An ice storm devastated Northern Lower Michigan and parts of the Eastern Upper Peninsula this past spring. Entire forests were left with the tops of every tree broken off, thousands endured two weeks or more without power, and it will be years before the region recovers.
Farmers in this area, who rely on the health of the land to continue production, are still feeling the impacts of this historic storm. Their reports have been staggering. Vegetable farms have lost entire plantings of seedlings after the power outage left their greenhouses without heat, and other farmers lost livestock. Miles of fencing and farm structures have been damaged, most of which are not covered by insurance. Maple syrup producers have been devastated. Farms have lost not only products for this season but also future sources of income because of extensive tree damage.
Kevin Donner, Emmet county farmer and member of the Local Food Alliance, shares, “So many farms struggled through this, and some lost everything. It was clear to me immediately that our farmers needed help.”
Knowing that farmers were in need of support, Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology, Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, Local Food Alliance of Northern Michigan, and Northeast Michigan Healthy Food Initiative have partnered for a disaster relief fundraiser to help the region’s farms recover. The funds raised will be distributed to impacted farms who submit an application for funds, after being reviewed by representatives of all organizations involved.
You can donate to the recovery fund here.
Responding to a survey, one local producer said: “It’s like starting over from scratch, and the heartbreak is indescribable. Every resource we have is being reinvested immediately into this process, which makes the situation even more difficult. We are planning for a six-figure loss.”
“If people value the local food and want Northern Michigan farms to survive, we need their help,” says Donner. Any donation helps.
This article was written by Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology.