He wanted to pursue a higher purpose!
Meet Jason Brown, the former NFL player who walked away from it all to become a farmer, AfroTech reports.
Jason Brown reached heights most children only dream of, being drafted as a fourth-round pick in the NFL to the Baltimore Ravens. He would eventually go on to play for the St. Louis Rams under a five-year, $37.5 million deal, becoming one of the highest paid centers in the league. But after his brother Lunsford B. Brown II passed away in 2003 at the age of 27 while serving in Iraq, Brown began to question if there was a greater purpose to his life.
After just seven years in the NFL, Brown turned down an offer to return to the Ravens, deciding instead to become a farmer. He and his wife Tay Brown and their eight children traded in their mansion for a farm in North Carolina, utilizing YouTube as their go to for farming the 1,000-acre land.
“People tell me I’m crazy, they downright tell me that I’m stupid okay to walk away from millions of dollars. Because if you have the opportunity to play in the NFL then it’s supposed to be a no-brainer,” Brown explained.
Still, he persisted, feeling confident in the decision he made for himself and his family and calling the farm a blessing.
“Seeing my children when we aren’t out there in the farm field and knowing that they’re learning life skills to help feed them and their families for generations to come, that is the blessing of a farm,” said Brown.
The First Fruits Farm was founded with the goal of giving back in mind. Initially, Brown planned to donate the first fruits of every harvest to local families in need. However, the demand was overwhelming, and Brown and his family made the decision to donate it all.
Through his ministry, Wisdom for Life, Brown not only spreads the word of God, but he also spreads the food, in an effort to fight food insecurity in North Carolina. The farm also provides opportunities for partnerships, research, volunteerism and education for those in the state. To date, First Fruit Farms has donated more than one million pounds of food to those in need.
Thank you for your contributions Jason! Because of you, we can!
Photo Courtesy of Wisdom For Life/AfroTech