>>> NOW IN ITS FIFTH GENERATION OF OPERATION, THE VOLLMER FARM
NEAR BUNN IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF A SMALL ORGANIC AMERICAN FARM.
AND RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO VISIT AS THE STRAWBERRIES ARE
RIPE FOR THE PICKING, AND THE BLUEBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES ARE
CLOSE BEHIND.
PRODUCER RICK SULLIVAN TAKES US INTO THE BERRY PATCH.
>> ON A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY ALONG THE TAR RIVER,
YOU CAN PICK YOUR OWN AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE GROWING
SEASON.
TODAY THE STRAWBERRIES ARE RIPE AND READY.
SOON IT MIGHT BE BLUEBERRIES OR BLACKBERRIES.
LATER ON PUMPKINS CAN BE HUNTED AND CAPTURED.
NOW, IF YOU TOLD YOUR CHILD TO WALK A MILE OR TWO IN SEARCH OF
THEIR FOOD, IT MIGHT NOT SOUND ALL THAT ENTICING, BUT OPEN A
CAR DOOR AND SEND THEM INTO THE FIELDS AT VOLLMER FARM AND SEE
WHAT HAPPENS.
>> I SEE IT ALL THE TIME OUT HERE WITH -- WITH THE CHILDREN,
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GO INTO THE STRAWBERRY FIELD, UH, THEY SEE
THE BEES BUZZING, YOU KNOW.
THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH BUGS AND DIRT, YOU KNOW.
>> THEY'RE NOT EVEN LOOKING AT THE STRAWBERRY.
>> NO, NO.
THEY'RE BEING CHILDREN, YOU KNOW.
AND THEY'RE ON A FARM.
>> A FIFTH GENERATION FARM, ONE THAT BEGAN WITH TOBACCO AND HAS
EVOLVED AS NEEDED.
IT TAKES BRAINS AND BRAWN TO SURVIVE, IF NOT THRIVE, IN THIS
BUSINESS.
>> IN SOME WAYS, WHEN MY GRANDFATHER STARTED GROWING
TOBACCO, HE WAS AN INNOVATOR.
HE BROUGHT NEW IDEAS AND SYSTEMS TO CURING AND GROWING TOBACCO.
MY DAD MOVED THAT FORWARD WITH A TRANSITION FROM CONVENTIONAL
FARMING TO ORGANIC FARMING.
AND SO FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT CONTINUING THAT.
IT'S REALLY NOT ABOUT BUILDING MY OWN LEGACY BUT THE LEGACY OF
THE FARM.
[ROOSTER CROWING] >> RUSSELL VOLLMER'S FATHER,
JOHN, PASSED AWAY IN 2014.
RUSSELL EMBRACES WHAT HIS FATHER WAS ABLE TO BUILD WHILE
CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR NEW IDEAS AND REVENUE STREAMS.
>> WE'RE LEADING THEM THAT WAY.
>> THE FARM'S YOU PICK OPERATIONS ARE AS POPULAR AND
WELL-RUN AS EVER, AND THERE'S THE BACK 40 WHERE SCHOOL BUSES
WILL SOON INJECT HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL KIDS INTO A FARM PARK
MOST ADULTS CAN ONLY DREAM OF UTILIZING.
BUT SCHOOL TOURS AND YOU PICK OPERATIONS CAN ONLY SUSTAIN SO
MUCH.
FEEDING THE MASSES IS THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF THE FARM.
>> SO THE FARM ITSELF IS RIGHT AT A HUNDRED ACRES, BUT IN --
BUT IN CULTIVATION AND GROWING, ABOUT 45 ACRES.
WE GROW A LOT OF DIFFERENT CROPS.
PROBABLY 20, 20 OR MORE DIFFERENT CROPS.
>> ORGANIC CROPS.
THE KIND THAT GIVE MOMS AND DADS A LITTLE PEACE OF MIND WHEN
JUNIOR DECIDES TO SAMPLE.
BUT NO PESTICIDES CAN ALSO LEAD TO A PATCH OF WEEDS INVADING
WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE A TIDY ROW OF PLANTS.
AND THE CONSUMER MIGHT JUST MEET UP WITH A BUG OR A WORM NOW AND
THEN.
>> AND WE SAY EMBRACE THE IMPERFECTION.
IF IT'S GOT WORM HOLES IN IT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT HERE AND
THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE COMPLETELY -- IT'S GOT TO LOOK
GOOD, BUT AN OCCASIONAL WORM HOLE IS A GOOD THING.
IT'S A SIGN THAT YOUR FARMER IS GROWING SOMETHING ORGANICALLY.
>> AND THAT THE FOOD WAS TASTY IF THE WORM LIKED IT.
>> YEAH.
HA, HA, HA, HA, HA.
THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> AT THE VOLLMER FARM NEAR BUNN, I'M RICK SULLIVAN FOR
"NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND."