Category Archives: fungi
We support accurate labeling of mushroom products
Two major mushroom product makers are at odds over what can be labeled as real mushroom products, and we have thoughts. NAMMEX wants the FDA to regulate the word “mushroom” in products to mean the full mature mushrooms depicted on their labels and in centuries of cultural use. Host Defense’s Paul Stamets wants his lab-grown mycelium to be labeled as the fully grown mushrooms depicted on his labels. As a mushroom extract maker who uses fully grown mature mushrooms, Half Hill Farm supports accurate labeling of mushroom products.
—
Recently, mushroom product maker NAMMEX filed a regulatory request with the FDA seeking clarity in mushroom supplements industry labeling.
At issue are major brands that make “mushroom” products from lab-grown sheets of mycelium cheaply propagated in a matter of days on rice or grain substrate. Once the substrate is myceliated, it is then dried, and extracted or encapsulated and labeled as made from the mature mushrooms often depicted on the label. These products unfortunately often contain the actual grain substrate in the product and are consumed by the purchaser. Some companies, like Host Defense, accurately include “rice” or “grain” in their ingredients because of this. Some don’t. Either way, the shorter and cheaper process certainly makes for more profit.
It is no surprise that some brands that make products from mycelium are upset with NAMMEX and have issued a statement opposing their effort. One statement, led by Host Defense’s Paul Stamets, argues that his company and other major brands should be able to label their mycelium products as “mushrooms” because mushrooms are made of the mycelium he uses to create his products. You can read his statement here.
At the same time this regulatory request for clarity is being made by a mushroom product maker, the poultry industry, in a bit of irony, won FDA approval allowing them to label lab-grown cultured cells as “chicken.” While science can definitively conclude a petri dish of cultured cells is indeed cultured from real chicken (just as mycologists can determine mycelium is cultured from real mushrooms), a plate of lab-grown cells is not the same as the real thing.
Here at Half Hill Farm, our mushroom extracts use the fully mature mushrooms pictured on our labels that take months to cultivate. Mature mushrooms experience months of growth and controlled conditions to produce the full spectrum of compounds that are extracted. The distinction between mushroom extracts and mycelium extracts set us apart from many major brands and is important to us.
Mushrooms have evolved to survive millions of years of changing conditions to be the oldest living thing on our planet. The result of that evolutionary outcome is eons of wisdom in the form of the full fruited body of the mushroom itself that we should respect and revere with proper labeling.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Take 15% off your purchase of our mushroom dual extracts using coupon code 4PACK at checkout when you purchase four or more 200ml bottles in any combination.
Get 15% off our Turkey Tail Mushroom Dual Extract
TURKEY TAIL MUSHROOMS: Get 15% off when you buy four or more 200ml bottles of our mushroom dual extracts in any combination using code “4PACK” at https://store.halfhillfarm.com - all orders over $150 ship for FREE.
We’ve been making and using our mushroom dual extracts for over 10 years. Our mushroom dual extracts are made with all organic and responsibly wildcrafted ingredients in several stages through a 45 day extraction process. We only use the full fruited mushroom body in our extracts.
Mushrooms have been used for centuries for wellness and evolved through every imaginable condition to become one of the oldest life forms on the planet. Tap into the wisdom of the ages with our Turkey Tail, Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Red Reishi, Cordyceps, and Five Blend mushroom dual extracts.
Lion’s Mane mushroom extract improves brain cell growth
A new study in the January 2023 Journal of Neurochemistry shows unique compounds in Lion’s Mane mushroom extract boost memory by boosting nerve growth.
The study identified two bioactive compounds, N-de phenylethyl isohericerin and Hericene A, that appear to regulate the growth of neurons that improve memory.
The extracts had a “clear neurotrophic effect,” they write, resulting in doubly long axons – the threadlike links that conduct impulses away from a neuron – and more than triple the number of neurites, or small projections from a neuron that can grow into fully functional axons or dendrites.
“Laboratory tests measured the neurotrophic effects of compounds isolated from Hericium erinaceus on cultured brain cells, and surprisingly we found that the active compounds promote neuron projections, extending and connecting to other neurons,” Meunier says.
Researchers describe the compounds present in Lion’s Mane mushrooms as potent memory enhancers that may provide hope for natural memory enhancement for an aging population. Read more from University of Queensland researchers.
