FARM
RESILIENCE

As California’s climate changes, farms across the state increasingly find themselves staring down unprecedented droughts, wildfires, floods and erratic weather. The below resources have been carefully compiled specifically to help farms, ranches and rural communities best prepare and recover from natural disasters.

Long-range planning does not deal with future decisions, but with the future of present decisions.

FIRE SURVIVOR STORIES

"We got the call at two in the morning that there was a fire about five miles up the road from us. It was smoky in the house and you could see the glow. The wind had been whipping all night. No one knew anything. And I had no clue just how imminent the threat really was."

David Cooper

Oak Hill Farm

"The support of the local community really is the glue that keeps small farms alive through these tragic disasters. After the fires hit, we learned so much about what we could've done to better prepare as well as the many recovery programs available to farms like ours."

Melissa & Austin Lely

Bee Well Farms

"As a farmer, think about what you're planning around the periphery of your property. Where are your irrigated crops and where are you dry farming? Those irrigated crops, if planted around the periphery, might just keep the fire from spreading any further."

David Kaisel

Capay Mills

JOIN OUR ONLINE FIRE RESILIENCE COURSE

Jan 30 – Mar 26, 2020

This interactive course will give you the technical and theoretical toolkit needed to reduce the human, production, financial and legal risks from wildfires. Brought to you by MESA, CAFF & The Farmers Guild.

Before Disaster Strikes

Is your farm ready for a natural disaster? We know it’s not easy to find time for all of today’s chores, let alone time to prepare for all the events that might or might not happen. But a little preparation now could save you countless hours, heartache, money and even your life and the lives of those you love. Check out these resources to help prepare your home, land, family, animals and community for the very real possibility of disaster.

The Aftermath

Once the smoke has cleared, there’s a lot more to do than just assess the damage. The steps you take in the aftermath of a natural disaster can help position you, your farm and your community for a healthy and equitable recovery. From financial aid to land management practices, these resources will help get you back on your feet and back to farming the food we need.