Rushville family loses equipment, holds onto hope after barn fire

RUSHVILLE, Ind. - Arnold Farms' green barn is now charred black. On Thursday, the family got a call from a neighbor. They arrived to find their barn - holding all kinds of equipment - fully engulfed in flames.  




Smoke was still billowing from burnt grain piles on Saturday. Crumpled sheet metal, charred support beams and ash littered the ground. 

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"It was just so much emotion all at one time just thinking about all of the loss," Arnold Farms Co-Owner Emma Hawk said.




Fire crews stopped the flames from spreading to a nearby house, but the damage to the barn is devastating.




"Our family has been farming here since 1820," Hawk said. "So, there was a time when I was watching it burn, and I was like 'Is this the end of Arnold Family Farm right now?' And that was really, really difficult to even contemplate."




The family's grain mill, tractors and harvesting equipment were inside the barn when it caught fire.




"It's also where we washed and packed all our vegetables, so all of our sinks and our walk-in cooler (were in there)," Hawk said. 




Although the aftermath is hard to see, Hawk said no one was hurt, and the barn cats were able to escape.




"It's things that we lost, which is awful for our business, but we'll rebuild," Hawk said. 




The family is left wondering what the rebuilding process will look like, but is grateful for ongoing community support both in and out of Rushville.




They sold produce at Garfield Park Farmer's Market on Saturday as usual. Without a tent and tables, Hawk said others stepped in to help them set up. Emotional customers made donations to help cover the damage. 




"We've gotten so much support from our community that we're really determined to build it back and to make sure that we can keep farming," Hawk said. 




The Rushville Township Fire Department was not available to answer questions about the cause of the fire. Bentonville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Chad Ripberger said his department, Glenwood Fire and Raleigh Fire helped Rushville Fire put out the flames. 




Garfield Park Farmers Market is accepting donations to help Arnold Farms build back stronger. To learn how to donate, click here.



via: https://fox59.com/news/rushville-family-loses-equipment-holds-onto-hope-after-barn-fire/