Hurricane Irene's Aftermath at my Farm

August 29, 2011

On Saturday, I posted photos of how my hard-working crew prepared my farm for the wrath of Hurricane Irene. I am happy to report that their efforts in battening down the hatches were mostly successful. However, after her ravaging path up the Eastern coastline, Irene blasted through this area quite mercilessly. I’d like to share some more photographs of her ill affects at my farm. Although, there was no structural damage to any of the buildings, I am sad whenever I lose trees. But, the damage to my farm can and will be fixed. My heart and best wishes go out to all of those who did not fare as well.

: This is early Sunday – The generator kicked on at 2:45 AM – Rain was pelting and the fields flooded by 6 AM.

: I started to walk around the property. The incessant news predicted the storm would hit at 8 AM.

: The saturated ground could not absorb any more water. The drains, which run everywhere on the property, were full and overflowing.

: I worried about the plants, but figured they would survive better than the trees.

: We had prepared for the storm for a few days. All lighter furniture was stored in barns and garages and smaller potted plants were also put away. This porch furniture remained intact.

: The rain came in sheets from the north and east bringing with it, leaves and debris.

: The tropical garden in front of the house, had potted plants that were too heavy to move. They were sitting in a river of water flowing down the drive.

: The summer house was okay. The air was filled with sheets of water, which resembled clouds.

: The golden rain trees lost all of their blossoms.

: The climbing hydrangeas on the chimneys were torn from the stones.

: I was very unhappy to see the giant old ginkgo with limbs torn asunder.

: There were great puddles of water everywhere.

: Branches were flying everywhere and as the gusts turned bigger, it was a bit scary to be outdoors.

: There will be at least a week of cleanup.

: Maybe this ginkgo will survive.

: A smallish magnolia with a broken limb or two – I kept hoping not to see too much more damage. I can take branches and boughs but broken and uprooted trees are so difficult to clean up and so sad to lose.

: This giant alocasia was battered, and there were lots of leaves everywhere! I should have listened to Trish from Florida, who suggested wrapping the plants in burlap.

: However, I was happy to see that this one survived Irene a bit better.

: I saw lots of erosion.

: And rivers where there should be none

: The carport was full – no room for the entire Kawasaki.

: A beautiful young beech destroyed

: The combination of softened wood and high winds is so bad for fully leafed-out trees.

: This drain cover is almost under water – the drain was completely full – I guess like the culverts in New York City.

: Fast-moving ‘rivers’ going into the drains – The low swales along the sides of the roads are a very good idea, as they prevent a lot of driveway erosion.

: The boxwood allee drive suffered a washout.

: Flocks of black crows were huddled everywhere.

: The maple woods lost quite a few trees.

: The small Katsuras trees just snapped in half or lost their boughs – not one was spared.

: A purple leafed Katsura was snapped in half.

: With their giant root balls, uprooted trees are so hard to clean up.

: I went through the maple woods and tried to pull all boughs off the small Japanese maples.

: More large limbs from the old maples

: A few more largish trees down

: Usually, with breaks this big, the main part of the tree needs to be cut down.

: The pine woods near the Maple Avenue house were quite badly broken. Also, some of the bluebird houses blew down off the trees.

: The lilac hedge did not uproot.

: The hydrangea tree was unscathed this time.

: We have two or three small streams on the property. All were full to overflowing and several more dry stream beds were filled.

: There was raging water everywhere.

: The water flows from the roads, onto my property, and then into Cross River Reservoir.

: The streams were very full and angry.

: The whitish clouds were really sheets of gusting rain.

: I drove around in a covered car to protect me from falling branches, while taking these photos.

: This apple grove survived pretty well.

: More downed trees along the field walls

: Three small streams converging

: One of the Rose of Sharon trees split into three.

: The vegetable garden gate looks as if it borders on a pond. I assure you, it does not, usually.

: The vegetables took quite a beating.

: Pears, just about to ripen, fell from all the trees. So much for the best pear crop we ever have had!

: More pears – We do pick up the drops and give them to the horses, donkeys, and chickens.

: A sad and sodden gardenscape

: G.K. was not very keen to go outside.

: Carlos helped me pull limbs off walls and fences, making sure, of course, that there were no downed power lines tangled in them.

: There were a lot to move.

: Maple Avenue, a dirt road, was a washout.

: Maple Avenue lost a giant maple across the road. It took wires down with it, causing the loss of electric power. As of Monday morning, the power had been out for more than 30 hours in the neighborhood.