Category Archives: herbals

Confusion over state hemp law leads judge to arrest business owners

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We don’t want to go to jail or have our business shut down for helping people, but that is the situation we now face here in Tennessee.

This past week, 21 business owners were arrested in neighboring Rutherford County after Rutherford County District Attorney General Jennings Jones secured indictments from Circuit Court Judge Royce Taylor citing a 2015 law that limited sales and possession of CBD. The problem, as Tennessee Hemp Industries Association President Joe Kirkpatrick points out, is that the law was updated in May 2017 unanimously by the Tennessee State Legislature and signed by Governor Haslam (Tennessee Public Chapter 369). That mistake could have caused harm to those doing it legally.

The definition of “industrial hemp” is a clear exception to the definition of marijuana under both state law and the 2014 Farm Bill, which created the industrial hemp pilot program. The TNHIA does not take a position on marijuana legislation, only on hemp legislation. If the products in question are “industrial hemp” derived, the TNHIA takes grave exception to the actions of Rutherford County law enforcement.

Unless the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department and the Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and LaVergne municipal law enforcement investigators can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the CBD products were derived from a “marijuana” source rather than an “industrial hemp” source, they are in clear contravention of the law allowing the growth, processing, blending, and marketing of such products, and the victims of this action should be entitled to petition for any economic and/or punitive damages applicable under the law.

- Joe Kirkpatrick, President Tennessee Hemp Industries Association

The new 2017 law removes industrial hemp and any dirivatives with .3% or less THC from the state’s marijuana criminal code and allows for legal possession without a doctor’s prescription as long as the product is clearly labeled and sourced to a licensed grower or producer. Judge Jones relied on an older version of the law requiring stricter rules.

We have seen first hand what this amazing plant can do for veterans and for families helplessly caught in a policy-driven opioid crisis that has our country in a state of declared national emergency. It is unfortunate that the lawful good we can do is declared criminal by a Rutherford County District Attorney while those fomenting this national opioid crisis continue to profit on addiction and death.

Despite our confidence in state law and the products we carried that helped many customers from all walks of life, one DA and a circuit judge has undermined that confidence for us and an entire industry. We hope more clarity and education about the law does result from this. Due to the confusion and actions taken against other businesses, we have removed CBD products from our Woodbury store until we receive clarity from the 16th Judicial District of Tennessee on state industrial hemp laws. You can purchase our TN Public Chapter 369 compliant CBD products at the Wellness Emporium of Bell Buckle, TN.

UPDATE 02-17-2018: We’ve now restocked our Woodbury store with our CBD hemp oil products following clarity from the court.

UPDATE 02-28-2018: District Attorney Jennings Jones has dropped all charges against store owners. If you are a district attorney in Tennessee and have law enforcement or politicians coming to you with this issue, take note and don’t make costly mistakes like this.

Half Hill Farm expands to second retail location in Bell Buckle

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(Woodbury, TN) – Half Hill Farm is opening a retail store in neighboring Bell Buckle. The new location will be the second for the maker of hand-crafted kombucha, extracts, tonics and other natural health products.

Half Hill Farm’s Wellness Emporium in Bell Buckle will feature all of the products the farm manufactures in Woodbury plus other products that promote better health and well being.

“We are excited and humbled by the opportunity to expand locally,” said Half Hill Farm co-owner Christian Grantham. “The Best part of our growth is that it comes directly from customers feeling good and making healthier choices.”

Half Hill Farm is a certified organic farm that got its start growing mushrooms. Their popular mushroom extracts now ship all over the United States. The farm plans to expand its extract offerings as well as offer craft sodas and teas.

Local demand for Half Hill Farm’s kombucha and apple cider vinegar tonics made at the Arts Center of Cannon County has the company searching for larger manufacturing space as well to bring on wholesale accounts.

The company aimed to make kombucha, a fermented and carbonated black tea flavored with juices, at its Woodbury location and sell it at markets but never out produced local demand. Half Hill Farm doubled their brew tanks this year and are reaching their maximum production.

“We had no idea people even knew what Kombucha was,” said co-owner Vince Oropesa. “We love Woodbury and have been working hard over the last year to keep our manufacturing based here.”

Half Hill Farm’s team is also growing to help with growth with the support of Scot Smotherman, Manchester native, UT Knoxville graduate and small business owner. Smotherman has worked for decades in sales for the tech industry.

“I have been extremely impressed with Half Hill Farm’s commitment to product quality and their genuine concern for their customers’ health has motivated me to support their growth and expansion,” said Smotherman.

