LIMITED RELEASE: Get a taste of Summer in our new limited release Blueberry Juniper Sage – on tap for 64 oz growler fills! This probiotic kefir soda is made with all organic whole ingredients for a lightly sweet taste with mild earthy pine & mint undertones.
Did you know the Cannon County Food Bank doesn’t receive any state or federal money or grants to feed county residents in need? They rely solely on the donations of individuals, businesses and surrounding churches. Cannon County has a 35% participation rate among those eligible through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The rest rely on donations and programs like our local Food Bank.
While President Trump’s cuts to Second Harvest Food Bank (affecting local church food distribution) and proposed cuts to SNAP (currently being voted on by Congress) won’t directly affect our Food Bank, it will indirectly drive many participants to rely more heavily on local donations through the Food Bank.
Because of recent state and federal cuts to assistance for those in need, our food bank is seeing an uptick in need and have asked us to be an official year-round food bank drop-off point.
Last Fall, Wellness Emporium – Woodbury customers stepped up in a big way donating hundreds of pounds of food to the Food Bank. We are open seven days a week and are located just one block down the road from the food bank, which is open three days a week for a couple hours a day. Being an official drop off point gives the public a place to drop off donated food items seven days a week.
Whether you support cuts to assistance programs or not, this is an opportunity to meet a need and show what moving this cost and responsibility to local residents, churches, and businesses looks like. We hope you join us in meeting this challenge for the better health & well-being of our community!
HONEYSUCKLE OMG: Y’all!!!!!!!! We cannot believe how many folks came yesterday for the Honeysuckle Kefir on tap! Thank you for all the love of this gut-healthy soda alternative, especially to those superfans who drove hours to Woodbury, TN for this special taste of Spring!
We made twice as much Honeysuckle Kefir as last year and still almost sold out in 24 hours. We think we have enough to last maybe today, so get this season’s most anticipated limited release while you can Friday – exclusively at Wellness Emporium – Woodbury! We will be closed for Memorial Day.
HONEYSUCKLE KEFIR: This ephemeral taste of Spring in now on tap! Get a growler of this annual favorite for the Memorial Day weekend exclusively at Wellness Emporium – Woodbury!
This craft seasonal is made with the essence of locally harvested honeysuckle flowers. While it is the most popular seasonal kefir we make, it is also the rarest. We are limiting growler fills to 2 per customer with special limited release pricing on tap while it lasts for growler fills ($12 refill | $17 new) and 14oz bottle and cup fills ($3 refill | $4 new).
Our kombuchas and kefirs are the perfect gut-healthy soda alternative, and they’re made right here in Woodbury, TN USA! New growlers (64 oz jugs) of our regular flavors are $15 full, and you bring them back for $10 refills. Get a free sample of our limited release Honeysuckle Kefir and all the regular flavors of our kombucha and kefir on tap: Tart Cherry, Apple Ginger, Ginger Lemonade, Raw, Grapefruit, Ginger Beet, Ginger Turmeric, Elderberry, Pineapple, and Cranberry Orange – exclusively at Wellness Emporium – Woodbury!
AMERICAN-MADE WELLNESS: Get an automatic 20% off Half Hill Farm® mushroom dual extracts online and in our retail store Wellness Emporium – Woodbury May 8-10!
This surprise flash sale is part of our American-Made Wellness campaign featuring deals on American-made health & wellness products we’ve curated over the past 10 years at Wellness Emporium here in Woodbury, TN USA.
This 20% discount is an automatic discount and will apply to online orders of our mushroom dual extracts on Half Hill Farm’s website only (does not include Amazon): https://store.halfhillfarm.com
SHIPPING: All orders of Half Hill Farm products ship within 24 hours (except for weekends and holidays), and all orders of Half Hill Farm products over $150 ship for FREE!
WELLNESS ONLINE: Did you know your favorite mushroom dual extract maker also has a retail store located in Woodbury, TN USA? It’s called the Wellness Emporium – Woodbury, and later this year our store turns 10 years old! In that time, we’ve curated the very best quality supplement brands of products that get great results for our customers.
We are now sharing some of our top supplement picks with you on our website! Many of these products work synergistically with mushrooms, and many use some of the same mushrooms as ingredients!
You can now shop our top supplements for better heath & well-being online: https://store.halfhillfarm.com
So Far, we’ve added some of the best picks from Ancient Nutrition, Life Extension, ProHealth, Wiley’s Finest, Wild Foods, Cave Pets, and PlantFusion! Check out our online store as we add more items!
