist for nearly a decade, Clem has found a home at KOAN Cannabis in Hagerstown, Maryland.
“I love what they’re about,” Clem said, whose Cannabis career has taken him from California to Pennsylvania and now to Maryland. “The name ‘Koan’ in Buddhism means the last step before enlightenment.”
Clem takes pride in providing 40 hours of medical care each week. Afterward, the budtender insists on escaping the yang of work life to find yin behind his Nikon Z6 II mirrorless camera.
He has been shooting events, landscapes and people for more than 20 years, beginning with a cropped DSLR and a kit lens.
“I grew up in a family of Deadheads,” Clem said, referencing his parents’ love of the Grateful Dead. “So music and fan art were always around me.”
Drawing and painting didn’t come naturally to him, but he said he has a “knack for capturing moments with the camera,” first getting started through concert photography.
“When you’re shooting live music, there are moments you can capture — a deep guitar solo or a powerful vocal — and you can almost feel that image,” he said.
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“I grew up in a family of Deadheads... music and fan art were always around me.”
Since astrophotography can take upward of five hours, Clem often pairs his love of music with photography and Cannabis to reach a state of relaxation and unlock new levels of creativity.
“It’s such a simple way to have an enjoyable evening,” he said. “When it comes to music and the night sky, you can find your zen anywhere. That’s all you need. It’s so freeing.”
Clem chases shots of the Milky Way from February through October, when it is most visible in the Northern Hemisphere. During the winter months, his focus shifts to the Orion region.
“It isn’t as visibly astounding,” he said, “but it’s still quite a beauty to shoot.”
He also enjoys stacking time-lapse images of the night sky to create star trails.
Arriving during the “blue hour” — the 60 minutes after sunset when light still lingers across the sky — Clem fastens his camera to a tripod for steadiness and consistency before taking upward of 400 photos, which he later stacks using Adobe Photoshop or the free app Sequator.
“You get different effects depending on which direction you aim the camera,” Clem said. “I usually go north because people are more drawn to the circular trail look. It draws the eye into the frame in an almost hypnotic way. It’s like staring into a circular vortex.”
Clem hopes to pursue this passion for as long as he’s circling the sun. The good news? He said it’s a hobby anyone can start with just a couple hundred dollars.
“A good camera and a decent wide-angle lens — that’s all you really need,” he said. “And if you really want to get into it, there’s a lot of stuff on YouTube for astrophotography, especially star trails.”
To see more of Mike Clem’s photography, visit his Instagram page, @astrodeadhead.
“When I shoot the Milky Way, I try to get to the spot I've picked to shoot about an hour before the Milky Way core rises. Once it's high enough over the horizon to start shooting, I usually take 10-20 shots. In post-processing, I stack the images using free software, such as Sequator, WHICH HELPS TO REDUCE NOISE OR GRAIN IN THE IMAGE. Once the final stacked image is ready, you can edit to your preference in whichever photo editing software you prefer; I use Adobe Lightroom.”
hunter s.thompson hunter s.thompson
Recently, a friend said that she mentioned the author Hunter S. Thompson to her journalism class, and the students couldn’t come up with a single reference beyond a vague callback to the film version of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”
Indeed, the drug-addled, outlaw persona has overshadowed much of Thompson’s literary work — work that was so impressive.
Author David S. Wills pointed out, “I can’t think of a single other writer so original that he earned his own literary genre.”
A reporter, writer and cultural icon, Thompson is credited as the father of “gonzo journalism.” To oversimplify it, this narrative genre Jumanjis the person into their story as both narrator and character, often blurring the lines between what’s real and subjective. New York Times literary critic William Crawford Woods declared this writing style a product of a time when people’s public and private lives were crashing together, and a style that answered the question, “How to tell the story of a time when all fiction was science fiction, all facts lies?”
In today’s new age of media, there’s a lot that’s been built on the foundation of Thompson’s gonzo method. Much of it can be seen not in journalism but in the content creators we follow online, influential figures reporting on their favorite subjects and engaging a growing fanbase. Looking at elements of Thompson’s approach, we can see additional parallels with modern content creators.
WHAT the godfather of gonzo MEANS FOR THE CONTENT-CREATOR ERA
CONTENT AND CREATOR
Immersing yourself in your subject was a particular focus in Thompson’s writings. To get as far into the situation as you can and push until you and the story are both barreling toward an unavoidable conclusion. Thompson even roped his friends, like illustrator Ralph Steadman, into the fray on more than one occasion. He knew that people not only want to hear a story, but want to know what it would be like to move within the story themselves, even if sometimes it was with all the social grace of MrBeast.
