Saturday, October 14, 2017

Local Saturday - A Community Coming Together


In the United States, our thoughts are with the people of the area around Santa Rosa, California, where wildfires are burning city and countryside enough.  As it happens, the daughter of one of my co workers lives in Santa Rosa, and her family is facing an uncertain future right now.

Meanwhile, more locally: 
Dairy Cow from Engelbert Farms, Another Local Operation
Earlier this week, a local small farm called Dutch Hill Creamery lost their barn in a fire.  Fortunately, the family (and the cows) were able to escape.  But, at this time, the future of Dutch Hill is in some doubt.  Their farm is a total loss.

I am an occasional customer of Dutch Hill.  They make wonderful cheese curds, and the best orange yogurt, made from pure ingredients.  Many in our community love their chocolate milk.  I don't buy from them all the time, but I have met some of their family during open houses they have from time to time.   I understand that the Aukema family has always been at the head of the line when it has come to helping their neighbors.  So what did the community do in return for the Aukemas?


Embrace Country Life, a website dedicated to supporting local food producers, posted this on Facebook (and I am taking the liberty of posting some of it):

"[Farmers] are generous and caring people who will do anything to help a neighbor. 70 cows were displaced ...when the Aukema's barn burned down. Within a couple of hours all the cows were transported to another 4-H family's barn. The text I received from our 4-H leader who took the cows in last night said "The Aukema family was shaken but grateful for all the support. The cows were settling down, had been milked, fed, and doing pretty good with only minor scrapes. ... Cliff started www.EmbraceCountryLife.com to promote local farms, like the Aukemas and all the farmers who work tirelessly every day to feed our families. They are wonderful people who deserve our support! Please continue to pray for the Aukemas (especially their children who witnessed this horrific fire) as they go through this traumatic time."

The local farming community is now coming together to help clear debris, and give other help to the Aukemas.  And, now, they have to decide how to go forward with their lives. 

Just like the thousands and thousands in Puerto Rico, Texas, California, Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other places near and far.

Remember, always, your local food producer.  Sometimes, we don't miss them until they are endangered.

Day 14 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge

8 comments:

  1. We seem to be in a “disaster of the week” cycle. Glad your community came together to help.

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  2. Love hearing true life examples of people coming together in the world rather than tearing each other down.

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  3. So many sad things happening right in our country. I hope they will be able to stay in business, and hope the best for your coworker's family. ~Jeanine

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  4. I hate to hear of all the disasters but it warms my heart when I see people coming together to help others.

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  5. That is so sad. It is hard to start over after you've lost everything. It's good that the folks at the farm got community support when it was most needed.

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  6. I think I'm getting some type of mild PTSD just from watching the news. I'm not ready for another disaster.

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  7. Too many things happening. Eeek.

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  8. The recent fires and floods have shown how neighbors often do care for each other. I hope this family's business can be revived. I will add my prayers for them.

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