Jackson Family Farms has deep roots in the soil of Newton Grove, N.C. Today, it stands as a third-generation family operation, but its history stretches back at least a century to the days when Brentley Jackson’s great-grandfather built the original farmhouse by hand. 

“I’ve always loved farming. When I was a little boy, I can remember riding on the tractors with my grandfather, and I just always loved it… It’s just something you get in your blood, and you can’t get it out. I’ve been doing it a long time, and I enjoy it every day. It’s been a struggle. I’m not wealthy, by any means, and I’m going to tell you I believe if I had to do it over, I’d probably do the same thing again. I mean, I love what I do,” shared Farmer Brentley Jackson. 

From its beginnings as a traditional row crop farm growing corn, wheat, soybeans, tobacco and sweet potatoes, Jackson Family Farms has steadily evolved in response to changing markets and customer needs. Today, the farm focuses primarily on produce, growing Dixie Lee peas, butter beans, sweet corn, squash, cucumbers and other vegetables. The family sells these crops at a small on-farm general store in Newton Grove as well as a larger, year-round market in Fayetteville.

“We got out of more or less the row crop business, like corn, wheat and soybeans, and we just mainly grow produce right now. And I enjoy the produce better because I get to actually meet a lot of the people that I’m feeding. With the corn and the wheat and the soybeans, a lot of that stuff is made for animal feed. So you don’t really get to see where the end product goes. But with the produce, you actually get to meet a lot of the people that buy your produce, and I just really enjoy that, and I enjoy talking to people and meeting customers,” shared Jackson. 

The move into Fayetteville was driven by both necessity and opportunity. For years, the Newton Grove store primarily operated during the peak produce season and slowed dramatically once school resumed in the fall. Seeking a more stable, year-round business, Jackson first rented a corner spot on Ramsey Street in Fayetteville in 2023, selling pumpkins in the fall, Christmas trees through the holidays and flowers in the spring. The success of that seasonal experiment led him to a more permanent solution. In September 2024, Jackson Family Farms opened a full-time store at 5818 Ramsey St., offering an indoor space that could support operations throughout the year. 

“The reason we moved to Fayetteville is we needed a better market [to reach] more people… and it’s not a bad drive for us to get over there, and we love Fayetteville. Everybody we deal with is so nice. Our customers are the best customers in the world, to me. So we love it there,” remarked Jackson. 

The Fayetteville store showcases how the farm has broadened its offerings without losing its identity. In addition to fresh produce grown in Newton Grove, customers can find homemade baked goods prepared in the farm’s own kitchen and delivered daily, along with home décor, yard ornaments and seasonal flowers. In the spring, the farm grows many of its own flowers; in the fall, mums and pumpkins are available for purchase. 

The farm’s product lineup also reflects a commitment to local and regional sourcing. While the vegetables come directly from the family’s fields, other items are supplied through partnerships. Milk is sourced from a family farm in Virginia and delivered by a third-party distributor. The farm sells A2A2 milk in returnable glass bottles, building a loyal following around both taste and quality. Eggs come from a friend’s operation, and honey is supplied partly from hives on the farm and partly from other local beekeepers. Beef is purchased through a third-party company that works with a family-owned cattle operation, ensuring that even when products are not grown directly on the farm, they still support smaller, family-centered agriculture. 

Despite this growth, the operation remains firmly family-run. Jackson tends the farm in partnership with his brother, Eric Jackson, who spends most of his time managing the fields in Newton Grove while also helping with the business as needed. Together, they farm a couple hundred acres and rent out some additional land. 

Farming, Jackson emphasizes, is not an easy way to make a living. Margins are thin, risks are high and success depends heavily on forces beyond any farmer’s control. Planting a crop means placing faith in the weather, the markets and above all, the Lord. 

“I love it, and it’s got to be a passion, and it’s got to be something you love to do, being a farmer, because there’s not a lot of money made in it. You just have to keep going and keep trying,” shared Jackson. 

Looking to the future, Jackson Family Farms is focused on deepening its strengths. There are plans to grow the line of processed and frozen vegetables – such as blanched and frozen sweet corn, peas and butter beans – so customers can enjoy the farm’s produce year-round. Jackson also envisions expanding the nursery and flower offerings and building out the in-store bakery to provide a full range of fresh baked goods. 

Additionally, the farm previously raised hogs but stepped away from that enterprise during the disruptions of COVID-19. With a retail store now firmly established, Jackson is open to reintroducing livestock on a smaller, more integrated scale, possibly raising a few hogs and cattle to be processed at USDA-inspected facilities and sold under the farm’s own name.

Even as the product mix grows more diverse and the business becomes more complex, the core of Jackson Family Farms remains consistent: a family working the same land for generations, adapting to change while staying grounded in tradition. 

Jackson Family Farms is open seven days a week at 5818 Ramsey St. Follow Jackson Family Farms Inc on Facebook to keep up with the business as it continues to grow.