SHOCK VALUE
If you’ve ever seen or read “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” you already have an idea of this. Thompson believed in breaking down conventions to evoke a response, to silence the spell the world has over our attention span and shock the system into a momentary reboot, focusing instead on the incredible sight being described to us. Whether it’s creating a YouTube thumbnail, a call to action for a TikTok reel or a title like “A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream,” each relies on a bit of shock value to get the conversation started.
BLENDING FACT AND PERSPECTIVE
Many of Thompson’s tales seemed too incredible to be true, a result intended by both author and editor. Thompson regularly stated that he thought objectivity was a myth and that fiction was more compelling and true than any kind of reporting. He was known for constantly carrying a recorder to document his experiences. But he felt that it’s not always what happened but how you experienced it that makes for the best final product. It’s said that he once told an editor, “Fiction is a bridge to truth that journalism can’t reach.”
THE GONZO INFLUENCE
What future journalists and creators can take away from looking at Thompson’s work is how to let go and allow events to drift you from main to supporting roles without regard for sponsorship or demonetization. Thompson cared about making money from his craft, but he seemed haunted by his public persona rather than focused on how to merchandise it on a personal level. That’s part of what drew people to him.
Thompson’s unique style and voice attracted eyes, which brought in dollars for the magazines that published his articles, something he played to his advantage to create some incredible articles. Rolling Stone flew Thompson to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to cover the historic fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Cycle World sent him a $10,000 Ducati motorcycle to test drive. He’s been portrayed on screen by actors like Bill Murray and Johnny Depp.
Thompson would have most likely called social media a “cruel and shallow money trench,” as he did with the music industry. But I also think he would have recognized how important viewership has become in our society and found a way to bring his typewritten words to the small screen — much in the same way he allowed Depp to utter that iconic phrase:
“We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold.”
Thompson regularly stated that he thought objectivity was a myth and that fiction was more compelling and true than any kind of reporting.
COURTESY
Johnny Depp’s memorable performance as Hunter S. Thompson in the 1998 film “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” exposed a new generation to Thompson’s work and antics.
Issue 1036 of Rolling Stone magazine offered a cover story on their legendary contributor in October 2007.
Mary Jane Berlin Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary
berlin buds
DUBBED the world’s largest Cannabis event, it is held in Messe Berlin, a sprawling 5.9 million-square-foot space with 30 halls. Over the last two years, the expo has been expanding to fit, adding a new hall in 2025 with another planned for 2027. Founder and CEO Duc Anh Dang described it in a Business of Cannabis article as “Disneyland for Cannabis.” There’s even a giant Ferris wheel. This June marks the 10-year anniversary of Mary Jane Berlin, and things are expected to pop off in the city.
We talk a lot about the global Cannabis community, but when you’re at Mary Jane Berlin, you really feel like a tiny dot in the Cannabis cosmos.
Last year, 65,000 people attended the four-day event, and for 2026, organizers have said you’ll be able to celebrate with “over 75,000 like-minded people.” To put that into perspective, that’s like filling the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be held.
The B2B-centric programming on June 11 provides professionals a chance to hear important discussions and explore the grounds before the public is admitted. After that, the expo will transform into a full-blown trade show and festival June 12-14, with live musical acts performing on stage throughout each day. The schedule features 90 international speakers, including American content creators Dope As Yola and Koala Puffs, alongside a slew of U.S. brands like Connected, Doja, Archive Seed Bank and Greendawg.
Mary Jane Berlin will continue into the evenings with multiple after-parties around the city. Barney’s Farm Seed Bank will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026, so we expect the brand to top last year’s packed house party.
Another big highlight should be the annual High Rollers Cup, where rockstar breeders and cultivators will compete for bragging rights on the bowling lanes, and Redman will make an appearance.
With so many brands aiming their message out into the world beyond their home states, and a few already making moves, the German market is sure to see continued growth. When the Leaf spoke with award-winning Cannabis and clothing brand Golden State Banana, they expected to be running a Berlin cafe spot by the end of the year.
As MunchNews put it, “Germany's legalization has transformed Mary Jane from a cultural celebration into a commercial powerhouse.”
Ekocan, a research group put in charge of studying the effects of the German Cannabis Act, recently published its 222-page report. It stated that in 2025, up to 200 tons of medical Cannabis were available in Germany, only 2.6 tons of which were produced domestically.
