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egenerative r f o s it f e n e out the b Learn all ab the Jackson farm on S IM P S O N agriculture M IC H A E L P H O TO G M U IR | B Y M A R IE
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enny gets sassy, but I
love her,” Paige
Jackson, in her
mud-splashed overalls and pearl earrings, says as she gestures toward an unfazed Jersey cow. She leads a small tour group through Grass Grazed farm on North Roxboro Street, occasionally pausing in the soft dusk light to apologize for getting lost in tangents about the benefits of regenerative agriculture – the farming practice of raising livestock without antibiotics, genetically modified organisms or chemicals. Each animal at Grass Grazed is adapted to the Piedmont environment and contributes to the health of the soil as livestock are rotated from pasture to pasture, allowing vegetation to recover and be fertilized. Paige proudly points out tractor tire marks in the pasture – proof that their animals are moved 54
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The Jackson family: Mikah, 4, Makartney, 5, Paige, Madlynn, 1, Derrick, Maxwell, 10, and Mayer, 8.
september 2021
multiple times daily to feed on fresh grass throughout the farm. When the livestock is ready to be processed, it’s done at USDAapproved facilities that meet North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services standards. “We support people who are conscious of what they’re eating and how it benefits their body,” Paige says, noting for instance that, since her family started living off their own farm products, they very rarely get sick. Grass Grazed farm is owned and operated by Paige and her husband, Derrick Jackson. They founded the farm in 2019 following Derrick’s retirement after serving in the U.S. military for 14 years, eight of which were spent at Fort Bragg. Farming helped Derrick, originally from Mississippi, transition back into civilian life and has evolved into a full-time family business along with