Ben The Hobby Grower
One of the things I’ve always loved is meeting people and learning about their stories—it’s been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember. While Fresh Cut Flowers has mainly focused on sharing the stories of Aussies, it’s important to look beyond our own shores. Since stepping into the cannabis space, my network has grown exponentially, and with my recent passion for live rosin, I came across Ben Owens, the Hobby Grower. Earlier this year, I reached out to Ben to learn more about Hash and his writing, and from that moment, a connection was formed. It only felt right to reconnect with Ben now and share his story.
Ben was born and raised in the USA, growing up in a conservative Christian household where the message was clear: drugs were bad, and underage drinking was off-limits. His perspective began to shift in high school, though, when he encountered an article in the school paper debating the pros and cons of cannabis legalisation. This open conversation sparked something in him—it showed that he could have a voice about important topics. Curious and rebellious, Ben dove headfirst into learning about cannabis. Back then, it wasn’t so much about the cause as it was about exploring a new perspective.
Despite his curiosity, Ben didn’t try cannabis until college. When he finally tried it, the experience didn’t immediately resonate—it took a few tries before he felt the effects. Over time, cannabis became a meaningful part of Ben’s life. It introduced him to a community of like-minded people who shared his thoughts on life, frustrations with the government, and a belief in cannabis as a unifying force. While drinking in college also fostered connections, cannabis had a unique way of overlapping with deeper shared interests and values, creating a stronger sense of community.
Like many young adults navigating their identity, Ben faced challenges when his parents discovered his cannabis use. His mum stumbled upon a Facebook chat filled with stories of his high adventures—exactly the kind of thing no parent wants to read. The fallout was swift, with fears that cannabis would derail his life. They imagined worst-case scenarios: dropping grades, dealing, and growing to support a habit. But Ben reassured them that he was simply smoking and had no interest in the heavier side of the cannabis world. Ironically, life had other plans.
Instagram: cannabenoid
After earning his bachelor’s degree and starting graduate studies in marketing, Ben decided to carve out a different path. The emerging cannabis industry was full of opportunities, and Ben saw a future for himself in it. To pursue this dream, he moved to Colorado, where legalisation opened doors he couldn’t access in his home state. There, he launched CannaVenture®, a groundbreaking initiative combining music, hikes, and campouts—all cannabis-friendly. These private events not only became a turning point in Ben’s career but also cemented his place in the cannabis community, sparking his passion for writing and education.
Ben’s relationship with his parents also began to shift over time. While they didn’t initially embrace his career path, their objections faded as they saw his work flourish. His parents’ stability and support allowed him the freedom to take risks and pursue a less conventional path—a balance Ben deeply appreciates. They may not fully approve, but they’ve come to accept his journey, lifting a weight from any child’s shoulders.
Credit: Jim Berry
Today, Ben is living the life he dreamed of. Though he once swore to his parents he’d never grow cannabis, he now helps thousands of people start their first hobby grow. From calculating costs and choosing the right tools to pressing rosin and mastering cultivation, Ben shares his expertise through articles and guides. His passion for the plant and dedication to educating others is inspiring.
Meeting people like Ben reminds me why I love what I do. Each conversation teaches me more about cannabis and the incredible ways it shapes lives. Ben’s journey is proof that when you follow your passion and stay true to yourself, you can create a life that’s both meaningful and fulfilling. I can’t wait to keep connecting with people like him and sharing their stories.
Make sure you head over to his Substack to learn everything cannabis: https://benowens.substack.com/
High Aspirations: Zac’s Journey with Cannabis.
I've been watching the cannabis space evolve on various social platforms over the years, primarily through overseas creators. These creators often showcase who they are, and their interests, and blend this with the subtleties of cannabis use. I appreciate this approach—it doesn’t carry that full "stoner" vibe, though I do enjoy watching big bong rips and fat dabs. What I enjoy most is content where I can learn, connect with the creator’s personality, and see them openly express their passion for the plant.
In Australia, we don’t see this as much—the idea of a creator running, surfing, eating or walking dogs, then showing themselves with a joint before their activity, or taking a gummy and heading to a public space to interact with people. A few do embrace this approach. Ivan Uzi for instance, a hip-hop creator, went viral for his incredible cooking while subtly acknowledging his cannabis consumption at the start of his clips over at @yungcookgod_. Through my endless doom-scrolling, I came across Zac Attack, a guy living in the heart of Melbourne who reviews food and enjoys cannabis. I knew I had to reach out to him and learn more about his story.
