Pedagogy of the Plants

At the heart of Red Earth Farm is the beautifully restored circa-1850 Pearson Farmhouse. According to Kent Pearson: Laurence Pearson (1831-1911), a carpenter and joiner, did indeed build the house which was owned and occupied by four generations of the Pearson family. Laurence was the son of John Pearson (1777-1857) of Pennsylvania, who established the family in Tattnall County in the early 1800’s. John built the first sawmill in the area on Slaughter Creek when he purchased a 1000 acre parcel of virgin timber land in 1832 for the princely sum of $1,200, where the family homestead and farm were located. Laurence’s brother, John (Jr), was also a carpenter. Between them, they built a number of houses in the area. And according to John P. Rabun, Jr., John Pearson and George Merriman built a Greek Revival courthouse in Reidsville in 1857.

Today the farm is home to Janisse Ray &…