Help Rebuild Wright’s Farm & Gardiner Brewing Company After a Devastating Fire

Hi everyone,

My name is Michelle, and I’m creating this fundraiser on behalf of some of the hardest-working, most generous people I know — the Wright family of Wright’s Farm and Gardiner Brewing Company in Gardiner, NY.

Late Tuesday night, their beloved six-generation family farm suffered a catastrophic fire that completely destroyed their pole barn and nearly everything inside it. As someone who has known this family for years, it breaks my heart to share just how severe this loss is.

What Happened

The fire tore through the building that housed almost all of the farm’s operational equipment — the tools they use every single day to grow the food and make the beer that our community loves.

In the blaze, the family lost:

• The majority of their tractors, mowers, and essential tools

• Some of their brewing equipment

• About 300 bins of firewood and apple bins

• Several historic family pickup trucks dating back to the 1920s

• Countless irreplaceable items connected to over 120 years of family history

By the time the flames were finally out, the pole barn was gone. Completely.

What Was Saved — Thanks to Local Heroes

Departments from all over — Gardiner, Modena, Plattekill, New Paltz, Accord, Central Valley, Marlboro, and more — rushed to help. Their incredible work contained the fire to the one structure, saving the farm stand, the brewery, and the homes on the property.

For that, we are endlessly grateful.

Why I’m Asking on Their Behalf

If you know the Wrights, you know they would never ask for help themselves. They are humble, proud, hardworking people who have poured their entire lives — and generations before them — into this land.

Even now, their message to the community has been:

“The best way to help is to support our business.”

But the reality is this:

Insurance will not cover everything. Not even close.

Replacing tractors, equipment, tools, and historic assets will take years and an enormous financial toll.

As a friend, I can’t stand by knowing how much they’ve lost without doing something. And so many people across the Hudson Valley and beyond have already asked how they can help from afar.

That’s why this GoFundMe exists.

Who They Are

Wright’s Farm has been part of the Hudson Valley since 1904, growing from Charles Baker Wright’s original 108-acre dairy farm into a 453-acre, six-generation agricultural legacy.

Today, three generations work side-by-side:

• Theodore Wright (3rd generation)

• Tammy Boylan & her husband Mike (4th generation)

• All three of their children — Colin Boylan (Farmer), Samantha Bradshaw (Office Manager) , and Mackenzie Dietz(Farm Store) (5th generation)

• And yes — the 6th generation is already running around the orchards, loving the farming life.

The farm produces fruit, berries, vegetables, pumpkins, jams, pies, and more — all with the motto:

“We Grow It. We Pick It. We Make It. We Jam It.”

And in 2018, the 5th generation opened Gardiner Brewing Company, where their homegrown ingredients turned into beloved local beer.

This farm is truly a family affair — and a community treasure.

How You Can Help

Your donation will help them:

• Rebuild the lost barn

• Replace essential farm and brewing equipment

• Recover from the devastating financial blow

• Continue operating while they rebuild

• Preserve a farm that has served our region for more than a century

No amount is too small. Truly — every bit helps.

Other Ways to Support

If you’re local, please also:

• Shop at the farm stand (open daily, year-round!)

• Place Thanksgiving pie orders

• Visit Gardiner Brewing Company this weekend

• Share their story

A Message From the Heart

I’ve seen firsthand how hard this family works, how deeply they care for their land, their animals, their customers, and their community. Wright’s Farm isn’t just their livelihood — it’s their identity, their home, their heritage.

This loss is overwhelming. But I believe, with all my heart, that our community can lift them back up.

Please help if you can. And please share this far and wide.

Thank you from me, and from the entire Wright family.

— Michelle