Meet Jenny Jackson | Farmer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenny Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Jenny had a strong desire to come back to her family property and grow something, we just weren’t sure what until we began practicing on small vegetable farms as vounteers through the program WWOOF in Hawaii (Willing workers on organic farms).

We began farming because it gave us the opportunity to have a little more dominion over our daily lives, the gift to work alongside each other and the great outdoors, and the work itself provided our bodies and minds with the right amount of exercise.

We thought there could be a need for fresh, naturally grown food in our community and we were right!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We’ve been fortunate in that we have not experienced any major weather damage, our bodies have held up so far, and even in years when we experience some crop loss, other crops pull us through. However, adding two babies to the already demanding role as farm owners and managers has been challenging, to say the least. We are thankful that we waited until after our farm was established before adding additional humans to the mix. We have found that even with the help of family and babysitters, we are operating at the equivalent of one very full time farmer as opposed to two very full time farmers. This is not a hurdle we have overcome but one we navigate daily, its one part insanity and one part the most beautiful thing in the world. Our three year old can recognize which insects are beneficial and which are pests. She snacks on sweet peppers and tomatoes straight from the vine. Her favorite hobby is digging in the compost pile to find worms. We’re sure she’ll help teach her little brother all the farm kid lessons and skills she’s learned.

We’re proud and incredibly fortunate to be raising humans this way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We don’t get to the city much, but when we venture to Atlanta we like to go to the farmer’s markets like the Grant Park Market on Sunday mornings.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our first farming mentors were Skip and Cookie Glover at Glover Family Farms in Douglasville, Ga. The Glovers were a big inspiration. The beauty of their farm, their hospitality, and the size of tomatoes that their land could produce was memorable. Wendell Berry’s writing gave us hope, and the Georgia Organics Conference gave us so much energy and new ideas especially early on in our career.

And lastly our farm wouldn’t exist without my parents allowing us to farm on their land. They put a lot of love and work into it while I was growing up, reclaiming it from invasive species and neglect to create a beautiful homestead for us to enjoy. They didn’t realize at the time that their good stewardship would allow me to come back to make my living here. We are ever grateful for their willingness to share the property with us.

Website: www.jennyjackfarm.com

Instagram: jennyjackfarm