Each person on the TruNorth team has the following:
“When you ingest anything, especially plant medicine, do you know how, where and who collected and created it?”
This level of consideration is exactly what Cody and his family team are harnessing they harvest for TruNorth.
]]>If TruNorth is like a gnarled, wizened oak tree with an expanse of roots spreading down through the ground, it’s roots are Cody’s ethos. His ethos seeps into all facets of the business, harvesting process, development of products and attraction of people that come into contact with TruNorth. By tending to each element of the business as a connected system and a reverence of plants as systems, natural regeneration will occur. This is where reciprocity comes in. Humans can’t exist without trees. Trees can’t exist without mushrooms. Mushrooms heal humans.
Our stewardship of nature’s inherent purity is woven into how we source, harvest, process, store, ship and share potent plant medicines. TruNorth uses indigenous age-old methods and novel, scientific practices to capture as much of the forests’ purity for human consumption.
The woodwide web is interconnected. Forests speak. The land holds energy and nutrients. The trees house the ground in harmony with plants and animals. Mushrooms network and share knowledge. And everything in between takes and gives in stunning reciprocity. The forest is TruNorth’s north star. It provides, as long as you tend to it. TruNorth doesn’t look at plants as commodities. Instead, they are participants in the sacred cycle of life. They have tremendous value if they’re cared for properly, stored correctly and offered in the right spirit. TruNorth is intentional. Each plant harvested is considered medicine and is treated with that energy.
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TruNorth 100% wild-harvest’s Chaga from the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence forest region in Northern Ontario. TruNorth Chaga is exposed to harsh environmental stressors which increase the concentration of phytonutrients such as betulinic acid, lupeol, beta glucans and melanin which are known for their anti-cancer properties. Melanin is a powerful antioxidant. Many companies that sell “Chaga” are growing it on grain and harvesting the mycelium only, which is not actually Chaga. Chaga (Inonotus Obliquus) is defined as the black sclerotia that protrudes from the birch tree. Other companies market their products as Chaga, when in fact they are extracting nutrients from the mycelium (rooting system of the fungus) only. Compounds like Polysaccharides can be found in the mycelium but other anti-cancer compounds like Betulinic Acid and Lupeol come directly from the Birch tree. Chaga that is grown in a controlled environment is not supported by compatible birch trees which are vital in producing important antioxidants. Because Chaga takes on many of the healthy attributes from its environment and its own chemical make-up (over 200 known phytonutrients) it is vital that the fungus grows for many years before harvesting. TruNorth employees are trained to only harvest large conks in order to ensure the potency of the mushroom.
Chaga grows on birch trees in Northern Climates. The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence forest in Northern Ontario is produces extremely high amounts of Chaga due to the abundance of yellow birch and the high, average, relative-humidity being close to Lake Superior.
Our products and facilities are subject to annual audits by ECOCERT Canada. This means TruNorth Chaga is grown in unpolluted soil free from pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides. Detailed cleaning and processing records are kept at our facility and inspected by ECOCERT during audits. We must use all-natural and organic cleaning products and sterile surfaces during our processes.
Our nature specialists are trained to leave at least 20% of the Chaga behind for regrowth and 2lbs conks are left untouched and intact. We mark all of our Chaga with GPS coordinates and we record the estimated weight removed and left behind. These coordinates are assigned a record number and eventually a processing lot number that is passed on to our customers. These record numbers can be used to trace TruNorth Chaga from the end consumer, through cleaning and processing, all the way back to the harvest locations. Our harvest sites are monitored and 3rd party inspected by ECOCERT to ensure over-harvesting does not occur and the growth of this amazing fungus is sustained for generations to come. We work with forestry management companies and the MNR and share data, maps and resources in order to sustain Chaga and its the environment it grows in for generations to come.
TruNorth Chaga is harvested and processed by TruNorth employees with no middle man. TruNorth Chaga processes are monitored and recorded from start to finish in Northern Ontario to ensure quality and safety.
Competitive rates and quality products are offered to both consumers, retail partners and wholesalers.
Our dual extracts are formulated with a potent raw material to liquid ratio. This means that a highly concentrated dose of Trunorth Chaga's active ingredients is consumed in each serving relative to competitors.
Our products are tested by 3rd party labs to ensure quality and safety.
Our products are registered with Health Canada and have designated Natural Product Numbers (NPN's)
We believe that this profound plant medicine is here to heal people and our mission is to help bring access and awareness to people in need who can’t harvest it themselves.
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