Texas Ice Storm Destroyed My Neighbor's Crops

I'm raising money to help my neighbors Scott & Leslie, who run Villa Klehr Farms - an earth-friendly, family owned, civic minded business.  They were hit hard by the winter storm, which destroyed their ready-to-harvest crops and also the greenhouse with starter plants for the spring.

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On Valentine's Day I got a phone call from Scott.  "Hey Thomas I'm just helping all the neighbors prepare for this winter storm that's coming.  Since I'm from Minnesota, I know how to get ready."  He had already dropped a haybale over my water meter to insulate it.  We worked together to wrap hay around another neighbor's pumphouse, so that they could keep water flowing to their many horses.


I love this picture we took during a break in the work ... because it's so typical of Scott.  Everything was his initiative and his know-how, but he's in the background, serving without being noticed.  That's the way he and Leslie like it.

After we finished that, Scott continued to go door-to-door, dispensing Minnesota cold-weather wisdom to us clueless warm-weather Texans.    He worked from 5:30 am to well after dark that day, protecting countless neighbors from what he knew was coming.

Then the storm hit - ice, then snow, then ice again, then snow again.  It was unprecedented in its severity, as temperatures dropped to 5℉.  I've lived here all my life and have never seen anything like this. Most residents lost power and water for several days, and many houses were damaged.  

But Scott & Leslie lost something else - their winter crop, which was almost ready to harvest.  Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, spinach, lettuce, kale, peas, bok choy, kohlrabi, radish, turnips, rutabaga -- all destroyed.  It would have gone to local restaurants, CSA baskets, and dinner tables. The weather also did in a greenhouse full of starter plants for the spring crop.  None of it was covered by insurance because you can't get insurance for vegetables in Texas (what??).  They aren't eligible for much disaster relief because that also doesn't apply for vegetable farmers (what??????).

So it's up to us, Scott & Leslie's neighbors, friends, and family.  Let's do this!

We need to help Scott & Leslie by seeds and transplants and fertilizer to get a new crop going IMMEDIATELY.  We need to help them repair / replace drip lines, greenhouse, and a cooler unit.  By God's grace, I believe we can raise $35,600.  

INITIAL GOAL $35,600 (no problem!) FOR: 

  $27,000 - Seeds & Transplants
  $ 8,600 - Fertilizer

STRETCH GOAL $90,800 (we can do it!) WOULD INCLUDE:

 $7,200 - Drip irrigation water lines
 $6,700 - Replacement cooler unit
 $13,000 - Infrastructure repairs
 $4,300 -  Misc. repairs from cold damage
 $24,000 - Greenhouse repairs / replacements

It's important to get them the funds they need quickly, because they lost the cash flow from selling their winter crop, and they won't see any income until they plant, raise, harvest, then sell this one.

Those of you who know Scott & Leslie know that they are far more comfortable to giving aid to others than asking it for themselves.  It took me several days to convince them to let me launch this GoFundMe for them.  So for them to finally agree means - they really need our help.

Thanks for considering this GoFundMe!

PS:  If you can't donate money, and live in the area, they could also use your help pulling up the dead plants, and putting in the new ones.  Contact Scott or Leslie directly and they'll tell you when to show up.