Every jar, bottle, and tin that leaves our production space started somewhere else first. It started in the soil of someone’s field and in a relationship we’ve spent years building. Those decisions are important both for our business and you as a consumer. Let’s talk about why it matters.
There is a tangible difference between herbalist-formulated products and “natural products,” and it can be surprisingly hard to spot.
Years ago, the only people making tallow balms or working with medicinal mushrooms were herbalists. Now anyone can order ingredients online and put something together. Platforms like TikTok Shop give enormous reach to sellers with zero training or understanding of formulation. We’re not passing judgment, but it’s something you should know as you are shopping.
Not all ingredients are created equal.
“Medicinal mushrooms” appear on sites like Etsy where the photos don’t even match the product label. Large herb companies often source wildcrafted herbs from overseas with minimal regulation where they are mixed species, cross-contaminated, stored in open warehouses, and handled without real quality oversight.
This is why we source the way we do. And why we feel it’s important to talk about.
Freshly dried herbs from small, organically grown farms are different. When farms prioritize soil health and proper harvest timing, herbs retain more of their vitamins, minerals, and original potency. They’re harvested at peak vitality and dried slowly with minimal heat which matters for the beneficial compounds you’re actually after.
- Tori, Founder of Cedar Hill Homestead
Small farms, soil that's cared for, and direct relationships are at the heart of our sourcing.
We began sourcing from small, family-run farms in 2019, when I realized I could no longer grow and process everything alone. These aren’t commodity suppliers. They’re soil-focused, herbalist-centered operations run by people who care deeply about the land they’re working. The farms we source from aren’t using any harmful pesticides and they aren’t taking any shortcuts. We source as much as possible from folks who grow herbs the way we would if we had the acreage.
Some of these farms we’ve worked with since the beginning. Others came after extensive vetting and sample testing. We visit when we can, stay in close contact, and pay fair prices — because good herb farming is hard work that deserves proper compensation.
Small farms often grow herbs using regenerative or low-input practices. Healthy soil sequesters carbon, supports biodiversity, and produces more mineral-dense plants.
SHORTER SUPPLY CHAINS
Commodity herbs can travel thousands of miles before reaching a manufacturer. Direct sourcing means fewer steps, less fuel, and less degradation of the plant material.
KEEPING LAND IN AGRICULTURE
Buying from small farms helps keep land in farming instead of development. It supports the economic conditions that make herbalism as a livelihood possible at all.
Our Farm Relationships
Kestrel Herb Farm
Bulk dried herbs. Mountain-grown, soil-focused.
Lancaster Farmacy
Small-scale, herbalist-run operation.
Golden Hour Farm
Dried herb specialists. Partners since early growth.
Harpeth Moon Farm
Organic food + herbs grown on the Harpeth River.
- Tori, Founder of Cedar Hill Homestead
Cedar Hill Homestead has always been a small-batch production space. Small batch means we don’t produce 10,000 units and hope they sell before they expire. We make things in quantities we can keep fresh. That reduces overproduction and waste.
It also makes things more fun. In addition to our full line of annual products, we also offer four seasonal releases every year. Our releases allow us to bottle up and preserve the freshest herbs that season. These limited batches are so special and truly capture the essence of the season we’re in. These seasonal releases allow us to also tap into fresh herbs which you’ll see in products like…
Every single product is made in a room where someone is paying attention. A production day might look like someone weighing herbs for a tincture while another person labels jars nearby. The room smells like herbal extracts, resins, and dried plants. Buckets of spent herbs go to compost. Cardboard gets broken down and reused for shipping. Nothing in our supply chain is invisible.
We create with intention. Our products solve real problems with clean design and honest materials.
We obsess over the details and strive to deliver the best products at the best prices, every time.
We're always on your side: keeping our loyal customers happy is our top priority and number one goal.
Sustainable packaging is an evolving process that we’re committed to.
Packaging is one of the harder parts of this work. There isn’t a perfect solution yet. But we try to make thoughtful choices and keep improving.
Most of our tincture bottles and jars are glass because glass is infinitely recyclable and more stable for plant extracts than plastic. We’ve also worked toward refillable options that reduce the number of containers being produced over time.
Online you can find a handful of refill options like Maiden Hair Rinse Pouch and Desert Dweller refill. In our Springfield apothecary we’ve introduced refill options for tinctures and oils. Bring your own bottle and we’ll refill it with your preferred products.
Behind the scenes, we reuse an enormous amount of shipping material. Boxes get saved. Packing paper gets used again. We recently added equipment that lets us break down cardboard and repurpose it as protective packing for new shipments.
“Nothing goes to waste if we can help it. That’s a real guiding principle around here. And we’ll keep making better choices as better options become available.”
- Tori, Founder of Cedar Hill Homestead
