Dear community,
We have taken some time to write this message waiting to have more clarity of the situation ahead of us.
As today July 11 at 5 pm we have been closed for the day. Yesterday we experienced a flash flood coming from some clogged culverts uphill of the farm that sent a raging stream into our driveway onto our field. It could have had devastating impacts for our crops and our home, but with the help of neighbors and the East Montpelier roads crew the situation was controlled as quickly as we could safely divert the water and everything is now under control.
Many of you have been calling or contacting us showing us your support in this difficult time. We have to say that we are blessed to have you, our community, and be a part of this resilient landscape. We are on high enough ground that the waters of the reservoir, while a huge threat to Montpelier, are not threatening the fields of our farm.
We are concerned and worried about our community members in downtown Montpelier and the areas that due to the storm are now inaccessible.
We are also concerned about the safety of our farmily crew and how feasible it is for them to come to work soon to tend the crops and harvest.
We have heard from Rise Up Bakery that they experience big damages in their facilities and they are assessing the size of their losses.
As the flood has made many areas impossible to access our CSA deliveries will have to be on hold until we have more information about the reopening of roads.
Our aim is to deliver this week even if it is later than Wednesday. As of today we are not certain what will happen and what will make the most sense for all of us.
Access to and from our farm is very limited. The road across the Wrightsville dam is washed out between the dam and the farm, and many of the roads uphill from us are also impassable. We will wait for the coming days to let our CSA community know when and how we will reopen our farm stand.
Our aim is to be here for our community as much as we can, in the best way we can, to support your needs and continue providing the fresh and delicious food that is resiliently growing in these blessed fields for you.
As soon as we know more we will be contacting you with more details on how we will proceed.
If you need personal assistance or access to a shelter, please remember the state emergency line is available to us all by calling 211. There are emergency shelters across the state. You can also visit www.vermont211.org for resources.
Map of road closures: https://newengland511.org/
Current river levels and forecast: https://water.weather.gov/ahps/region.php?state=vt
We pray for all of us to breathe deeply in this time of fear, loss, and uncertainty. May the songs of the birds remind us that cycles of nature are both beautiful and beyond our control. We also need to do everything we can as a community to prepare for future floods now as this is becoming a more frequent occurrence. May the sunshine allow us to see beyond sorrow and despair with hope in our hearts to count the blessings of life, community, and love.
With gratitude and hope in this difficult times,
Ananda, Melisa, Munay, and Patrick
The Ananda Gardens Family
