Creating a Better World One Lawn at a Time
Pearl’s Premium, Inc. founder Jackson Madnick’s grass seed revolution
Thomas Edison once observed, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Perhaps a modern-day Edison himself, it is only fitting that founder of Pearl’s Premium, Inc., Jackson Madnick, had Mr. Edison in mind throughout the long, often defeating path to his eventual invention of a revolutionary grass seed mixture.
The “Ah-Ha” Batch
Ten years of research and nearly 8,000 grass seed mixture trials later, Jackson discovered what he calls his “Ah-Ha” batch. This research produced an eco-friendly, all natural, non-GMO grass seed, which Jackson began selling in 2010. Jackson reflects, “I could hardly believe the incredible reaction before my eyes.” Not only did his “Ah-Ha” batch produce 12-inch-deep grass roots in just three months and 48-inch-deep roots in a year, but also it slowed the growth of the grass so much that the grass needed to be mowed just once each month. Note that, typically, grass roots don’t exceed three to six inches and most grass has to be mowed weekly.
The implications? The grass’ deeper roots hold more water as well as sequester more carbon within the soil, thereby drastically reducing the amount of water necessary for growth and also locking carbon into the soil at eight times the rate of traditional grass. Thus, simply by planting this grass seed, one simultaneously conserves water, decreases carbon levels in the atmosphere to lessen climate change, and reduces the number of lawn mows necessary each month—all without the use of chemical fertilizer or pesticide.
According to Dr. Alex Lu at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other health experts, lawn chemicals have been linked to increases in the risk for many health issues, including learning and behavioral issues in children, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, sexual dysfunction, and even cancer. To remain weed-free and green year round, Pearl’s Premium grass never requires chemicals.
Too Good to be True?
In 2010, when his grass seed became available to the public after he founded Pearl’s Premium, Inc., Jackson remembers there being a general sentiment of disbelief in reaction to his invention. “I heard over and over again that it sounds too good to be true,” he says.
For many, the thought of a grass seed’s ability to mitigate some of today’s most dire, overwhelming environmental problems—ranging from Earth’s diminishing clean water supply to climate change—proved incomprehensible. However, Jackson has demonstrated that, really, impactful alleviation of such problems can be as simple as sprinkling Pearl’s Premium on top of the very ground beneath our feet.
Confident that the power of his invention would validate itself, Jackson vigorously promoted his grass seed through word-of-mouth, while also providing free workshops about health, grass and lawn care. Shortly after getting his grass into about 1,000 lawns throughout New England, Whole Foods Market began selling his grass. This one location selling Pearl’s Premium turned into four, which turned into eight … before long, Pearl’s Premium was stocked in every Whole Foods Market in New England.
Today, Pearl’s Premium is used on over 400,000 lawns throughout all 50 states as well as in about 20 more countries across the globe. In addition to receiving two U.S. patents for his mixture, Jackson has won two national and international awards. He has also been featured on an array of television shows and has been written about in over 300 rave reviews in publications, including Newsweek, Popular Science and The Wall Street Journal. His grass has been used by countless landscape contractors for highly visible projects and green roofs in Canada and all 50 states; just recently, Pearl’s Premium partnered with the founder and President of Sun Country Integrated, Kent Rathwell, to create the next generation of organic fertilizer to accompany Pearl’s Premium’s special grass.
The outstanding effects of Pearl’s Premium are indeed apparent and, as a result, Jackson’s invention has taken the globe by storm—in just seven years of business.
Why Grass?
Though Jackson notes he has always found the look of grass appealing, he never imagined it would become his proudest accomplishment and life’s work. In fact, Jackson had two careers prior to becoming a grass expert. After spending nine years in school studying engineering, design, filmmaking and environmental science, Jackson made films while working as a cameraman for CBS and then later began large-scale special event work where, for 17 years, he produced major events in stadiums, on rivers and in convention centers, winning 18 regional and national awards.
It wasn’t until he joined his town’s surface water quality committee that he made the decision to dedicate his life to revolutionizing grass seed. While serving on this committee (for which he later became chairperson), Jackson learned of shocking statistics, such as the fact that, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, roughly 50 percent of clean drinking water in the U.S. is used to water lawns. He also discovered that lawn care fertilizer run-off is the number one pollutant of all drinking and surface water, according to the American Water Works Association, NASA, and many experts. With this newfound knowledge, he became determined to create a better grass. “I wanted to create a more sustainable grass that needed far less water and far less mowing, but without requiring chemical fertilizer. I wanted to create a grass that is safer for people, animals and the planet,” he shares.
A Natural Fit
Though Jackson’s path to what he describes as his “third and most important career” as a grass expert was far from direct, it appears as if he was destined to revolutionize grass seed products.
Jackson’s mother, Pearl, was an avid environmentalist during the ‘50s and ‘60s. He asserts, “My mother cared about the environment almost before anyone else did, even before environmental pioneers like Rachel Carson, who is credited with advancing the global environmental movement.” Jackson reflects, “She would take me and my brothers to the ocean and talk to us about how we need to preserve and protect our water resources. My mother instilled in me a passion for the environment at an early age.”
Though she passed away when Jackson was just 13, Pearl’s legacy as a steward of the earth lives on through him. Not only is she the “Pearl” of Pearl’s Premium, but Jackson’s 16-year-old daughter is also named Pearl. He reflects: “I know she is up in heaven looking down and happy that I am doing what I am doing. This is why I named the grass after her.”
Success Stories
In addition to its functionality, for Jackson, Pearl’s Premium is all about “creating a better world, one lawn at a time.”
Motivated by the thousands of success stories about his invention, Jackson is elated his product has made a difference in the lives of customers worldwide. For example, he cites one instance in which a community that had a shortage of clean water was using roughly 150 gallons of water per day, per person during the summer season. However, after the community’s water department began promoting Pearl’s Premium, its summertime water usage decreased to just 55 gallons per day, per person, thereby eliminating two-thirds of the community’s summer water needs. Additionally, Jackson explains that many of his customers are former cancer survivors. He describes, “A number of people who previously battled cancer have made the switch to Pearl’s Premium in an effort to eliminate sources of harmful chemicals in their [personal] environments.”
With a global fan base and no shortage of tales of success, Jackson nevertheless makes giving back to his community a priority. Just recently, Jackson donated grass at cost to aid the creation of a public park in Washington state so a boy could achieve Eagle Scout status with this demonstration project. Pearl’s Premium donates to many other causes, including two tons of grass annually to Habitat for Humanity to improve the homes of wounded warriors and other deserving individuals.
Jackson’s success as an inventor, coupled with his unflagging dedication to the preservation of Earth’s resources, is inspirational proof that one person can make a difference. In all senses of the idiom, the grass truly is greener on Jackson’s side of the fence.