Five Mushrooms Liquid Dual Extract Blend from Half Hill Farm
Over the years, many of you requested a mushroom extract that blended what you love the most about each of our liquid mushroom dual extracts. And for years we’ve encouraged customers to blend the extracts they love the most in any combination.
As I turn 50 later this year, I feel better than I ever have in my life. Aside from good diet and exercise, taking our liquid mushroom extracts daily for years is my only “secret.” After enjoying a test blend of all five of our mushroom dual extracts daily, I have a new favorite that we are ready to share with you!
Introducing Half Hill Farm’s Five Mushrooms – a mushroom dual extract blend of USDA certified organic and wildcrafted Turkey Tail, Red Reishi, Chaga, Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps mushrooms. This extract combines the unique myco-nutrients of five mushrooms used for centuries to support good health.
Now available through our online store and at our farm’s stores below:
- Wellness Emporium of Woodbury Tuesday -Friday 10am – 6pm and Saturday – Monday 10am – 4pm CT: 110 W High Street, Woodbury, TN 37190
- Wellness Emporium of Bell Buckle Friday, Saturday 10am – 4pm, Sunday 12pm – 4pm, Monday 10am – 4pm, closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 13 Webb Rd. E Bell Buckle, TN 37020
- Wellness Emporium of Murfreesboro Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm, Sundays 10am – 4pm: 2136 Middle Tennessee BLVD Mufreesboro, TN 37130
Half Hill Farm’s Mushroom Dual Extracts – new packaging, same quality and care!
MUSHROOM EXTRACTS: When we created our farm’s popular mushroom dual extracts several years ago, we started by sparing no expense on quality because we created it for a very special member of our family battling cancer. Today, that same focus on quality and care is the reason we’ve grown into what we are today, and we will never forget that!
In a couple weeks, you’ll start seeing our new mushroom extracts packaging that will help customers see and pour the product better. It’s the exact same product made by the same people you love and trust with all the same high quality ingredients our friends and loved ones deserve.
Thank you for trusting us to help keep you on the path to better health and well being!
Purchase Half Hill Farm’s Mushroom Dual Extracts online and save 15% when you buy 4 or more 200ml bottles in any combination using coupon code “4pack.” Save 10% anytime with the one time use code “intro10.”
- Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract – 100ml (3.38oz) / 200ML (6.76oz)
- Red Reishi Mushroom Extract - 100ml (3.38oz) / 200ML (6.76oz)
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract - 100ml (3.38oz) / 200ML (6.76oz)
- Chaga Mushroom Extract - 100ml (3.38oz) / 200ML (6.76oz)
- Cordyceps Mushroom Extract - 100ml (3.38oz) / 200ML (6.76oz)
Read more on Half Hill Farm’s mushroom dual extracts:
- Turkey Tail Mushroom and our personal fight against cancer
- ‘You saved my daughter’s life!’ – the healing power of mushrooms
- What our customers are saying about our mushroom extracts
- Nature’s Remedy: Chaga mushroom dual extract
- The Health Benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract
- Nature’s Remedy: Organic Red Reishi Mushroom Dual Extract
- The health benefits of Cordyceps Militaris mushrooms
Please consult your doctor if taking any of our products for health reasons. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
The health benefits of Cordyceps Militaris mushrooms
Our farm’s journey with the power of mushrooms started with a family illness and continues to bring healing to many friends and customers. That’s why we’re pleased to announce the addition of Cordyceps Militaris to our farm’s line of mushroom extracts!
Cordyceps are a dietary therapeutic mushroom that’s been used for centuries to improve the immune system and boost energy levels. Cordyceps were first used in the mountains of Tibet thousands of years ago as a remedy for fatigue and recovery from illness. The mushroom grows naturally on a caterpillar at elevations of 12,000 feet above sea level in China and throughout the world.
The addition of Cordyceps comes after years of listening to and observing the needs of customers who regularly use our mushroom extracts for better health and well being. Half Hill Farm also makes Red Reishi, Chaga, Turkey Tail and Lion’s Mane mushroom extracts.
Benefits of Cordyceps Mushroom extracts*:
- Reduces inflammation & oxidative stress
- Helps recovery from illness and exercise
- Enhances liver & lung function
- Improves tolerance of chemotherapy and radiation
- Reduces tumor development
- Improves sex drive
Studies show many benefits to using codyceps mushroom extracts including a reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress, the leading causes of most disease. This makes cordyceps, along with chaga mushrooms, a good anti-aging and recovery supplement.
