Hello,
I'd like to introduce myself to you. My name is Vanessa Weathers and I am engaged, to be married, to Russ Vollmer. Together we have dreams, goals, and mountains to climb. But right now I'd like to take a few moments to share with you who I am.
One of my earliest memories was when I was 3 or 4 years old, I was sitting in a play-pin in the kitchen of my Uncle’s restaurant where my mother worked alongside. On this particular day, I remember them with their backs to me, hustling all about that long grill. There was lots of talk, laughter and noise coming from everywhere. My uncle turned around from the grill where he was working, smiled his loving smile and handed me a sandwich that consisted of a scrambled egg on a soft-steamed bun. It made me so happy! I still remember the way it tasted and how it made me feel. That act of compassion, in my earliest years, is what ingrained in me, that to me, food is for expressing love and comfort. My mother worked in that kitchen and several others for many years until she went into nursing the elderly. My uncle, aunts, cousins, brother, sisters, nieces, nephews, my children and myself; we’ve all worked in restaurants for as long as I know of. There is no question it runs in my blood.
Growing up at home, my mother cooked every night. Her flavors were always rich and flavorful. When she had extra time, we got a special meal that was over the top. Even her “regular” homemade meals then, would be classified as “over the top” nowadays. Everything was prepared from scratch and made from her heart utilizing every bit of the ingredients. My sisters and I were her little sous chefs and she was the master chef. We worked alongside her every evening to prep, cook and do whatever she told us to do, except get in the way. And, we better do it the way she told us to.
My first “paying” job was at the age of 13. I was working in a local restaurant that served fried fish and shrimp on Friday and Saturday nights. I loved the interaction with different people. It was my first taste of what it meant to serve others. By 15, I was working the counter at my uncle’s restaurant. I took orders and ran the register. I would still cook those fish and french fries on Friday nights, when it was at its busiest. I also began worked at another restaurant, waiting tables during the week and on Sundays.
Further along in my life I worked a number of waitress jobs, worked in the kitchens of several restaurants, got married & divorced, had kids and even took a different career path before opening my own restaurant. I made mistakes and have a few regrets like we all do but life doesn't come with a road map. I'm proud of the choices I made. I take pride in the way I handled myself and raised my children as a single parent for much of my life. I never let my dreams die. I just put them on hold while I gave my kids a reason to make dreams of their own.
In 2008 I finally took that leap of faith of having my own restaurant. My sister and I opened Sisters Cafe in Bunn, NC. I can’t tell you how excited I was to be in a position to own my own business, work with my sister, and do what I love. We managed that restaurant until I left in 2014. She still owns and operates Sisters Cafe today. I learned more than I ever have in my life from my sisters, our staff, our vendors, and our wonderful patrons. My ability to humbly and professionally serve others expanded the most in my lifetime. I learned not just names, but the personalities of our customers. I learned not to over cook one bit George's eggs over medium and not to make the BBQ chicken too hot for Jacky. I learned Carol would be coming every Wednesday for Chicken pastry and to save him a plate. I learned to depend on Sam and April, part of my staff. I learned to tell my main vendor not to show up at 12:30pm with a refrigerator full of groceries to unload. Everything I learned in those 6 1/2 years has prepared me for this moment.
In April 2014, I left my restaurant and came to work on the farm. Russ had taken a leave-of-absence from his regular crop insurance job, to help his father who was battling cancer. Russ managed the growing fields, greenhouses and farm employees. I came in to help with his father’s CSA program, farmer’s markets and wholesale customers. I had experience in sales and marketing, and was able to progress into that position. Russ and I working together on the farm was suppose to be temporary. His dad was suppose to get better and get back to farming. We were suppose to go back to doing what we were use to. Little did we know, our beloved Farmer John would go to heaven on June 3rd, 2014.
After Farmer John's death we all did some real soul searching. Lots of questions, lots of uncertainty, lots of things to worry about all could have dominated our minds. We even battled through decimating hail, floods, winds, freezes and plant diseases this farm had rarely ever seen in it's history. But all that adversity not only brought Russ and I closer but the entire Vollmer family including my children, Russ's children, and his sisters and their families. The one thing we all knew was the legacy of John and Betty Vollmer would go on. We just needed time to figure out how.
