Farm updates 9.26.2017

Post Hurricane Maria 2017

Hello Farm friends and Family,

Thank you for checking in on us. Our community and farm are only 7 days in from just being hit with a category 5 hurricane. Island disaster relief efforts are taking place on some levels, and hasn't begun on others.

Farm:
Farm crew is alive and ok. Still waiting for confirmation that the pigs made it too. Our sheep and donkey did make it with a few deaths between Irma and Maria from dog attacks. Farm crew hasn't been able to re-establish internet at the farm as yet. They also are still working to fix water system damage in order to get drinking water again. We have lost all our crops. Still waiting to hear if any of our fruit trees/orchards have made it.  More updates coming soon.

Island:
Updates on the ground describe the island very badly damaged. With short curfew time giving only 4 hours, it creates incredible hours long lines for basics like gas, food, ATMS, pharmacies, for the ones that have opened for business. Farm crew has only been able to make it from farm to plane so far. Distribution centers are still struggling to get food and supplies for people. Residents are showing up and there being no food. There have been public statements it was from communication errors. So hopefully residents can get food this week.

What's happening now:
Thank you to all those Farm First Responders that have sent supplies to the Hurricane Relief Plane this week. Special thank you to the moms and dads for loving us so! Farm crew got first supplies yesterday and second arrives today. Next arrival of supplies is next week on the freight boat.

These next few weeks are incredibly critical for dealing with this major disaster crisis. It is a complex situation with many parts involved. On this territory-wide scale there are complicated problems that can only be solved that takes more than one person.

Our immediate farm issues to deal with are with our solar systems, water system, crop production, animal husbandry, farm equipment needs, getting our markets up and going again (CSA and F2S), and our farmers' overall wellbeing and peace of mind. They just came through a category 5 hurricane, the highest on the hurricane scale. Our entire community just came through a traumatic experience. Lets send them all some love and support these next few weeks.

The ability to get our fellow Farm 2 School farmers, our neighbors and our farm producing food again is incredibly important to us. I wish I could put out a clear outline of our next set of needs and steps to take, but really this will take time. Luckily I know you are with us for the short and long run as we are with you! Please do stay in touch. Stay connected.

Thank you for all the love we are already getting and those who have sent support in the form of donations, time, supplies, and prayers. If you are able to help in any of these areas above, please do reach out to us via our Facebook or email csa@ridge2reef.org.

Thank you so much!

R2R Farm
LLG Farm
Shelli