As a first-generation farmer, Vannah Roddy knows the power of creativity and hard work. Vannah started Encompass Farm in 2019 in a unique way – growing across a network of eight different urban yards, totaling one acre of production. In January of this year, she was able to achieve her goal of land ownership through the purchase of seven acres in Rutherford County, North Carolina, turning her network of growing sites into a “forever farm.”
The farm grows organic vegetables and cut flowers, feeding over 100 families each week year-round through the Encompass Veggie Box Program. Vannah also handcrafts a line of farm products from botanical wreaths to farm-grown seasoning blends that ship nationwide.
This spring, Vannah purchased a 30’ x 96’ Nor’Easter high tunnel greenhouse from Rimol, working with sales representative Matt Hand through the process. “Rimol had always been on my radar as the best of the best, and I had coveted one for a long time,” said Vannah.“While farming on the urban scale, zoning and ordinances restricted me from building tunnels, and without that crucial small farm infrastructure I had to make hard decisions,” she said. “Eliminating crops like cucumbers and cherry tomatoes and growing through the winter with only frost cloth worked as a bare-bones strategy for a few years, but once I purchased the new farm the very first thing I did was buy my Rimol tunnel!”
Encompass Farm is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, which is considered a deciduous rainforest – and with lots of rain comes summer diseases. Vannah says her greenhouse has already helped grow her harvest by shielding crops from the weather.
“As an organic grower, disease prevention is my key strategy, and good trellising systems are essential to staving off fungal issues and blights with good airflow. In combination with the Qlipr trellis system and the cover that my greenhouse provides, I've had a prolific and disease-free tomato and cucumber season.”
The greenhouse will also help Vannah continue to grow plenty of fresh food to serve her customers year-round. “As a winter grower, I'm really looking forward to having real infrastructure this season. The less frost cloth I have to chase all winter long, the better!”
As Vannah looks ahead to the future of the farm, her Rimol high tunnel will continue to serve as a key component of her growing operation. “Permanence is an important theme on this new farm as I break ground and grow through my first season here. I made do with the bare minimum for so many years with my tenuous access to land. That experience made me very intentional with every permanent infrastructure design choice, which is why I chose the best tunnel on the market to ensure a long stewardship of this land.”
You can follow along with Vannah and Encompass Farm on Instagram: @encompassfarm