Fermented food & beverage, vinegars, and herbal extracts are seeing a revival as consumers are reintroduced to time-tested natural remedies and fermented food culture. Growth in fermented foods has led Middle Tennessee State University to create a first of its kind fermentation program to help better position entrepreneurs and an educated workforce.

Bell Buckle is consistently rated in the top ten of Tennessee’s small towns due to its historic designation & charm, large seasonal festivals and the world-famous Webb School, the South’s oldest preparatory boarding school.

“The Town of Bell Buckle is delighted to have Half Hill Farm as our newest member of the Bell Buckle community,” said Bell Buckle Mayor Jenny W. Hunt. “Bell Buckle is committed to a healthy lifestyle for both its residents and visitors, and Half Hill Farm will compliment that commitment and further enhance our focus of happier and healthier lives.”

Half Hill Farm hopes to open the Wellness Emporium in Bell Buckle shortly after the New Year. You can follow progress on their website or follow them on social media.

Get a free sample of Half Hill Farm’s Kombucha and tonics at their Woodbury store located at the Arts Center of Cannon County at 1424 John Bragg HWY, Woodbury, TN 37190. You can find their kombucha on tap at The Turnip Truck in East Nashville.

Website: https://halfhillfarm.com
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/HalfHillFarmTN
Twitter: https://Twitter.com/halfhillfarm
Instagram: https://instagram.com/halfhillfarm

Nourish your craving gut with a spoon of GingerBeet Tonic

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Half Hill Farm’s GingerBeet Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic

The transition to Fall is one of our favorite times of the year. Summer harvests are winding down, the last mowing is near, and we can finally prepare wonderful treats that store away nutrients for another time like our new GingerBeet Tonic!

Our first small batch uses folate rich beets grown organically by Green Door Gourmet combined with organic and mineral-rich nettle, red clover, dandelion leaf and root as well as local honey and organic apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits including aiding with digestion. GingerBeet Tonic also helps nourish your gut’s natural craving for vitamins and minerals.*

This is our farm’s third apple cider vinegar tonic in addition to FireRoot and Elderberry and is now available online and in our Woodbury retail store at the Arts Center of Cannon County. All three would make a perfect seasonal gift that promotes better health and well being!

How To Use GingerBeet Tonic: Before using our tonic for health reasons, please consult your doctor. You can take our tonic by the tablespoon three times a day as desired or try these ideas:

  • Add 2 teaspoons per 8 oz serving of soda water with a few pepper corns, a pinch of salt and a bay leaf garnish for a sweet and savory shrub!
  • Blend two tablespoons with one tablespoon of flax or coconut oil to make a sweet vinaigrette for salads.
  • Drizzle over vegetables or fish to replace salt or butter.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult with your physician before using our products.

How herbal bitters help stimulate digestion

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Half Hill Farm’s Dandelion Bitters – Herbal Extract

Bitters have been used for centuries to help stimulate our natural digestive processes that help address a host of issues like heartburn, gas and bloating, upset stomach or nausea. Bitter flavors are increasingly missing from modern diets as many of these conditions are coincidentally on the rise.

Good digestion is at the heart of better health and well being. The problem with some drugs used for digestive issues is that they neutralize the body’s way of telling you your diet isn’t working. Some drugs alter the balance of naturally occurring enzymes and gut bacteria to relieve symptoms rather than addressing their long-term causes. If you want to help your body’s natural digestive process work better, you need to understand how bitter flavor receptors work and stimulate them.

How bitters work: Flavor receptors for bitters (T2 receptors) begin on the back of the tongue and populate the entire gastrointestinal tract. Their presence in the gut control functions of digestion and initiates hormonal and neural pathways that affect metabolism. That fact alone should tell you how important a role these receptors play in balanced digestion.

Bitters help awaken your body’s natural digestive process by stimulating the liver to produce bile, the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes and the stomach to produce important acids. The stimulation of bitter receptors throughout the digestive tract helps digest fat, reduces absorption of toxins, and helps the gut absorb nutrients. Using bitters as a digestive aid is the perfect companion to foods that encourage probiotic gut flora.

A natural solution: Half Hill Farm’s Dandelion Bitters is our latest natural remedy to support your body’s natural digestive functions for better health and well being. It is available in 2 oz dropper bottles online or in our Woodbury store in the Arts Center of Cannon County.

Our Dandelion Bitters uses all organic dandelion leaf and root, orange peel, fennel seed, ginger, and cardamom in organic 45% USP alcohol. Take 10 drops before a meal or as needed to soothe an upset stomach.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult with your physician before using our products for health reasons.