When we have rainy days like we’ve had this past week, many of us can’t help but think back to last September. Our thoughts continue to remain with the members of our community who were impacted by the 2013 floods, many of whom are still rebuilding. We continue to witness the strength and 
resiliency of our community as friends, neighbors, and even strangers band together to help each other move forward.
The Community Foundation worked with local volunteers as well as donors from near and far to collect donations and quickly grant out money to individuals in Jamestown, Lyons, Unincorporated Boulder County, and farms and food producers along the Front Range.
In total, the Foundation awarded a little over $1.73 million in food relief grants. The focus area on local farmers and food producers was largely championed by Local Food Shift and Naturally Boulder.
Kristy and Chet Anderson, founders of The Fresh Herb Company, graciously invited members of the Foundation’s staff, Local Food Shift, and volunteers from the grant review committee to tour their farm.
Fresh Herb experienced extensive damage during the September 2013 floods, and the Andersons along with help from volunteers, have been at hard at work mucking out, rebuilding, and replanting. Fresh Herb grows organic culinary herb plants, fine hanging baskets, and fresh greenhouse and field-cut flowers.
Production was slower this year, and they were not able to produce peonies in the quanities that they used to, but Fresh Herb has come far from where it was in the fall of last year. There’s grass in the yard, herbs in the greenhouse, and flowers in bloom.
Thank you to Fresh Herb for inviting us on the tour and for all that you have and continue to do for Boulder County!
Above left is a photo of Fresh Herb’s flooded fields and greenhouse. Above right is a photo of the greenhouse in July 2014.
Left to right: Maegan Vallejo, Kim Stewart, Lynette Marie Hanthorn, Chet Anderson, Josie Heath, Kristy Anderson, and Laurie Loughrin.
