Hurricane Irene

[near horse]

I thought I heard that the bridge down at Quechee was damaged. Is that right? That canyon is 150 feet deep I bet. Where’s Gilead Brook in relation to your place Carl? I don’t recall even seeing it. Best of luck and hope the flooding didn’t dmage your operation. From hot (93F) and dry (no rain at all since July 24) Idaho.

[dominiquer60]

Power was out for a couple of hours, the barnyard, chicken yard, greenhouses and low vegetable field flooded bad after 7″. Glad we didn’t seed fall greens because that 1/3 acre would be wasted seed, it is still running, hoping that there is some top soil left when it recedes. Many culverts and small bridges washed out on back roads in the county, streams are flooding worse than the old timers ever remember and my home town will be under water the worst since 1914, they have already closed the interstate across the river.

The rain was the worst part, the wind never really got above a strong breeze here so we consider ourselves lucky. The roof sprung a little leak and we had to pump the spring room in the basement before it flooded the egg room, but that was it, so other than the loss of soil it was just a lot of water.

My thoughts are with the farmers in the Schoharie Valley where the Gilboa Dam is threatening to release a entire reservoir on some of the most prime soil in the country. Several villages, dozens of dairy farms and a few vegetable farms are in the path. The entire valley has evacuated or is still trying to find a place for the livestock. I hope that the dam stays together until the water goes down and they can fix the dam again.

My best to you all,

[Carl Russell]

@near horse 28665 wrote:

I thought I heard that the bridge down at Quechee was damaged. Is that right? That canyon is 150 feet deep I bet. Where’s Gilead Brook in relation to your place Carl? I don’t recall even seeing it. Best of luck and hope the flooding didn’t dmage your operation. From hot (93F) and dry (no rain at all since July 24) Idaho.

It wasn’t the bridge at the gorge, it was the old covered bridge in the village of Queechee.

Gilead Brook is at the bottom of our little valley. It usually is about 1/10 the size of how it is depicted in the video.

Here are some clips of water in our fields.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1aWfyFfLNc

Carl

[Robert MoonShadow]

But you’re safe, so that’s good news.

[Michel Boulay]

Wow, that is impressive, when they say flash flood warning now you can see how fast it it can rise. Here its the opposite high winds starting around 3am and now there up to 60km gusting to 90km. Sitting on the deck at the cottage this dead tree fell of a sudden, photo, what a rush. Minimal dammage on the trim we were lucky. Storm surge in the Bay of Fundy and up to 100km wind there in the marshes.

[jen judkins]

We survived pretty easily here at Resting Heart Farm. We are high on a hill, so flooding was not much of a concern, though some of the local community were hit hard by water. The storm passed right over top of us, but thankfully was in the process of ‘disassembling’ as it approached. Two trees down, both on fences, one crushed a gate. My corn looks like it was trampled by a herd of buffalo, but my other crops are all OK….I’ll have to look closer after work today. Loose pigs were the main issue…not enough power to keep their wire hot. I gave up about 8pm and wished them all well. I found them all sleeping in a pile in the middle of their pen this am. They were so tired they barely lifted a head as I tossed their breakfast over the fence and recharged the fence. Beautiful day today though!

[Scott G]

Glad everyone is OK.

Great fortune not to have significant wind. With moisture like that I would imagine you would have timber down everywhere if the wind had been an issue?

[Jean]

Has anybody heard from David Fisher? Shelburne Falls Mass. got hit hard.

[dlskidmore]

@Jean 28681 wrote:

Has anybody heard from David Fisher? Shelburne Falls Mass. got hit hard.

My relatives out that way lost power and therefore internet access. He may be alright but unable to post.

[Joshua Kingsley]

Here at Heritage dream farm the horse barn has 3 feet of water in it. I had relocated some horses to dad’s machinery shed yesterday and this am I was woken up to dad hollering the water had reached the horse barn. My pigs lerned to surf… on some loose wood that came from some where, they were in a pen in the horse barn and if you have ever chased pigs in the water it ain’t no fun. I now have new stalls in the former machinery shed and all the horses are in there in one way or another. There was a steady stream of people coming down to look at the flooding and the covered bridge that has so far stood through the damage.
One other farm that raises veggies has about 2 feet of mud and 20 feet of trees and debris on thier fields. It will likely be several days for the water to come off our pastures and meadows, then it will be time to evaluate the damage and move on.
be well, Joshua

[Jean]

Joshua, glad to read that in the end all ended up safe. When the water recedes hopefully you will find limited damage to your fields. As Erika put it, it is the topsoil that you all worked so hard to develop that will be missed.

[Joshua Kingsley]

we usually end up with our topsoil burried in silt sand not so much stripped away. it is a never ending battle to get the ground to grow somthing that is so fine that there is no organic matter in it at all. With some plowing into the existing organic rich soil here we can usually get things to grow quite well. My pastures are starting to show now and will likely need to be plowed under and reseeded. That should cause some sweat on the collars for at least one team in the near future.
Joshua

[karl t pfister]

We tried to get out on a hay field to begin picking up debris but still too wet ,did divert a streamlet that was settling in to cut across the field permanently.
Next started on a culvert actually 2 culverts 4′ diameter plugged tight on a farm road , up stream 1/2 mile a beaver dam let go . I feel very lucky cause the stream jumped the town road when the culvert couldn’t take the flow and took 1/2 the road for 120′,so it could be worse .

I can’t really think about all the damage at once too depressing ,just tackle a job the best we can and go on . Got to admit I feel a bit like a bag lady complaining, but a little venting here and there probably doesn’t hurt nor does the visits from folks getting out and about and hearing their tales of houses ,covered bridges and the like floating off. I feel grateful for the little losses we had,but I would rather be making 2/nd cut hay in this beautiful weather than cleaning up after the mad women Irene’s temper tantrum…

[near horse]

Karl, Joshua and others suffering from Irene’s wrath –

Please feel free to vent your frustrations, complaints and concerns here as needed. I feel the very least we can provide is a shoulder and a sympathetic listening ear. Wish we could do more than that. I’m glad you, your families and animals are alright.

[Ethan Tapper]

Wondering if any of you Vermont people know where a guy could volunteer with a saw or otherwise this weekend. I’ve got a long weekend from UVM and I figure I’ll head south with a saw (my folks live around Brattleboro), but I didn’t know if there was someone specific I should get in touch with (or if any of you fellas on the forum here need a hand). I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering.

Ethan

[Author]

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