Kentucky Cabin Roots to Farmstead Revival

Hills Remedy began the way many good things do out of pain, desperation, and a little bit of stubborn determination. Jack and Kathy’s search for the perfect salve started in the hills of Kentucky. It’s a Beverly Hillbillies story only in reverse. Instead of moving to the city, they were city folks who decided (some might say foolishly) to build their own cabin in the hills with their own soft, out-of-shape hands.

They were over-aged, overworked, and over-the-hill and everything hurt. Kathy, the always-on-duty mom and fixer of all things, did what she has always done: she got to work healing it. Jack became her very first guinea pig. The sore muscle salve she created for their aching bodies became what we now know as Over-Did-It still a must-have for anyone who’s pushed just a little too hard. From there, Kathy became a regular at the local health food store learning herbs, studying oils, asking questions, listening closely. She didn’t reinvent the wheel; she stood on the shoulders of those who came before her. Generous herbalists and small-town shop owners took her under their wing, and Hills Remedy slowly began to take shape.

Then came another willing guinea pig: Kathy’s brother Scott, partner in the “build in the hills” adventure and longtime arthritis sufferer. His crooked fingers inspired what became their arthritis salve. In one memorable trial run, Scott’s hands turned a vibrant shade of neon gold from the boswellia not exactly ideal for business meetings. Back to the drawing board. The result? Two effective arthritis salves minus the need for gloves at formal events. As cabin life continued, the hills introduced new challenges. Bugs. Itching. Scratching. What Scott and their daughter Marianne lovingly called the “itchy-scratchy place” sparked yet another creation a natural bug repellent that kept the little visitors away.

What started as survival turned into something more. A family remedy cabinet. A slice of heaven in the hills. A collection of formulas born from real need, real pain, and real life. And as the “build in the hills” adventure continued, so did the remedies.

The Torch is Passed

Years later, that same spirit found its way to Allan and Rosemary passed from one cousin to another, from one chapter to the next. Allan and Rosemary lived in the city their entire lives surrounded by noise, schedules, traffic, and convenience. In 2021, medical reasons forced them to slow down and reevaluate everything. What began as a necessary pause became a life-altering decision. They left the city and moved to a farm in the hills. What they were searching for wasn’t escape it was alignment. Cleaner food. Calmer rhythms. A life that supported their health instead of draining it.

They began growing everything chemical-free. Chickens for fresh eggs each morning. Bees for golden honey. Goats and ducks with big personalities. Gardens overflowing with herbs, flowers, and food. What started as a health decision became a full reset trading traffic for chores, takeout for harvest baskets, chaos for connection. And in that slower, more intentional life, Hills Remedy felt like home.

Because Hills Remedy has never been about trends. It has always been about helping what hurts. About simple ingredients that work. About recipes born from real life sore muscles, cracked hands, itchy skin, tired bodies. For Allan and Rosemary, carrying Hills Remedy forward isn’t just business.

It’s stewardship. It’s honoring Jack and Kathy’s legacy of learning, testing, laughing, failing, reformulating, and trying again. It’s believing that family recipes still matter in a modern world. It’s choosing a life that supports health, family, and hard work. The hills may look different now, but the heart is the same. 

Real ingredients. No shortcuts. Salves made because someone needed them. And someone always will.