GMO-Free Meat from a Local Family Farm Committed to Regenerative Agriculture and Animal Welfare

At the heart of Carolina Pastures is Dawnbreaker Farms. We raise pasture-raised, GMO-free meat here on our small family farm in Orange County, North Carolina. Our goal is simple: heal the land, care for the animals, and feed our community the kind of food we’re proud to put on our own table.

Through regenerative agriculture and humane practices, we raise grass-fed beef, forest-raised pork, and pasture-raised poultry you can feel good about.

Our promise to you is Good Food ☆ Raised Right.

Our Story: From an Idea to an Ecosystem

Ben didn’t grow up farming or thinking much about where food came from. That changed in college, when a class on capitalism and the environment opened his eyes to the destructive impact of industrial agriculture. What began as intellectual curiosity quickly grew into a passion for finding a better way to feed people—one that heals the land rather than depletes it.

After college, Ben worked on a small vegetable farm and fell in love with the work. But the deeper he dug, the more he realized that livestock could be the key to rebuilding ecosystems. Animals, when managed well, are keystone species: they can restore soil, build fertility, and bring damaged land back to life.

In 2013, he found the right place to put that vision into practice: a 20-acre piece of retired tobacco land in Hurdle Mills, NC with a history of cattle, hogs, and even an old slaughterhouse.

Years later, Salem joined the farm, bringing her own background in food systems and community building. She’s helped deepen the connection between the farm and local families, farmers markets, and chefs across the Triangle.

Now the land is home to our family, kids, and the animals we raise with care. Together, we’re building an ecosystem rooted in place, purpose, and good food.

Over the past decade, the land has come alive. Through regenerative agriculture, rotational grazing and silvopasture, the farm has become a place where new trees grow tall enough to host nesting birds, wildlife make their homes, and unexpected guests—like the Red Milkweed Beetle—find what they need to thrive. This isn’t just a farm. It’s a functioning, resilient ecosystem.

Our Promise: GMO Free Meat, Raised with Respect for Land, Animals, and You

We raise clean, safe, nutrient-rich meat that respects your health, the animals, and the land. Our commitment is to:

Always practice regenerative agriculture.

We manage our pastures and forests in a way that restores soil health, supports biodiversity, and improves the land over time. Our animals are moved frequently, allowing grasslands to rest and rebuild.

Always give our animals everything they need to be happy and healthy.

We respect our animals and provide care so that they may live the way God intended them to live. Animals here are free to be themselves—pigs root around in the forest, chickens forage on pasture, and cows graze fresh grass every day.

Always remain GMO Free, Antibiotic Free, Growth Hormone Free, and Chemical Free.

We feed only non-GMO grain and raise all animals without chemicals, growth hormones, or routine antibiotics. Our products never contain antibiotics. Antibiotics are only used in rare cases (a handful of times in the life of our farm) to save an animal from illness or death. Our beef is 100% grass-fed and grass-finished.

We don’t take your trust lightly. Providing truly farm fresh food is a responsibility we’re proud to carry. Thanks for supporting our family farm—we’re glad you’re here.