With so much interest in Germany's market, and its ability to bring players together on a global scale, we expect a huge crowd at Mary Jane Berlin 2026 — and Leaf will be there to bring you all the news.
@MARY_JANE_BERLIN | MARYJANE-BERLIN.COM
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game. set.
board games
For many, board games serve as one of the earliest mechanisms of play, forming a foundation for understanding competition and collaboration as a whole. Over time, the hobby has evolved well past genre staples like Monopoly, growing into an almost infinite range of categories and topics. Choose from strategy games, resource gathering games, social deduction games, heck, there’s even popular games that entail exploding cats or dealing as much dope as possible. Whatever the selection, edibles in the form of low-dose gummies or THC drinks are a great option for enhancing any game night sesh.
Codenames, Werewolf (Mafia), Catan, Azul, Pandemic, Clue, Ticket to Ride, Exit: The Game, Weed-Opoly, Ganjaland and Botany
card
Playing cards have been an ubiquitous source of leisure and social gaming for over a millenium due to their simplicity, ease of access and versatility. With the advent of popular games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon, playing cards are more relevant now than ever before. Whether it’s a gameshop-styled competition or Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, the stakes (and more importantly the players) will be a lot higher with some good ganja to puff on. Gone are the days of smoking a Cuban cigar at poker night; a hand-rolled hashhole is the new-andimproved premium stogie.
blackjack, poker, spades, Spoons, Bullshit, No Thanks!, Grass and Puff Puff Pass
TTRP games
Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons are the board game equivalent of stepping through a portal and out into a mystical world of magic and wonder. Entailing strategy, roleplaying and a whole lot of dice rolling, this collaborative storytelling medium is one of the most engaging formats of recreational gaming, providing a sense of adventure and camaraderie that grows with each completed quest. Given the typical length of a TTRPG session, it’s recommended to bring a rig and a favorite jar of concentrate to share in an epic afternoon of swords and sesh-ery.
Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Talisman AND Betrayal on HillHouse
hash. Analog Play in a Digital Landscape
In a world that’s oversaturated with digital media, cryptocurrencies and pixelated avatars, one of the most radical, adventurous things we can do is just log offline and reconnect with other human beings face-to-face. Since the dawn of time, one of the primary ways we relate to others is through play. Within the context of an increasingly virtual existence, analog games have come to represent more than just a break from this progressively techno-feudalistic reality — they personify a cross-section of leisure and genuine human connection that is needed now more than ever. So how do we bring the whimsy of authentic, personal interaction back to the sesh? It’s all in the love of the game.
Making appearances at backyard BBQs and summer picnics across the country, yard games are an excellent source of competition that pairs exceedingly well with outdoor Cannabis consumption. Take a turn, take a puff on a joint and pass it along. Take another turn, take another puff and pass it. Given the more active nature of outdoor games, prerolled joints, vape carts and handheld pipes are all solid choices for medicating while playing. It’s honestly hard to beat the feeling of getting buzzed and soaking in some vitamin D on a sunny day.
cornhole (Bags), bocce ball, croquet, horseshoes and bong pong
YARD games party games arts + crafts
With scenarios that range from the hilarious to the downright raunchy, party games are a lively way to cut loose with some not-so-sober friends. Prompts like “huge nugs of alien weed” or “hitting the bong with Barack Obama” will have the whole room grinning ear to ear before falling over with raucous laughter. Durable smokeware is recommended for safety and peace of mind in a typical party atmosphere. Besides, what better time to break out that 3-foot plastic bong than during a sick rager?
Cards Against Humanity Weed Pack, Telestrations After Dark, Trial by Trolley, Do or Smoke, Smoke Sesh and Charades for Stoners
As a joint activity, smoking and art go hand in hand. While not a game in the traditional sense, arts and crafts can be a superb way to unwind and share time with friends. Artistic mediums provide moments of mindfulness and catharsis that are further fueled by the right Cannabis strain, and there’s no quicker way to light up the right side of the brain than by ripping a fat bowl of Sour Diesel or Super Silver Haze and throwing some acrylic on the canvas.
painting, tie-dye, joint origami, pressing flowers, adult coloring books (@cabin7originals and @liamwesleygoodman), knitting, crochet and pot-tery
Check out this month’s roundup of books that pair well with taking a few puffs and the path less traveled. Let’s hit the road, readers!
