Why We're Ending Our CBD Line

Since our humble beginnings as eager, young 20-somethings, we’ve held onto the belief that we are first and foremost partners and students of the plants and ecosystems that surround and sustain us.  Every decision, action, and opportunity we weigh is filtered through our lens as herbalists, land stewards, and conscious entrepreneurs seeking to create ecologically vibrant spaces and products that uplift the healing potential of plants.

After careful consideration, we have made the decision to end the CBD and hemp enterprises of Hillside Botanicals, effective May 25, 2026.

We don't take this lightly. These products have been part of our farm and business identity, and more importantly, part of the wellness routines of many of you who've trusted us over the years.

You deserve a full explanation — so that's what we're here to give.

Who We Are and What Guides Us

Our motto — Medicine for People and Planet — has always been more than a phrase. It's a two-pronged commitment to agricultural and business practices that uplift the health of people and the health of the earth simultaneously, without compromise. When we care for the land and the plants, they care for us. We practice kinship, and we believe you can taste and feel that in everything we make.

That philosophy is what brought us into farming in the first place. And it's what's guiding us away from our hemp and CBD enterprises now.

The Regulatory Landscape: What's Changing & Why It Matters

In November 2026, new federal regulations, charted by the passage of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, are expected to go into effect that would fundamentally change what's permissible in the CBD market. Specifically, the regulation narrows the definition of hemp and effectively bans all hemp-derived products with any trace amounts of THC (aka, full spectrum products). This change will essentially push manufacturers to formulate using CBD isolate.

For many producers, that's a big and costly adjustment. For us, it's a line we're not willing to cross.

We have always made full-spectrum products — formulations that preserve the full range of compounds naturally present in the hemp plant, because we believe they work together in ways that isolated constituents simply can't replicate. This is sometimes called the "entourage effect," and it reflects a broader philosophy we hold about plants: that nature's complexity is beautifully innate, not a problem to be engineered away.

A regulatory environment that mandates isolation-based formulation isn't just a compliance challenge for us. It's a values conflict. It would require us to make products we don't believe in — and we're not willing to do that.

The Business Reality

We also want to be transparent about the practical side of this decision, because honesty and transparency are central business ethos for us.

Running a compliant CBD enterprise has always carried significant overhead:

• specialized liability insurance,

• elevated payment processing fees,

• rigorous third-party product testing,

• ongoing compliance monitoring with State & Federal agencies

It also limits certain vendors, services, and resources we can access. We've worked hard over the years to absorb those costs internally rather than pass them along to customers in higher prices.

But as we look honestly at the economics — and at where our energy and resources feel most aligned — continuing to carry that overhead no longer makes sense.

There are other aspects of our farm and herbal practice that are thriving that don't require this level of financial and administrative strain. Moving our focus there feels like the right next step.

What This Means for You

The following products will be available through May 25, 2026:

• 1200mg CBD Oil

• 600mg CBD Oil

• Betty's Balm (600mg CBD)

• Harvest Hands Salve (300mg CBD)

• Be True Body Oil (500mg CBD)

  
  

All of these remain available on our website and at select retailers while inventory lasts. Our CBD oils have a shelf life through 2027, and our topicals beyond that — so if these products are part of your regular wellness routine and you'd like to stock up, we encourage you to do so!

What's Coming Next

Here's something we're genuinely excited about: our topical products — Betty's Balm, Harvest Hands Salve, and Be True Body Oil — were always formulated with CBD alongside a thoughtful blend of other botanicals. The CBD was one ingredient among many. Which means these products have a life beyond this transition.

In June 2026, we'll be re-releasing all three topicals with updated formulations, CBD removed, botanical integrity intact. We expect them to be just as effective, and they'll be available at a lower price point — a silver lining we're happy to celebrate.

This is all big news - for you and us! And, we’re sure there will be questions – so please reach out to info@hillsidebotanicals.com and we’ll respond as promptly as possible (Farm season is here, so please be patient with us!). 

We want to sincerely thank you for being on this journey with us, and for being supportive customers. We are very grateful to be supporting your wellness with our products - and look forward to continuing to do so for many seasons to come. 

In Community, 

Sarah + Nathan (and all the plants and animals that call this farm "home")