Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard pandemic relief fund
Donation protected
Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard in Gays Mills, WI, was planted in 1988 with certified organic apple trees from the University of Georgia, New York University and the University of Michigan. These trees were bred for large scale organic production. Faye Welsh started working and living at the orchard shortly after that and learning all she could from her mentor, Bob Johnson.
In 2009 she borrowed enough money to purchase the orchard and turned a bankrupt business into a surviving orchard that held its own and still serve the hungry and under privileged of the Gay Mills community. She provides jobs and sometimes a place to stay for people trying to put their life back together. The community has become dependent on her love and compassion. It has always been a struggle and there were good harvest years and bad, as in any farming, but the orchard survived.
Faye invested everything she had on labor and getting ready for the 2019 harvest. Then a polar vortex hit Wisconsin early spring just as the apple trees had started to bloom. She did not know until months later, but Faye had lost the entire crop. 45,000 bushels of apples, strawberries, blackberries, everything was gone
The orchard bounced back in 2020 with a bountiful harvest but COVID-19 hit, and the market and customers dried up. Farmers are used to surviving a bad year now and then but 2 in a row is devastating.
Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard needs $114,242 to stay afloat and have a chance at another harvest. Faye is used to being the giver but now she must, for the sake of the orchard, the families that depend on the orchard and the community that the orchard supports, ask for your help. Thank you for your consideration.
We also have a PayPal or if it's more convenient donations can be mailed directly to the farm.
PP@ [email redacted]
Address 50350 Turkey Ridge RD Gays Mill, Wisconsin 54631
In 2009 she borrowed enough money to purchase the orchard and turned a bankrupt business into a surviving orchard that held its own and still serve the hungry and under privileged of the Gay Mills community. She provides jobs and sometimes a place to stay for people trying to put their life back together. The community has become dependent on her love and compassion. It has always been a struggle and there were good harvest years and bad, as in any farming, but the orchard survived.
Faye invested everything she had on labor and getting ready for the 2019 harvest. Then a polar vortex hit Wisconsin early spring just as the apple trees had started to bloom. She did not know until months later, but Faye had lost the entire crop. 45,000 bushels of apples, strawberries, blackberries, everything was gone
The orchard bounced back in 2020 with a bountiful harvest but COVID-19 hit, and the market and customers dried up. Farmers are used to surviving a bad year now and then but 2 in a row is devastating.
Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard needs $114,242 to stay afloat and have a chance at another harvest. Faye is used to being the giver but now she must, for the sake of the orchard, the families that depend on the orchard and the community that the orchard supports, ask for your help. Thank you for your consideration.
We also have a PayPal or if it's more convenient donations can be mailed directly to the farm.
PP@ [email redacted]
Address 50350 Turkey Ridge RD Gays Mill, Wisconsin 54631
Co-organizers (2)
Faye Welsh
Organizer
Gays Mills, WI
Bobby Forrester
Co-organizer