the last season
by Eric Blehm @ericblehmofficial
STEP RIGHT INTO the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, but with a dark twist in this gripping true story. “The Last Season” follows backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson, infamous for his ability to locate lost hikers, until he becomes one himself. Equal parts adventure biography and true-crime-esque mystery, this Outdoor Book Award winner pulls you deep into the solitude of nature and keeps you questioning what really happened to Morgenson out there.
high infatuation
by Steph Davis @highsteph
RAW AND REFLECTIVE self-proclaimed “dirtbag climber” Steph Davis shares the highs and lows (literally) of a life lived on the edge. Through a collection of essays and poems, she explores hard-earned lessons in solitude, ambition and resilience shaped by her experience as a professional athlete. You’ll be hanging on every word as Davis takes you from a single-day ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan to weeks spent waiting out storms in a tent in the mountains of Patagonia.
a walk in the woods
by Bill Bryson @billbryson8394
PART TRAVEL MEMOIR, part laughout-loud adventure, this New York Times bestseller follows Bill Bryson on his 2,100mile journey along the Appalachian Trail. From unexpected wildlife encounters to hilariously unqualified travel companions, his sharp humor keeps the trek light and endlessly entertaining. Woven throughout his trail tales are thoughtful reflections on the importance of preserving America’s wilderness, helping you meditate on what it really means to get lost in the wild.
forage. gather. feast. by
Maria Finn @maria_finn1
IF YOU LIKE getting adventurous in the kitchen, this cookbook is for you. With over 100 recipes built around foraged ingredients, Maria Finn makes it easy to turn a walk in the woods (or even your own backyard) into your next home-cooked meal. Rooted in fresh West Coast flavors and seasonal simplicity, some standout recipes include the Pine Scones with Huckleberries, Rose Hip and Apple Jam and Campfire Porcini Risotto (yum).
DAVE ZACKIN HOW CANNABIS INSPIRES ART
If you live in New York, you’ve probably walked past some of Dave Zackin’s designs while high. As creative director for the New York Regional Plan Association, Zackin has designed New York City’s public space recycling bins and educational recycling stickers. The graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design holds a bachelor’s degree in animation and a master’s degree in both public health and urban studies.
HIS WORK has been featured on hundreds of public information posters throughout the city, but the artist has also gained notoriety for his ceramic pottery, which has garnered him over 100,000 Instagram followers.
Zackin takes discarded pots and clay pieces from Gasworks NYC, the community studio where he creates, and gives them new life and purpose. His creative process begins with raiding the studio for a starting point.
He wraps unfired pottery in wet rags to rehydrate before sculpting over the top of the piece. If it’s already been cooked and the shape is locked in, Zackin paints messages and designs in glaze. These range from a plate proclaiming, “I will eat all of my enemies,” to a candy bowl reading, “one of these candies is poisoned, but the rest are delicious.” Zackin calls these his “good-bad ideas.” This is where he said Cannabis comes in.
“I try to empty my head and come up with some ideas that seem like they’re coming from the outside of the world and looking in,” Zackin said. He went on to add that “pot really helps with this.”
Zackin experimented with Cannabis throughout junior high, high school and college, but it wasn’t until he spent a year dating a medical Cannabis patient that he started smoking on the regular. Nowadays, though he still smokes a few times a week, he considers himself a lightweight. “Two hits off a vape pen does the trick for me,” he said.
“I TRY TO EMPTY MY HEAD AND COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS THAT SEEM LIKE THEY’RE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WORLD AND LOOKING IN.”
For making ceramics, Zackin explained that it is best to smoke only a little bit before hitting the studio.
“If I smoke too much, I get obsessed with surface patterns and spend a lot of time doing what we refer to in the ceramic studio as ‘cat licking’ — adjusting tiny details on a pretty much completed piece,” Zackin said.
Since Gasworks NYC is a shared studio space, Zackin mostly gossips with friends while creating. Many artists lock themselves away in the studio, toiling away alone, but he prefers the energy of having people there to interact with while he works.
“We also listen to Lower Dens, Stevie Wonder and whatever someone who connects to the Bluetooth speaker starts playing,” he shared. “Sometimes people sing.”
Staring at Zackin’s finished ceramics, I get a sort of Will Vinton claymation vibe, with characters that seem to bubble up and come to life from their clay origins. Sometimes they feature a muppet-like face and arms, or a cup with kind features and large ears.
When asked how he comes up with daily ideas, Zackin said, “Using other people’s leftovers as a starting point allows me to make a lot of work really quickly and not feel too precious about each piece.”
The process, he revealed, becomes much easier after a couple of hits.
