Flood Relief for Yellow Wall Farm (Santa Cruz)

Hello, my name is Kevin Menton, a friend of Allen and Judy Hasty. When I first stepped foot on Yellow Wall Farm two years ago, it took my breath away. The persimmon trees down by the river glowed orange, yellow, and green beneath crystal blue skies as I ate apples right off the trees. Soon thereafter, I moved to Santa Cruz, and the time I have spent laboring on the farm together with Allen and Judy has transformed my life forever. Watching Allen & Judy work hard to maintain the land along with all of its blessings and struggles--something they have been doing for 20 years as organic farmers--and seeing how they engage with those around them, often through the medium of this place, has been an education of the body, mind, and spirit. Yellow Wall Farm, for me, is a place well worth preserving.

An important element of this education came in the last few weeks as we watched the force of Nature at work. The lower orchard was flooded three times. In the wake of the flooding, we discovered that the fences were destroyed, equipment was damaged, the bees were drowned, and much of the persimmon crop had rotted on the trees as we were unable to harvest it. It will require $20,000 to rebuild the fences, repair the damage, and secure the property.

While I know Allen and Judy think of themselves as self-sufficient and independent, I am concerned that the cost of rebuilding will be a hardship for them. While living in this town for the past two years, I have been struck by the strength of the community: brilliant, creative, hardworking people who live, work, and play together on the land and in the sea, helping one another in time of need. It is to this community that I now appeal, a community that Allen and Judy have been a vital part of for many years. Please join me in supporting Yellow Wall Farm. Thank you for your assistance!