
Three days prior, when news of the fire was just appearing in headlines, Shannon Erickson Lee of Two Moon Family Farm in Sonoma, CA, posted on the Farmers Guild online forum "Can we maybe mobilize a farm-to-table potluck somewhere to raise funds for our farmer/ranch guild friends in lake county???" That spark soon set off an inferno of its own. First came Kerrie Williams, who wrote "I'm really good with organization and would love to help! I graduated from middletown high and have been looking for a good way to help." Then Rob Hogencamp chimed in, Executive Chef of Sonoma West Medical Center, volunteering to help cook. And nearby Laguna Farm offered to drop off fresh produce. Robin Carpenter, of KWMR's Farm & Foodshed Report, began to coordinate a silent auction. And by the time Sarah Silva of Green Star Farm, Marianna Gardenhire of Forestville's Backyard Restaurant and a dozen others jumped in the fray, we at the Farmers Guild had no choice but to appease the masses and begin to organize.

Those eighteen thousand dollars came not from a handful of high-rolling sympathizers, but from the collective contributions of nearly four hundred people. And while we were pleased to see many new faces that night, most of the crowd was familiar, comprised of regulars from the Farmers Guild, i.e. young and small-scale farmers, most of whom struggle to make ends meet, but who nonetheless arrived to give of their time, money, skills and compassion.
Defining the Farmers Guild has never been easy. An advocacy group for agriculture? An educational program for young agrarians? Some get a glance at what we do and say, well, it's nothing but a potluck! And they might be right. For several years, while we've hosted workshops and trainings, advocated for policy change and educated the public on agricultural issues, at the heart of our work is a simple, monthly potluck. A couple dozen farmers, ranchers and local food advocates get together in a barn or Grange hall, share a meal, and talk shop.

For those in Lake County who've lost homes, crops, cars, livestock, businesses, photo albums, and even family members, we know that eighteen thousand dollars will make only a dent. And some things are irreplaceable. But we also know that ours is only one community of many. And so to all those who gathered with us on Thursday and all those who are, in their own communities, mobilizing to help those in need—and more importantly, to those who cultivate community even when giant billows of smoke don't waft overhead—I thank you.

The money raised, currently held by our non-profit, will be dispersed in the coming weeks in partnership with organizations in Lake County who are working directly with the victims of the wildfire. A portion will go specifically to help small-scale family farmers and ranchers rebuild barns and fencing, feed displaced animals and recoup losses from this year's harvest.
To get involved, contact us here