Created Nov 1, 2025•Updated Dec 3, 2025
The family-owned small dairy operation suffered major losses during Hurricane Melissa.
The storm killed 4 cows, 2 heifers, and 3 calves, and several trees collapsed onto the boundary fence, blocking access to the 35-acre pasture.
The cow shed roof was destroyed, halting all dairy production.
First phase relief efforts to make the family home livable and protect items from the elements.
The hurricane left the farm family exposed to rain, heat, and pests. The timber-framed residence needs a full strip-down, structural check, and new 26-gauge zinc roof system with hurricane strapping and sealing.
Fallen trees, vines, and debris are blocking the 35-acre pasture and interior pathways, starving grass of sunlight and preventing cows from reaching feed. We need coordinated mechanical felling and manual clearing to reopen the land.
With 35 acres open, cows drift off and workers chase animals instead of rebuilding. Restoring 500-post perimeter fencing re-establishes security, biosecurity, and livestock containment.
The cow shed is the center of dairy metabolism: shelter lowers animal stress and stabilizes milk yield. We need to rebuild the frame, roofing, drainage, and stall hardware to restart milking.