Every product we sell carries the same line at the bottom. "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."

People ask about it. A few have told us it makes them nervous, like we're warning them the product doesn't work. I understand that reading. It's worth explaining where it actually comes from.

In 1994 Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. DSHEA is the law that defines what a dietary supplement is and what a company can and can't say about one. Under that law, a supplement can make what's called a structure/function claim. You can say an herb "supports lung health" or "promotes immune function." What you can't do is say it treats a disease, cures anything, prevents infection, or diagnoses a condition. Those are drug claims, and herbs aren't drugs under federal law.

The disclaimer is required on anything that makes a structure/function claim. It's not optional. It doesn't mean the product doesn't work. It means we followed the rules.

We grow mullein on this land. We wildcraft it from the same fields we've been farming since 2011. We know what it is because we were there when it came out of the ground. When I write "supports lung and throat health" on the label, I'm writing something I believe based on fifteen years of growing the plant and the centuries of traditional use behind it. The disclaimer doesn't change that. It just tells the federal government we understand the line between a supplement and a drug.

The line matters, and I think it's a reasonable one. We're farmers. We're not prescribing anything. If you have a serious health condition, you need a doctor. Herbs are for the everyday — the seasonal chest congestion, the nights when sleep won't come easy, the immune system that needs a little help. That's where plants have always lived, and that's where they work.

If you want to understand more about how to use herbs sensibly, what to expect, and when to call the doctor, we put together a plain-language guide. It covers most of the questions we get. You can read it here: Using Herbs Confidently.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your doctor before using any herbal supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition, or taking medication.