| Hey farm friends, I am overcome with gratitude for all of the folks that have come into our valley to help. Today, I dropped the children off at a friend’s for a few hours and drove by Ingles. I was in the middle of the workday, but decided to stop to get lunch before getting back to the farm. I pulled in, and the parking lot was full of people giving of their time and talents and treasure to help the people of our valley. One man from the midwest offered me a box of non perishable food. National Guard helped with filling water containers. A woman from One World Kitchen gave me a hot meal of barbeque and beans/greens from the left side of my window and a Baptist organization gave me a hamburger plate on the right. I pulled up a little more and a man in army uniform handed me two slices of Little Caesar’s pizza from their Love Truck. Then, another man gave me some cookies and water. From the right window, a man came over and asked how he could pray for me. He prayed right then and there for the farmers and soil in our region that were hit so hard from Helene. It was a drive through of LOVE!! I was definitely crying by the time the sweet man prayed with me. ALL these people came to help us, with a caring smile on their faces, to lift us up in our time of need. This week, I feel like I alternate between feeling great and life feeling normal to a deep sense of being overwhelmed and on the verge of tears. Can you relate? On Monday, the boys and I went to our church (Black Mountain Presbyterian) to volunteer for a few hours. Gavin and Xander were sorting and organizing crates of canned goods that had come in from all over. As Gavin stacked cans of vienna sausages, I thought about each person that had purchased those cans. I thought about the number of times I have purchased cans for a canned drive at church or school, wondering who would receive them. Now, we are on the other end. We are receiving. We are being fed, both in our bellies and in our souls, by the kind folks who have descended upon this valley. |
| On the farm, we continue to repair as well as carry out fall tasks. We will be getting some certified organic compost from several hours away next week to help rebuild the topsoil that was lost. We plan to plant cover crop there to build organic matter and hold the soil in place over the winter. Repairs will continue into the winter months, but we feel so lucky compared to so many farms that lost so much. Please consider making a donation to some of the farms that were hit hard, including Mark Dempsey (dear friend, bean breeder, and researcher who lost his home, garden, and workshop in Swannanoa) and Green Toe Ground (a mentor and leader at Organic Growers School who led us through our Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson Program). Both pages say their goal has been met, but they will each need much more than what they have raised so far to get back on their feet. Also, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and WNC Communities are providing grants for farms impacted by Helene if you are looking for other outlets to support farmers. Thanks so much for your support and love. We appreciate you! |
