Ever find yourself staring at the endless options of CBD products? Which ones are the real deal and which are just fancy packaging? 

Today’s CBD market has become similar to that of essential oils. You can find them everywhere, but which ones are more than synthetically created fragrances? How do you know if the products actually provide the benefits you need? 

If you've been following our journey, you know we're all about top-notch quality, transparency, and guiding you through the CBD maze so you can focus on living your best life.

But why is quality CBD such a big deal, you ask? Well, let’s dive into it!

Why Does Quality CBD Matter?

Quality CBD comes from high-quality hemp plants grown using organic farming practices, which means that these plants are free from harmful pesticides, herbicides, and other contaminants. 

This is important because the hemp plant absorbs everything in the soil, good and bad. The hemp plant is so good at this, that it was successfully used to clean up and mitigate the damage caused by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster!

If the plant is not farmed carefully, then the CBD extracted from those plants may lead to ineffective, unpredictable, or worse, harmful results.

Here are some insider tips to help you separate the junk CBD from the quality:

1. Where and how was the hemp sourced?
   

   So after reading the paragraphs above, this may be an obvious one, but it’s worth mentioning again! Especially because most brands don’t disclose where they get their CBD from, and sadly, most companies likely don’t know for sure. Many CBD brands don’t farm, harvest, extract and produce their products like we do. At Treadwell Farms, our hemp is grown using organic practices, ensuring it's free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.
   
   But we take it a step further, we also extract and manufacture all of our products to ensure every step of the process from seed to shelf is done with great care and purpose. And we provide this information to all our partners so they can confidently say they know that what’s in their products is nothing but high-quality ingredients.

2. Hemp CBD Oil vs Hemp Seed Oil: They are not the same! 

   While hemp CBD oil and hemp seed oil come from the same cannabis family, they are as similar as oranges and lemons - both are fruits that come from the same citrus family. Hemp CBD oil is made from the leaves, flowers, and stalk of the hemp plant—the only part of the plant where cannabidiol is found. Hemp seed oil is made from hemp seeds, meaning there is little to no CBD content. Each type of oil offers its benefits. Hemp seed oil contains rich nutrients, and fatty acids, and may act as a good moisturizer, but again, it contains no CBD.
   
   So, if you’re looking for a CBD product to help maintain balance, stress, sleep, and recovery be sure to look for products with Hemp CBD extract. For example, we refer to our extract as TF Hemp Extract. TF stands for Treadwell Farms so you know that the hemp for the product was grown and processed at Treadwell Farms. TF also stands for triple filtered to achieve a golden amber oil and retain delicate compounds like minor cannabinoids and terpenes. This unique process yields a full spectrum extract that is superior to most on the market. You can check out our entire processing and manufacturing in this video. 

3. THC-Free Full-Spectrum Products 

   Full-spectrum CBD products contain a wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other beneficial compounds found in the hemp plant, which also includes THC at the legally approved levels. That said, products can’t be both full-spectrum and THC-Free. Our products are full-spectrum because we believe that CBD works best when combined with other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. For example, THC and CBD work well in combination with one another, and both amplify one another's healing potential. The therapeutic attributes of the whole plant in combination with one another are known as the “entourage effect”. The sum is greater than its parts!

4. Third-Party Testing: Trust and Transparency 

   Reputable CBD companies conduct third-party testing on their products to verify potency and ensure they are free from contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and residual solvents. Look for Certificates of Analysis (COAs) from independent labs on the brand's website. At Treadwell Farms, every batch of our products undergoes rigorous third-party testing, and you can view the lab results on our website for full transparency. This is also accessible via a QR code on every product label, as well as the batch and expiration numbers that match the COA results so you know that the product has been tested. We’ve also provided resources for users to understand how to read COA’s to ensure they know exactly what’s in their product. 

5. Packaging: Clear vs Amber 

   Packaging is another important feature when seeking quality CBD. Those amber or dark-colored glass bottles are selected purposely for all our products! That's because amber is the most common color of food-safe containers, that block light and heat (oh, and have child-proof lids!). UV light can mess with the compounds in the oil, so these darker shades help protect it better than clear glass. Plus, glass is way better than plastic since plastic can break down and mess with the oil's purity. This is the only time you will see Treadwell Farms not being transparent! 

So, next time you’re on the hunt for quality CBD, keep these tips in mind. Your wellness journey deserves nothing but the best and that’s exactly what we offer at Treadwell Farms!

About the Author

Jammie Treadwell has co-owned and operated Treadwell Farms since 2019 handling everything from nursery operations to product development. Treadwell and her parents continue her family's Florida farming legacy by intentionally creating natural, small-batch artisanal hemp products trusted and tested with the community in mind.