Chaga mushrooms (Inonotus obliquus) have been widely studied for their anti-tumor effects on many types of cancers (lung, liver, breast, colorectal). A recent study confirms Chaga mushroom extracts suppress oral cancer as well.
The study, supported by the National Research Foundation, suggests Chaga mushroom extracts are a promising natural supplement for the treatment of oral cancer. While the exact mechanism requires more research, the study indicates Chaga mushroom extract slows oral cancer cell growth by suppressing the cancer cell’s energy metabolism.
Several studies have shown the antitumor effects of Chaga mushrooms against various cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma, breast cancer, liver carcinoma, and colorectal cancer6,7,10,31. Chaga mushroom extract inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells by inducing autophagy processes6. Chaga mushroom constituents exhibit cytotoxic and proapoptotic activities in human lung cancer cells7. In addition, Chaga mushroom-derived ergosterol peroxide suppresses proliferation of colorectal cancer cells through down-regulation of β-catenin signaling10. Similarly, we demonstrated that Chaga mushroom extract decreases the proliferation of oral cancer cells by modulating cancer energy metabolism and autophagy. Furthermore, we have shown the anti-tumor effect of this extract in oral cancer cells through regulation of several cell signal pathways, including AMPK, STAT3, p38 MAPK, and NF-κB. This study, for the first time, found that Chaga mushroom extract suppresses oral cancer cell progression by inhibiting glycolysis and mitochondrial membrane potential.
Mature mushrooms vs mycelium: A 2024 up-dated summary of scientific findings outlines Chaga’s notable anticancer, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulating properties. The summary suggests extracted compounds from fully mature Chaga mushrooms have more direct impact on cancer than compounds from Chaga mycelium.
While polysaccharides from Chaga mycelium work by triggering the immune system, those from Chaga sclerotium directly block protein synthesis in malignant cells. These extracts and extracted compounds have shown to be non-toxic and have been used as possible cancer-preventive and chemotherapy substitutes. Endopolysaccharides from the mycelium operate indirectly by stimulating the immune system, whereas heteropolysaccharides and homoglucans from the sterile conk have direct anticancer effects [92].
How to consume: Chaga mushrooms don’t look like most mushrooms. Mature Chaga mushrooms are sclerotium fungi that infect birch trees in a symbiotic relationship that forms large woody conks. While you can consume these with some effort, the best way to tap into Chaga mushroom’s nutritive and medicinal value is to use an extract like those used in scientific studies.
A wonderful article from the Cleveland Clinic outlines five health benefits of Lion’s Mane Mushrooms (hericium erinaceus). It’s kind of rare to find them fresh at a farmer’s market to eat raw, but you can also get them in a supplement form.
Definitely the cooler cousin in the fungi family (move over button and shitake), lion’s mane mushrooms (hericium erinaceus for the scientific set) have a long history in traditional Chinese medicine and in Native American healing practices. And because of the impressive benefits they may have to offer the mind and body, lion’s mane mushrooms have become increasingly popular.
“People are looking for alternatives for things before they go on medications,” says registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD. “It’s in this holistic attitude that we find food is medicine.”
If you cannot find fresh Lion’s Mane to eat as a whole food, we suggest making sure the supplement you choose is from a brand you trust and made with 100% fully mature mushrooms, not quickly and cheaply grown mycelium on grain or other substrate. Some brands hide this cheaper method by using an image of the mature mushroom on their label while the ingredients clearly state the product you are consuming is powdered “mycelium” encapsulated with the growing substrates “rice” or “grain.”
Here are the highlighted health benefits of Lion’s Mane mushrooms from the article:
TURKEY TAIL MUSHROOMS: (Trametes versicolor – pictured here growing at Half Hill Farm® in Woodbury, TN) have been used for centuries for better health & well-being with modern science validating its substantial health benefits.
Immunity – Turkey Tail mushrooms are used mostly for its immune-boosting polysaccharides (polysaccharide K and polysaccharide peptide) that enhance the immune functions of white blood cells. Polysaccharide K improves survival rates of patients with certain types of cancer when used as an adjunct therapy by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and enhancing the body’s ability to fight cancer.Gut-Health – The natural prebiotics found in turkey tail mushrooms help nourish beneficial bacteria in the gut for a stronger immune system and better digestion.
Inflammation – Turkey Tail mushrooms are also rich in antioxidants, which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. This helps prevent damage to cells which lowers the risk of chronic diseases while promoting longevity.
You can take fully mature Turkey Tail mushrooms as an encapsulated powder. You can also decoct it into a tea or liquid dual extract which removes the indigestible chitinous biomass.