When I hit up Zac, his enthusiasm practically jumped through the DM. Our conversation brought out a familiar yet unique story, which I feel will be a running theme with most people I meet in this space. Zac is a young actor and DJ living in Melbourne’s CBD. His enthusiasm for life, trying new things, and making the most of every moment is refreshing. Originally from regional Victoria, Zac admits cannabis wasn't a common topic; in rural communities, it's often harder to find, and there’s always the risk of being labelled as "the stoner" in the family. Trying it at a few parties, he liked it, but the thought of getting caught driving with cannabis could be detrimental to his career and livelihood.
Zac moved to Melbourne just after COVID hit, and having mates nearby allowed them to catch up and hang out. This was when Zac began consuming cannabis more frequently with friends. He admits he didn’t feel much at first—he even jokes about hitting eight cones and not feeling a thing but still managing to demolish a bag of Skittles, I suspect something was going on aha! As he experimented more, Zac also began researching cannabis—its effects, the culture in the States, and the openness some of his favourite music artists had around cannabis. With all this new knowledge and mindful consumption, Zac found he enjoyed cannabis. It led him to drink less, be more creative with his videos, and generally like who he was becoming. Cannabis became a tool that allowed him to live more consciously and positively.
Over time, Zac decided he wanted to be open with his parents about his cannabis use and become more visible about it on Instagram. Preparing himself, he spoke with his mum first, who was open-minded and understanding, though she advised him to hold off on telling his father. But Zac, fearless in his approach, wasn’t worried about judgment—he simply wanted to reassure them this wasn’t a phase or something that would derail his life. He’d done his research, was speaking to a doctor, and saw this as a positive aspect of his life. His honesty was well-received, with only a few concerns, but nothing that strained their relationship.
Zac knows not everyone sees cannabis as we do, but he wanted to be an ambassador for the culture. Being new to Melbourne and finally out of lockdown, he decided to showcase his love for cannabis and Melbourne’s food scene. For fans of Action Bronson and his series “F*ck That’s Delicious”, this type of engagement is always a hit in the cannabis community. Zac is unique, unafraid of judgment, and authentically himself, which has helped him grow a following from his weekly videos. It goes to show that when you set aside what others "might" think of you, you often find a community that respects and appreciates you. I believe the cannabis community embodies that spirit: if you’re authentic, you’ll earn respect.
In my chat with Zac, what struck me most was his pure passion for following his dreams on his terms. He’s actively working to remove the stigma around cannabis while pursuing his goals in acting and DJ’ing, all while balancing a day job. I look forward to heading to Melbourne, grabbing a bite with Zac, and sparking up. I can’t wait to see where he ends up, but I’m confident that whatever he achieves, it’s because he’s following his own path.
Be sure to give Zac a follow and watch the content he creates, this kid is going places!! @Zacattack.007
@S.trewth Grow Tall, Yield for All
@s.trewth is capturing the Australian cannabis culture one art piece at a time. Read through to learn why and how cannabis became a part of who he is.
When I started talking to @s.trewth, I was blown away by his Instagram account; his style stood out to me. It showed there was passion. The level of detail and structure of the bud resembles what we all look at so intently, gazing at the frostiness, the colours from purple, orange and the many shades of green. @s.trewth has been able to capture cannabis in his own way and describes each piece in hopes that it inspires someone else. I could tell there was passion in this guy, so I asked if he would like to be my first written piece.
For privacy, @s.trewth has asked me not to reveal his identity.
@s.trewth’ has a very familiar story I’ve heard before from friends alike, having gone to a super conservative school where none of his friends or people he knew had been exposed to cannabis. It wasn’t until he moved to a neighbouring school that had a better arts program, in a different area that cannabis was a normal part of conversation. This changed his perception of many things and was grateful for the change. He jokes with his parents now saying “I only moved to that school to get pot”, obviously ‘Higher’ education has always been a priority.
In his teenage years, @s.trewth was to discover cannabis and experience it for the first time. With this newfound medium that was cannabis, he felt he couldn't communicate with his parents and many peers about his consumption, having to hide it from them, for fear of judgment. It wasn’t until later in life his parents became more transparent and, like most of us, had a fun uncle who knew quite a bit about the ole devils’ lettuce. I feel I would get along with @s.trewth’s uncles, aha!
It’s refreshing to hear that @s.trewth has always been aware of his relationship with cannabis, being a regular consumer, but his perception about engaging with cannabis was not always one of pride like today. At first, he felt shameful and embarrassed about his relationship with cannabis, fearful of what others might think. That attachment of being a stoner and lazy. It was during his time at university that the shroud of stereotypical stoner stereotypes was lifted, and he began to gain a sense of pride in the way cannabis enabled him to create and focus on his work. The long, stressful nights finishing assignments would often be eased, and cannabis helped in finding a creative flow. He started to remove that stigma that he had put on himself and began to be proud of the work he was doing. Becoming the best version of himself and cannabis was a part of creating @s.trewths identity.
