SUPPORT VERMONT RELIEF EFFORTS

After last week's historic flooding, Vermont has begun trekking down the long road to recovery. Communities from the top of the state to the bottom were impacted. Houses fell off of their foundations, businesses flooded, and roadways were swept away in the surging floodwaters.

In the Northeast Kingdom, we experienced rainfall that surpassed the levels seen during Hurricane Irene. In the valley town of Hardwick where our cold storage warehouse and fulfillment center are located, the banks of the Lamoille River were breached. Water spilled across the town’s main thoroughfare, swept away crucial bridges, and left the town temporarily stranded. Atkins Field, the town common where our weekly farmers market takes place, was underwater. The fire station flooded. A local inn crumbled into the surge as the riverbank behind it collapsed. As the waters subside, strips of roofing, building frames, and refuse were laid in the silt.

We’ve received so many positive thoughts and heartfelt wishes in the wake of this climate change-driven catastrophe. We appreciate every caring message. Jasper Hill Farm got lucky. We only saw minor damage, some temporary power failures, and—all things considered—minor delays in shipping.

The same can’t be said for everyone in our community. We’ve taken stock of the damage and have decided the best place to direct people’s desire to contribute is toward one of our core values: preserving Vermont’s working landscape. Vermont farms are most often situated in fertile river valleys and were devastated by the flood. Farming is hard work done for slim margins. A poor crop can set a farm back years in deferred maintenance and equipment upgrades. The flooding did them one worse: because of high levels of runoff and pollutants in the water, many crops were entirely wiped out.

Such a loss could spell the end of many farms—agriculture operated at our Vermont scale means staying small and working sustainably. Hardwick is known as the “Town That Food Saved” because of its renaissance of low-intervention, regenerative agriculture economy that grew in the early 2000s. It’s an identity that we are proud to be a part of.

We’re lucky to be a strong community; local and statewide funds emerged almost to lend financial assistance to the farms in need. We’re lucky to be recognized far and wide for our dedication to producing and growing outrageously delicious food. It gives us a spotlight that many other parts of the country and the world don’t have when they experience climate catastrophes. Our community is privileged to receive that attention and we want to receive it humbly and acknowledge the many on this planet who persist in climate crises without this kind of support.

Thank you for your generous spirit. Here are the organizations we recommend you contribute to for Vermont’s recovery: