Lake County >> Fencing, or really lack there of, has presented a large barrier to the return of livestock to farms and ranches affected by the Valley Fire. “Trying to estimate how much fencing was damaged is pretty hard, there’s just miles and miles of fencing that needs to be replaced,” Lake County Farm Bureau (LCFB) Executive Director Brenna Sullivan said. “It ranges from posts and field fencing to horse panels to chicken coops to hog panels.”
Many animals such as horses have since returned home, but farmers, she said, are having an especially tough time replacing enclosures for sheep and building coops for chickens in time for winter — a main priority as the season quickly approaches.
To help, the LCFB is working with the Redwood Credit Union to help administer funds for transitional fencing to keep animals safe. In partnership with the Press Democrat and the office of state Sen. Mike McGuire, the Lake County Fire Victims Fund quickly surpassed its initial goal of $500,000. As of Monday afternoon nearly $2.1 million have been pledged.
People can apply to receive fencing funds through the LCFB, which Sullivan says has a quick approval process. Qualifying residents will then receive money to spend at local businesses including hardware, lumber and seed suppliers to purchase materials.
“We wanted as much as we could to keep money locally. Middletown, specifically, has a lot of small businesses that are hurting,” Sullivan said. “This is an attempt to put money back in the area and keep money in the area, which can only help the situation.”
Some places are also still without proper working phone and Internet connections more than a month after the fire that ignited on Sept 12.
Langtry Estate & Vineyard in Middletown has been relying on a Santa Rosa based company to answer calls and receive messages as phone lines still need to be repaired or replaced.
“In terms of the ranching community, there is a lot of effort in just fixing infrastructure, fixing out buildings and equipment damaged,” Sullivan said. There was also a significant amount of grazing land scorched by the blaze.
Vineyards are still assessing damage to fencing, pump houses, fencing and equipment. But overall, “people are pretty hopeful that damage can be mitigated and they can go back next year and have successful operation,” Sullivan said. “Right now it’s just getting their lives back together and livestock back to the property.”
To apply for fencing funds, email lcfarmbureu@cbsglobal.net or visit www.lakecofb.com to find a PDF version of the application. The LCFB staff prefer online applications, but they may also be obtained by calling the office at (707) 263-0911.