I have enjoyed working on the farm and helping Russ with many aspects of the current farm operation but that fire inside of me to work in the kitchen has not gone out. In fact, that fire has been stoked with a new appreciation of where food comes from. Seeing it grow, picking it right out of the earth or off the vine and immediately preparing it into something that is both fresh and delicious, feeds my soul and my passion to show my love through the food I create and serve. The shared love that Russ and I have for food, from two different aspects, is amazing. He grows it. I cook it. When he grows clean, healthy food he is giving his love in a very meaningful way. He only want to give his best. When I prepare the food he grows, I do the same. Both Russ and I share our love through the gift and blessing of food. We both are passionate about it.
So we both made the decision to build a farm to table restaurant right here on the farm. This will be our way of preserving this farm's legacy while launching us into our passions and dreams. But there is one more thing. I have prayed about this a lot and truly believe this will be a door for us to DO GOD’S WORK! This restaurant, on this farm will not only serve the paying public. It will also serve those who cannot afford good, healthy, clean food. Our facilities will not only service our needs as a restaurant, it will also service the needs of volunteers to come in and prepare meals for those in need. We believe with all our hearts and souls in the premise of pay it forward. We believe by serving the needs of others, our destiny will be fulfilled. We are ready to take this step not only for us, but for all those this will enable us to serve, in our community.
You see, to me, FOOD is LOVE. That notion has been ingrained in me from the very beginning of my life. I’ve always associated food with love and happy feelings. What better way to show God’s love, then through the gift of food? What better way to show compassion, understanding and connection, than food. Food is what bridges us all together. Eating is something we all do and have in common, no matter the religion, race or financial status. Food brings us together.
We hope you will visit the farm, have a meal at Rustic Roots and be a part of our Pay It Forward mission; to bring people together, for the LOVE OF FOOD.
Vanessa
I'd like to introduce myself to you. My name is Vanessa Weathers and I am engaged, to be married, to Russ Vollmer. Together we have dreams, goals, and mountains to climb. But right now I'd like to take a few moments to share with you who I am.
One of my earliest memories was when I was 3 or 4 years old, I was sitting in a play-pin in the kitchen of my Uncle’s restaurant where my mother worked alongside. On this particular day, I remember them with their backs to me, hustling all about that long grill. There was lots of talk, laughter and noise coming from everywhere. My uncle turned around from the grill where he was working, smiled his loving smile and handed me a sandwich that consisted of a scrambled egg on a soft-steamed bun. It made me so happy! I still remember the way it tasted and how it made me feel. That act of compassion, in my earliest years, is what ingrained in me, that to me, food is for expressing love and comfort. My mother worked in that kitchen and several others for many years until she went into nursing the elderly. My uncle, aunts, cousins, brother, sisters, nieces, nephews, my children and myself; we’ve all worked in restaurants for as long as I know of. There is no question it runs in my blood.
Growing up at home, my mother cooked every night. Her flavors were always rich and flavorful. When she had extra time, we got a special meal that was over the top. Even her “regular” homemade meals then, would be classified as “over the top” nowadays. Everything was prepared from scratch and made from her heart utilizing every bit of the ingredients. My sisters and I were her little sous chefs and she was the master chef. We worked alongside her every evening to prep, cook and do whatever she told us to do, except get in the way. And, we better do it the way she told us to.
My first “paying” job was at the age of 13. I was working in a local restaurant that served fried fish and shrimp on Friday and Saturday nights. I loved the interaction with different people. It was my first taste of what it meant to serve others. By 15, I was working the counter at my uncle’s restaurant. I took orders and ran the register. I would still cook those fish and french fries on Friday nights, when it was at its busiest. I also began worked at another restaurant, waiting tables during the week and on Sundays.
