A devastating fire on Saturday afternoon destroyed a large converted barn that housed the Red Fire Farm store in Granby and the owners started a GoFundMe fundraiser as part of rebuilding efforts.
Fire officials were first alerted at 1 p.m. that the farm’s retail store caught flames and eventually 10 different departments responded. The retail store, and outbuildings, including a greenhouse and a car were destroyed as part of the large fire.
No injuries were reported, according to owners Ryan and Sarah Voiland, who created a GoFundMe for the farm that’s grown organic products since 2001.
“The barn was a beautiful piece of Granby’s agricultural history, built at the end of the chestnut era with amazing beams, irreplaceable,” the owners wrote in the fundraiser’s description. “We are still figuring out what to do and how to move forward, but we know we will need a home for our CSA farm share pickups, our store, farm supplies and our tractors.”
Congressman James McGovern (center), visits Red Fire Farm in Montague during his annual farm tour of his district. He is listening to owners Sarah and Ryan Voiland speak. (Don Treeger / The Republican) 8/16/2022
The owners said they aim to rebuild a retail store in time for the spring plant and strawberry season.
As a result of the fire, the Granby farm will be unable to open the store for the rest of the winter. The farm’s produce will continue to appear in winter farmers markets.
Winter and future weekly shares of the farm, known as CSAs, will also continue at either a surviving greenhouse or other outbuildings, the owners said.
The owners noted that most of the farm’s produce was stored at the Montague location.
“We could use any help you can give towards the rebuilding efforts. We hope to make something beautiful here again. No gift is too small and no gift is too big. Thank you so much for supporting our farm and all the ways you are part of our community,” the owners wrote.
You can find the GoFundMe here.
