Farmers in the Wallingford and North Branford area were devastated by hail damage from Monday’s storms, during the peak of the growing season as so many were starting or preparing to harvest.
At Cecarellis Harrison Hill Farm, workers were starting to process the last of this year's harvest. A small amount of tomatoes compared to their usual bounty.
“We got over here and this is what I saw,” said William DellaCamera, owner of the farm as he toured us around acres and acres of devastated tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and corn.
The vast majority was hit hard by hail rolling through his region. He got stuck at the farm, indoors, as the storms passed overhead.
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“The sun came out, a rainbow came out, there is no gold at the end of that rainbow, I can assure you of that,” he said.
He estimates hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Much of Tuesday was spent on the phone with fellow farmers, the state, and insurance.
“They are there for safety nets but there isn’t enough net to catch this one, for me,” he said.
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He noted no storm is ever well timed, but this one, after an entire growing season of time and money, resulting in a stellar crop, hit hard for everyone involved in farm operations.
“I have workers that are just beside themselves, that put their time into the parts of the work they do, and they are just besides themselves,” DellaCamera said.
Across the street from his crop fields, a vineyard, experiencing similar.
“This morning it was bad. We could see a lot of juice, see the cracks and everything,” said owner Charlie Rosabianca of Rosabianca Vineyards.
He described a banner season for his white grape crop. But following the storm, he expects 100% of the grapes to be a loss.
“If you start and have diseases, fungus or whatever, tainted grapes, you are going to taint the product, there are things you can do to help but it's just not the same,” Rosabianca said.
He and DellaCamera are simply asking Connecticut shoppers to think and buy local. Especially after farms in this area, along with farmers all over the state, got ravaged by severe weather.
“The more you support local agriculture the better it is for all of us,” Rosabianca said.
DellaCamera is also working on finding ways to bolster his fall operations to help soften the blow. He is working on bringing in pumpkins for local shoppers, and has big plans to create an exciting corn maze for people.
He noted it’s about pulling yourself up, as he moves forward.
“We gotta figure out how to make lemonade out of these lemons,” DellaCamera said.
According to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture they have been in communication with farms impacted and will work on resources to ensure farmers impacted aren't left behind.