Further along in my life I worked a number of waitress jobs, worked in the kitchens of several restaurants, got married & divorced, had kids and even took a different career path before opening my own restaurant. I made mistakes and have a few regrets like we all do but life doesn't come with a road map. I'm proud of the choices I made. I take pride in the way I handled myself and raised my children as a single parent for much of my life. I never let my dreams die. I just put them on hold while I gave my kids a reason to make dreams of their own.
In 2008 I finally took that leap of faith of having my own restaurant. My sister and I opened Sisters Cafe in Bunn, NC. I can’t tell you how excited I was to be in a position to own my own business, work with my sister, and do what I love. We managed that restaurant until I left in 2014. She still owns and operates Sisters Cafe today. I learned more than I ever have in my life from my sisters, our staff, our vendors, and our wonderful patrons. My ability to humbly and professionally serve others expanded the most in my lifetime. I learned not just names, but the personalities of our customers. I learned not to over cook one bit George's eggs over medium and not to make the BBQ chicken too hot for Jacky. I learned Carol would be coming every Wednesday for Chicken pastry and to save him a plate. I learned to depend on Sam and April, part of my staff. I learned to tell my main vendor not to show up at 12:30pm with a refrigerator full of groceries to unload. Everything I learned in those 6 1/2 years has prepared me for this moment.
In April 2014, I left my restaurant and came to work on the farm. Russ had taken a leave-of-absence from his regular crop insurance job, to help his father who was battling cancer. Russ managed the growing fields, greenhouses and farm employees. I came in to help with his father’s CSA program, farmer’s markets and wholesale customers. I had experience in sales and marketing, and was able to progress into that position. Russ and I working together on the farm was suppose to be temporary. His dad was suppose to get better and get back to farming. We were suppose to go back to doing what we were use to. Little did we know, our beloved Farmer John would go to heaven on June 3rd, 2014.
After Farmer John's death we all did some real soul searching. Lots of questions, lots of uncertainty, lots of things to worry about all could have dominated our minds. We even battled through decimating hail, floods, winds, freezes and plant diseases this farm had rarely ever seen in it's history. But all that adversity not only brought Russ and I closer but the entire Vollmer family including my children, Russ's children, and his sisters and their families. The one thing we all knew was the legacy of John and Betty Vollmer would go on. We just needed time to figure out how.
I have enjoyed working on the farm and helping Russ with many aspects of the current farm operation but that fire inside of me to work in the kitchen has not gone out. In fact, that fire has been stoked with a new appreciation of where food comes from. Seeing it grow, picking it right out of the earth or off the vine and immediately preparing it into something that is both fresh and delicious, feeds my soul and my passion to show my love through the food I create and serve. The shared love that Russ and I have for food, from two different aspects, is amazing. He grows it. I cook it. When he grows clean, healthy food he is giving his love in a very meaningful way. He only want to give his best. When I prepare the food he grows, I do the same. Both Russ and I share our love through the gift and blessing of food. We both are passionate about it.
So we both made the decision to build a farm to table restaurant right here on the farm. This will be our way of preserving this farm's legacy while launching us into our passions and dreams. But there is one more thing. I have prayed about this a lot and truly believe this will be a door for us to DO GOD’S WORK! This restaurant, on this farm will not only serve the paying public. It will also serve those who cannot afford good, healthy, clean food. Our facilities will not only service our needs as a restaurant, it will also service the needs of volunteers to come in and prepare meals for those in need. We believe with all our hearts and souls in the premise of pay it forward. We believe by serving the needs of others, our destiny will be fulfilled. We are ready to take this step not only for us, but for all those this will enable us to serve, in our community.
You see, to me, FOOD is LOVE. That notion has been ingrained in me from the very beginning of my life. I’ve always associated food with love and happy feelings. What better way to show God’s love, then through the gift of food? What better way to show compassion, understanding and connection, than food. Food is what bridges us all together. Eating is something we all do and have in common, no matter the religion, race or financial status. Food brings us together.
We hope you will visit the farm, have a meal at Rustic Roots and be a part of our Pay It Forward mission; to bring people together, for the LOVE OF FOOD.
Vanessa