Rallying Support For Your Farm During a Disaster
Volunteers pitched in to help the farmers and gardeners at Grow Food Northampton recover from the flooding in July, 2023. Photo by Pat James.
When heavy rains caused massive flooding to the crops, land, and infrastructure at Grow Food Northampton, the local community rose to the rescue.
Increasing Access to Farmland and Sustainably-Grown Local Food
Grow Food Northampton (GFN) helps farmers, gardeners, and residents of Northampton, Mass. and surrounding towns get access to farmland and sustainably-grown local food.
“We lease no- and low-cost farmland to 10 small farms,” states Alisa Klein, GFN’s Executive Director. “Four of these farms are owned and operated by farmers of color, including a collective of 20 Somali Bantu refugee families.” She adds, “We also have an organic community garden; many of our gardeners depend on the produce they grow to feed their families.”
In addition, GFN runs farmers markets, including a free mobile market for community members experiencing food insecurity; offers SNAP share and SNAP match programs; and galvanizes volunteers to help grow 9,000 pounds of organic produce annually for donation to food pantries and community meal sites.
A Triple Whammy for New England Farmers
Flooded farmland and gardens at Northampton Community Farm. Photo by Joe Brooks-Kahn.
New England farmers faced a triple whammy in 2023. An extreme cold snap in February resulted in the complete loss of the Massachusetts peach crop. In mid-May, a frost wreaked havoc on apple crops throughout Massachusetts, and other parts of New England and upstate New York. Relentless rain led to overflowing rivers in July and August, flooding fertile farmland in many of the same locations.
On July 10, 2023, massive flooding from the Mill River inundated much of Grow Food Northampton’s acreage. This catastrophe took a dire toll as nearly all 10 farms were submerged under four to five feet of water, resulting in total or partial crop losses. Furthermore, 300 out of the 325 organic community garden plots also succumbed to the floodwaters.
Valuable infrastructure and equipment, including water pumps, irrigation lines, sheds, fences, and tools, was lost or damaged. To compound matters, the floodwaters carried contaminants and waste onto the land, rendering it unfit for cultivation until it undergoes remediation with compost and cover crops.
Community Unity Amid Disaster
Courtney Whitley, owner of Ras Farm, explains his crop loss to elected officials. Photo by Pat James.
Staff, farmers, and community gardeners felt a profound sense of helplessness as the flood waters rose. However, the day after the flood, 20 community gardeners and neighbors organized a work party to commence the cleanup efforts. Over the next month, approximately 200 volunteers joined forces to clear trash and debris, restore plots and garden beds, tackle weeds, and sow cover crops.
Nearly 600 individuals contributed to the Grow Food Northampton recovery relief fund, providing crucial support to help farmers rebuild, assisting food-insecure gardeners who lost their crops, replacing infrastructure, and fortifying the farm against future flooding events.*
Preparing for an Uncertain Future
In a time marked by droughts, extreme heat, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, excessive rainfall and flooding, farmers across the United States face an uncertain future. While disasters can strike any farm at any time, climate change is likely to increase the frequency of these extreme events.
It will take global, systemic change to combat the human impact on the climate. In the interim, fostering robust community ties–akin to Grow Food Northampton–can help your farm to better weather the next challenges that lie ahead.
*Checks have already been disbursed to the farmers and community gardeners who were affected, but ongoing contributions are vital to support GFN’s mission; click here to donate.