These were taken first week of storm. Its only been 19 days since Hurricane Maria struck St Croix. Photos by Nate.
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Special Thanks to Jennifer and Ali Recap: On September 6, 2017, category 5 Hurricane Irma passed north of STJ and hit our sister islands of St Thomas and St John and Tortola, amongst many island in its path. Ridge to Reef Farm was sending food and supplies to St Thomas food banks when on September 19, 2017 category 5 Hurricane Maria passed just a few miles south of St Croix and the west end where the farm is located received the brunt of the storm. Right after, all ports were closed and communication channels struggled to come back online. The first wave of responders came from our farm friends Jennifer Lockwood in Florida and Ali Avalon in Colorado. They organized immediately a fundraiser to send relief supplies via private plane company St Pete's Air out of St Petesburg, Florida. If it wasn't for these two main Farm First responders who mobilized a way to get supplies to the battered island of St Croix, then family members and friends wouldn't have been able to get immediate food, water, and basic supplies to our farm crew. To Jennifer and Ali and to all their friends and family that supported them, you were our angels in a serious moment of need. On behalf of everyone connected to the farm, thank you. Up to this first week in October, there have been no agencies/aid that have made it into the rainforest where the farm is located. The only aid the farm crew had received was what arrived through your supply trips. Thank you to all the friends and family that have sent supplies, prayers, and love. We so appreciate you. Thank you for thinking of us. With you help, we will rebuild, we will replant, and we will continue on our mission of teaching, living, growing, and sharing regenerative agriculture for small communities. Thanks to you, we can continue with our commitment to local and organic food for all and especially to our Virgin Islands Farm to School program. There is so much work to be done, its incredible. With your support, we know we will get it done. Ridge to Reef Farm. Click here to learn how to support these two fundraising campaigns that help us as well as other people in our community. http://stpeteair.org/usvi/ https://www.gofundme.com/RidgetoReefFarm To all the angels helping us and others... I am in awe of you. This is Jennifer Lockwood with ziggy at the trashed STX airport receiving a charter flight that she organized with St. Pete's Air in Florida that brought ziggy, ridge to reef farm, and many others critical supplies after the devastating hurricane Maria. Others have been just as dedicated and action oriented in fundraising and lifeline support through limited satellite phone such as Ali Avalon, Allison Howroyd Klusmann, Shelli Brin Olive Olive, Sarah Haynes, Bobbi Matthews, Tim Olive, Dave Matthews, Claus Marquart Jørgensen, and the MANY people who have stepped up and helped. I am still stunned. The losses to the farm production for the next years, the loss in business, in farm to school sales, in other contracts and markets, costs of so many needed repairs just to get s where we were.... Then the realities of mortgage, of debts, obligations, hopes and goals.... Ain't easy to take in. just chainsaw another tree till we run out of bar oil. We are still piled up and the work has only just begun. From the deepest cavern of my being I thank you all for your love and support. Despite all this I know it's a blessing. - Nate Olive
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About Us
Ridge to Reef Farm serves the US Virgin Islands with certified organic produce grown with sustainable permaculture practices (and a lot of love). Archives
June 2018
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