Athletes use cordyceps for recovery and performance as studies show the mushroom’s adenosine levels help increase the body’s supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is a primary source of energy during physical activity. Cordyceps also increase the body’s natural production of nitric oxide optimizing oxygen absorption and improving lung and liver function.
Cordyceps militaris produces cordycepin, a bioactive compound with antitumor activity in various cancers. The mushroom’s polysaccharides help support patients in the treatment of cancers and also contains 18 essential amino acids, vitamins E, K, B1, B2 and B12, sterols and antioxidants superoxide dismutase and glutathione.
You can purchase our farm’s Cordyceps Mushroom Extract online or at our store in Woodbury and the Wellness Emporium of Bell Buckle.
Studies on potential uses of Cordyceps Militaris mushrooms:
- Cordyceps militaris Extract Protects Human Dermal Fibroblasts against Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis and Premature Senescence – Nutrients – 2014
- Extract of Cordyceps militaris inhibits angiogenesis and suppresses tumor growth of human malignant melanoma cells – International Journal of Oncology – 2014
- The methanolic extract of Cordyceps militaris (L.) Link fruiting body shows antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal and antihuman tumor cell lines properties – Food and Chemical Toxology – Dec 2013
- Anti-inflammatory Cerebrosides from Cultivated Cordyceps militaris – Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry – 2016
- Cordycepin from Hot Water Extract of Cordyceps militaris Induce Apoptosis in Human Non-Small Lung Carcinoma upon Activation of A3 Adenosine Receptors – Jan 2014
- A novel protein from edible fungi Cordyceps militaris that induces apoptosis – Journal of Food and Drug Analysis – Jan 2018
- Anticancer Efficacy of Cordyceps militaris Ethanol Extract in a Xenografted Leukemia Model - Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine – 2017
- Anti-cancer effect of Cordyceps militaris in human colorectal carcinoma RKO cells via cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial apoptosis – DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences – 2015
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
3rd Annual ‘Feed the Bees’ Sunflower giveaway
Stop by our stores Saturday April 14 in Woodbury, TN (map) or in Bell Buckle (a registered Bee City USA participant) at the Wellness Emporium (map) and pick up a free organic sunflower from Half Hill Farm!
Each sunflower that made it through the Spring frost will grow between 7-12 feet tall and was inoculated with mycorrhizal fungi to network your garden with a little Earth magic. This is our third year sharing our sunflowers as part of our farm’s commitment to spreading sanctuary for native solitary and honey bees. Our sunflowers are available with every purchase while they last.
Save the bees – diversity is key: You may not realize it, but there are several varieties of native bees that each have their own specialty when it comes to pollinating the landscape. Planting a variety of flowering plants is the best way to attract them, and hosting them in bee condos is a great way to encourage them to come back year after year. Solitary bee condos are also a great way to educate children and neighbors to respect the fragility and diversity of bees without the worries or hassle of keeping a hive of honey bees.
- Excellent Solitary Bee condo instructions with illustrations (Randy Person)
- Solitary bee condo design inspiration (Google image search)
Discover the diversity of native bees:
1. Macropis nuda. 2. Agapostemon texanus. US sweat bee 3. Peponapis pruinosa. Squash & gourd bees 4. Bombus impatiens. The Impatient Bumble Bee 5. Osmia lignaria. The Blue Orchard Bee 6. Hylaeus sp. 7. Habropoda laboriosa. The Southeastern Blueberry Bee 8. Xylocopa varipuncta. The Valley Carpenter Bee 9. Bombus morrisoni. Morisson’s bumble bee |
10. Perdita minima. 11. Xylocopa virginica. Eastern Carpenter Bee 12. Bombus vosnessenskii. 13. Bombus affinis. 14. Megachile sp. Leafcutter bees 15. Andrena cornelli. Miner bees 16. Anthophora centriformis. Digger bees, or anthophorids 17. Nomada sp. The Wandering Cuckoo Bee 18. Augochorella pomoniella. Sweat bees |
The health benefits of Lion’s Mane mushroom extract
Half Hill Farm’s Lion’s Mane Mushroom Dual Extract
Over the past couple years we’ve grown a lot by listening and learning from our customers and following the latest research. After expanding into a new inspected kitchen earlier this year, we added Chaga mushroom and propolis extracts. Today, we are proud to add the power of certified organic Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) mushrooms to our Nature’s Remedy line of mushroom extracts!
