Two Weeks Later; An Update
It’s hard to believe it has already been two weeks since the fire that destroyed our refrigerated market truck, along with the inventory and equipment we relied on to serve our farmers markets, events, deliveries and so much more.
In the days since, one thing has become overwhelmingly clear: we have an incredible community behind us.
Our GoFundMe has raised more than $41,000, and the support has extended far beyond monetary donations. Friends, customers, fellow farmers and local businesses have loaned equipment, donated supplies, shared our story, placed orders and simply shown up when we needed it most.
We cannot thank you enough.
Where Things Stand Now
We finally have a little more clarity about what rebuilding will look like.
Unfortunately, we now know that insurance will only cover a fraction of what was lost, and we don’t expect to be made whole. We’re also still several weeks away from receiving support through our policies.
Our biggest priority is replacing the refrigerated truck itself.
The truck was an essential part of our operation—not just transportation to a Saturday farmers market. We relied on it throughout the year for farmers markets across Rhode Island, our To-Go Cart, farm events, deliveries, turkey pickups, processing support, cold storage and more.
And even once we're able to move forward with a replacement, we're facing a significant lead time before a new truck can be ready. That leaves us in an uncomfortable in-between: we need to keep operating while we rebuild.
Rebuilding What Took Years to Build
There’s another piece of this that is difficult to capture in an insurance claim.
The equipment lost in the fire represented years of building our market operation piece by piece. Coolers, refrigeration, tents, cooking equipment, market supplies and countless other items had been purchased, collected and improved over time.
Now we're faced with replacing much of it at once, at today's replacement costs. We know we won't replace everything overnight. But every little bit gets us closer.
How You Can Help Pat’s Pastured
If you've already donated to our fundraiser, thank you. Truly. We're not asking you to donate again.
There are so many ways to help us keep moving forward.
You can share our GoFundMe with a friend, family member, workplace or community. You can shop with us at one of our farmers markets or visit the Farm Store. You can place an order online for pickup, home delivery or shipping. You can purchase an Omnivore CSA and stock up on pasture-raised meats throughout the season.
And, of course, if you haven't contributed to our fundraiser and would like to, every donation helps us get another step closer to replacing what was lost. Every donation. Every order. Every share. Every person who shows up. It all helps us rebuild what took years to build.
Thank You for Helping Us Keep Going
Two weeks ago, we were standing on the side of the road watching an enormous piece of our business disappear. Today, we're back at our markets. We're filling orders. We're cooking. We're delivering. We're figuring it out.
There is still a long road ahead, but we're moving forward—and that's because so many of you have helped make it possible.
Thank you for continuing to stand behind Pat's Pastured. 💚
