Replace, Rebuild, Restore

My name is Lorinda Ducklow. I started this fundraiser for my father Merritt Mundall.

Earls Court Farms was built back in the 1800's. In those days the farm exported fruit to many cities and even a couple of different countries. They had prize bulls and many farm hands.

Merritt's father bought the 900-acre farm when Merritt was young, and they spent summers there. When he married Becky, they moved to the farm to manage things while his father was out of the country for a few years. Things were difficult for them. Eventually, he worked as a log truck driver in the area to make money for supplies and equipment to run the farm and care for his family. During his log hauling years, someone asked him what job he would do if he could do anything in the whole world. He replied, 'well, I would stay on the farm and work the land.' He loves farming that much! Eventually, his log hauling days ended after a severe accident. Since then, he has been working the land and loving it. My husband remembers him going out to the orchard after a long day of hard work and seeing how happy Merritt was to pick apples and enjoy the literal fruit of his labors. Merritt creates income by selling free-range-no-hormone beef cows mostly now. The orchards that are left provide for the families that live there and are not sprayed with pesticides. He keeps bees and sells the honey also. There are several horses, and he bales hay from the fields. They have orchards, gardens and crops of grain, potatoes and other food. Many of you know the tools and equipment required to do these big projects and maintain the machines needed to do this kind of work.

Thursday, July 14, 2022, there was a wildfire in the Lytton, BC, Canada, area. It is not the first fire to burn in that town. This time it came across my family’s property and burned down two large barns that have been there longer than our family has and were full of supplies and equipment. The mechanic shop on the property burned, and the bee supplies shed and fuel shed also burned up. My father lives across the ferry from the town of Lytton and far from supply stores for farming equipment and animal care. He keeps parts and supplies to last him months or years at a time. Now all that is gone. Several tractors and back-hoe machines were also destroyed. He is devastated by this massive loss. It has taken him most of his life to collect and find everything needed to run the farm, and now all he built up is gone. Their home is spared, and the animal barn is standing. We are thankful for that. The property was on the other side of the Fraser River in Lytton; the fire station was too far from the property, so he could not qualify for fire insurance. We would greatly appreciate any items you can donate that are needed or money you can give.

Here are a few things that were lost in the fire: 2 barrels of gas, a pump for getting the gas out of the barrels, 2 motors for the water line, 2 pumps for high-pressure hose to fight fire with. 40 sheets of plywood, a stack of 2 by 4's, and other lumber, ride on lawn mower, winter studded tires on rims for several vehicles, replacement tines for the hay bailer, fencing tools and supplies, ladders, hoses, battery chargers, jumper cables, a commercial size cannery for preserving food, industrial size grain mill, several freezers full of food, all beekeeping supplies (ventilated bee suits, scrapers, blowers, beefood, pallets of jars for honey, 40-plus supers, an extractor, and more) The mechanic shop with a tire changer, air compressor, jacks, bench vice, drill press, boxes of nuts, bolts, screws, nails, and washers of all sizes, welder, torch, all welder supplies, angle grinder, drills, milwaukee power tools and batteries, sledge hammers, honda 5500 generator, grease, grease guns, oil and all fluids stored to maintain motors, hand tools, table saw, and several machines and tractors, a pickup and several tractor tires. There is much more, but this is a start to get an idea of what he needs. He will need a building or barn to store things in and have his shop set up again at some point too.

I believe this will be a story of love returning to my father. Most of you know him and how kind and caring he is. I see this as an opportunity for him to receive from those who care about him. Whatever you can give or help with will be greatly appreciated.