Adding this healing edible and medicinal mushroom to our mushroom extracts gives you another natural alternative approach to better health and well being. Our Lion’s Mane extract can be used with our other mushroom extracts or as an adjunct therapy in consultation with your doctor.
Uses for Lion’s Mane extract: Half Hill Farm’s Lion’s Mane Mushroom Dual Extract combines extractions of both water and alcohol soluble compounds using certified organic ingredients in a formulation widely used by ethnobotanists and scientists in lab studies. Recent studies show cyanthane derivative triterpenes hericenones and erinacines from Lion’s Mane are unique classes of Nerve Growth Factors (NGFs) that show significant neuroprotective effects, stimulating nerve regeneration and re-myelination of neurons and helping improve memory and brain function.
Lion’s Mane mushrooms have also been used for over 2,000 years in Chinese medicine for digestive diseases. Studies linked below show extracts of Lion’s Mane mushrooms are active against ulcerative colitis, Irritable Bowel Disease, pancreatitis, Crohn’s Disease and gastrointestinal cancers (liver, colon, gastric). Unique compounds of Lion’s Mane mushrooms (palmitic acid, threitol and D-arabinitol) also help reduce blood sugar and regulate lipid levels in blood.
Recent studies on Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) mushrooms:
- Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial – Phytotherapy Research – March 2009
- Hericium erinaceus, a medicinal mushroom, activates peripheral nerve regeneration – Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine – October 2016
- Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake – Biomedical Research – August 2010
- Anticancer potential of Hericium erinaceus extracts against human gastrointestinal cancers – Journal of Ethnopharmacology – April 2014
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ethanol Extract of Lion’s Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes), in Mice with Ulcerative Colitis – International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms – 2016
- Anti-Gastric Ulcer Activity of Polysaccharide Fraction Isolated from Mycelium Culture of Lion’s Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) – International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms – 2015
- Hericium erinaceus enhances doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells – Cancer Letters – November 2010
- Chemistry, Nutrition, and Health-Promoting Properties of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) Mushroom Fruiting Bodies and Mycelia and Their Bioactive Compounds – Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry – August 2015
- Isolation and identification of aromatic compounds in Lion’s Mane Mushroom and their anticancer activities – Food Chemistry – March 2015
- Hericium erinaceus: an edible mushroom with medicinal values – Journal of Complementary & Integrative Medicine – May 2013
- Mechanism of Hericium erinaceus (Yamabushitake) mushroom-induced apoptosis of U937 human monocytic leukemia cells – Food & Function – June 2011
- High molecular weight of polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus against amyloid beta-induced neurotoxicity – BMC Complementary & alternative Medicine – June 2016
- Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) mushroom extracts inhibit metastasis of cancer cells to the lung in CT-26 colon cancer-transplanted mice – Journal of Agriculture & Food Chemistry – May 2013
Please consult your physician before using any of our products for health purposes. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
‘You saved my daughter’s life!’ – the healing power of mushrooms
A ‘cloud’ of Turkey Tail mushrooms (Trametes Versicolor) on logs at Half Hill Farm
A few months ago, I got a call from a customer who was looking for what I thought was an adjunct therapy for his daughter in treatment for brain cancer. His own research made him hopeful that our Turkey Tail extract could help. It wasn’t until a couple months later that I discovered on a second call the full extent of what was going on.
“I want you to know you saved my daughter’s life,” the customer told me. It’s something I hear often from customers, from ecstatic calls of people now in remission to those experiencing little to no side effects to chemo or radiation (most common) and positive changes in blood tests, but when he told me his daughter had been in hospice, I was shocked.
It is certainly not a common experience for patients to go from hospice back to treatment options, but it’s stories like this that give what we do meaning and purpose. It’s stories like this that are why we have grown into an FDA-registered manufacturing space and why we continue to expand our product offerings to include nature’s very best organically grown and wildcrafted mushroom extracts.
We are humbled every day with your phone calls and emails. While the body of research on mushrooms is growing, we know we cannot market our extracts or products as a treatment, cure or prevention of any disease, but that doesn’t stop our customers from sharing their stories. It has presented a unique challenge over the past two years as to how we present those stories to you in a responsible way.
Mushroom Dual Extracts available in 100 ml (3.38 oz) or 200 ml (6.76 oz) bottles from Half Hill Farm:
If you are one of the hundreds of customers across the country who take our extracts, we would love to hear why you take them and what you are experiencing. Your experience could help someone follow you on a path toward better health and well-being. You can leave your comment here, or leave a review on the product pages of our online store.