Catalysts for change can come from many places and for @s.trewth it came during covid. Between him and his partner, they started a veggie patch; this was where he started to grow nature's gift. At the time for @s.trewth, there were struggles in life but as one slows down and takes the time to watch something grow it's like looking in a mirror. You need to look after yourself, give yourself the right nutrients, the right amount of sunlight, and a good amount of rest. Looking after his plants made him look after himself. Once he started growing like many people who have grown cannabis, it was mesmerising for him, the colours, shapes and smells of cannabis. This was his inspiration to draw these magnificent plants with aspirations to create biological studies like Robert Clarke, looking to bring back this unique style of drawing that was once so prominent back in the day.
@s.trewth and I continued talking for an hour on all things cannabis but one thing shined so bright. He truly believes in this plant. For him the effects of cannabis are a side effect; so much of his life has been guided by cannabis and it’s led him to a place where he has been able to create a community and be a part of the Australian cannabis culture. @s.trewth, like myself, is blown away by the support from the cannabis community. It's amazing to see him capture the moment and bring it to life. I for one look forward to catching up in person and mulling up with a like-minded individual, and to continue this conversation and learn more about him. Be sure to follow his page (which is linked in his name) and have a look at his online store. He captures cannabis that makes you want to hang it on the wall to show off to friends and family.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time talking to @s.trewth, and I hope this piece gave you insight into a fellow Australian looking to remove stigma with passion in the form of art.
So Why Cannabis…
Welcome to my story about cannabis and why.
Growing up, drugs were bad. Having gone to a Christian school there was no way around this idea and it definitely wasn’t up for discussion. To be fair they weren’t wrong either, I’m glad I was educated about what dangers can lay with substance abuse, and addiction and what can happen when you go down that path. However being so young I couldn’t really form my own opinion, the graphics were confronting and I didn’t want to end up like that. But there was no discussion, no knowledge of all “drugs” and alcohol wasn’t in the conversation either. So as a 13-year-old what else do you do besides daydreaming and wanting this class to end…..
My name is Harry Baird, I’ve been wanting to write about my experience with cannabis for a while now and after many years of back and forth, I thought fuck it, let’s write and see what happens. I also got the push from a dear friend of mine, so here’s to you Bee!
So why cannabis??
I could write a super long story and dive so deep it would end up being too long of a read so here’s the short of it, my first time trying cannabis. I was 17 at Flaggy Skatepark on a Wednesday night. The usual crew is there where 15-20 people skating, playing loud music, drinking piss and having a sick time with friends. I was sitting on the ledge watching when Westy passed me a joint. Having never smoked before I was semi hesitant. I turned to my friend Nick and asked if he could drive home which he happily agreed. I took my first puff, I took my second puff and as the song goes I passed it on. I sat on it for a moment, intrigued, slowly understanding what feelings and sensations came through. It was nice, everything was funny, I was in awe of my friend’s talents at skating and I didn’t move for over an hour, just enjoying the present moment. Plus I felt as if I couldn’t move anyways aha.
I didn’t think that night would change where my life would ultimately lead to, but upon reflecting it did. Enjoyment comes to mind when I think of that night, I wasn’t pressured to smoke or to continue smoking. I felt safe and I couldn’t stop laughing but my mates are funny anyway so it just enhanced the moment. Now before I continue I have to state not everyone has the experience, this was just mine and maybe I’m one of the lucky ones to have a good experience. I think this experience led to me wanting to find out more about cannabis. Why was it so frowned upon, what was the history, is all cannabis like this and how did we end up with this perception of cannabis yet so many people still used it? Questions I didn’t know but would eventually find out.
Now to keep this first blog short I’ll finish with why cannabis is so important to me. Cannabis showed me that what we were told about this particular “drug” is wrong, some aspects are correct depending on the person you are but for me, I felt I had been lied to. As the years went on and the environments I was in led me to more people who consumed who were successful from athletes, CEOs, business owners, tradies, accountants, mums and dads, every kind of person over my years of travelling some of them consumed cannabis, but did so in the shadows. To make sure they weren’t perceived as a low life, a bum or loser stoner. For me, cannabis became something I felt I could be a part of something that allowed me to be me without judgment from those who knew. There was also a side “fuck you” to the authorities, a sense of rebellion that I enjoyed too. So my why is because cannabis is more than a substance, more than just getting high. It was and still is a way to connect with people, make friends, educate, medicate, and most of all be me.
If you like this style of short writing from the grey matter in between my ears, follow for more. I’m looking to do more with this platform and see where it leads me, like most stuff in life I have done. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!
With love hb.