NC Nature + Nurture is born from passion, excitement, and a mission to help our kids connect with nature to live their best lives.

Welcome! I am Jess Rowe, the founder of NC Nature + Nurture. I have a BA in Developmental Psychology, am certified in Adult + Pediatric CPR and First Aid. I love yoga, reading, jogging, kayaking, hiking, adventure, being silly, and all things nature. Exploring the connection between behavior, feelings, + nature have been my passion (and hobby) for over 20 years.

For the past 12+ years, I have been guiding my 3 young children to get curious, play, learn, be silly and bold in life, and develop a life-long connection with nature.

Understanding that emotions + physical health play a large role in the healthy development of the whole person is the driving force and inspiration behind NC Nature + Nurture Preschool. I bring a holistic understanding of the challenges our fast-paced world brings to our kids, and a deep passion and knowledge of the science surrounding the nature + mental health connection.

Prior to having kids I was a nanny for 2 families, and then held a desk job or two that paid the bills but crushed my soul with a tremendous speed. When we started our own family in 2011, I was more than happy to take an extended leave to raise the kids until they were all in elementary school.

As my kids began attending preschool, then elementary and middle schools, I began to connect some common themes observed by a majority of the teachers, directors, and principals.

I learned that most preschool students lacked patience, had a hard time adjusting to new tactile sensory experiences, and had some trouble with age appropriate fine and gross motor skills. As my own moved into elementary + middle schools, I began to learn about the overall decrease in attention, creativity, empathy, and critical thinking, and the rise in myopic vision and obesity.

What are the common denominators across the board? All signs (and research) point to a lack of time in NATURE and time to PLAY. We are experiencing the first generation of kids that are being raised primarily indoors and on a screen. They are overscheduled and overstimulated. The vast majority of kids in this generation are missing out on the beauty and simplicity of PLAYING OUTSIDE.

My mission is to energetically and compassionately lead future generations toward discovering the beautiful connection between mind, body, and nature through outdoor purposeful play.

WELCOME and THANK YOU for joining me on this adventurous mission to REWILD this and future generations.

“To be a part of the excitement and awe that a child experiences while creating, learning, exploring, and imagining is truly remarkable. ”

A little about this incredible property:

We have so much gratitude for being able to lease this incredible log cabin that sits on 4.5 acres of land, overlooks a beautiful pond, (which herons visit daily), and backs up to over 180 acres of NC Game Land.

This log cabin (9900 Horton Road) was hand built, and crafted using local lumber that was milled right here on this homesite. The cobblestone used for the fireplace was sourced from downtown Durham when the cobblestone streets were replaced. In fact, when you come for a visit, make sure you take a moment to notice the craftmanship of a true log cabin, the wood mill still parked onsite, and extra cobblestones from the streets of Durham, NC. It is all LOCAL, LOCAL, LOCAL!

Our family owns 4.5 acres 2 driveways down, (9908 Horton Road), and are currently working to construct our future home and the permanent location of NC Nature + Nurture. We plan to integrate farming + animals into our nature preschool in our permanent location in 2024.

A little more than you ever needed to know about the Rowe family:

We are a family that loves nature, community, the environment, and ADVENTURE.

In 2019 we were accepted into the NC Pilot Program to farm hemp and leased a 4-acre farm in Jackson Springs, NC, taking the leap into full-time farming along with our 3 kids (ages 3, 5, and 7 years at the time).

During the pandemic shut down in 2020 we chose to remove our kids from virtual learning and take them to school on our farm. This is also when we adopted our fur-baby Bandit, a now 3 year old lab, who has grown up with kids and in a farm environment. We had an incredible adventure with our family and were thrilled to watch the kids (and Bandit) blossom in this style of learning and exploration. We continued to homeschool until schools reopened in the fall of 2021.

We are now in our 5th year of farming and have since become a USDA certified hemp farm. We create our brand of CBD oils and creams and outsource it nationally, direct to consumer, as well as several retail spaces. (The closest shop is DailyVita right next to Lowes Foods in Apex).