SEYMOUR (NBC 26) — Last Friday, a fire destroyed a barn and killed three horses at Harvest Hill Family Farm in Seymour. Now, the farm is reopening for the community.
- The fire happened the morning of Friday, Sept. 25.
- Harvest Hill Family Farm has operated a pumpkin patch since 2018.
- Co-owner Dawn Everard says she's grateful for the community support and encourages people to visit the pumpkin patch this fall.
On Saturday, families return to Harvest Hill to enjoy a fall, October day.
“We come to this farm every year, it's so much fun," Mary Sigl, a local resident, said.
Besides purchasing pumpkins, the farm is free to attend.
“I said, I will never charge an admission fee, I will not do that," Dawn Everard, co-owner of the farm, said. "Life is expensive enough. I’m not going to charge you to come spend family time.”
For many, Harvest Hill has become a staple each season.
“It’s a family tradition, it doesn’t really feel like fall unless we come to Harvest Hill," Elizabeth Kee said.
But while families enjoy the pumpkin patch, the farm is still healing.
“It still really really hurts," Everard said.
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On Friday, Sept. 25, a fire tore through the farm’s horse barn, trapping the animals inside and ultimately killing three horses.
“It’s definitely one of the lowest times I’ve ever felt in my life," Everard shared. "The barn and the animals were my happy place. To see it gone? Just a pit in my stomach.”
Everard says over the past week they've worked nearly nonstop, cleaning and getting ready to reopen.
“That was very long days," Everard said.
And on opening day, the community stepped up with support.
“We wanted to come out, show our support, buy a few extra pumpkins, and just let them know that we’re so happy that they’re up and running despite the recent devastating loss that they experienced," Kee said.
“That fire was devastating because it like ripped my heart out," Sigl said. "They’re a strong family though, they’re a good family.”
Near the entrance of the farm on Saturday, a shrine with saddles, flowers and pictures honors the animals who were killed.
“These girls were special," Everard said. "They were a huge, huge part of our family."
Everard says local company, Rustic Ridge Livestock, donated t-shirts to the family that read "#everstrong" with the names of the three horses who died. The staff and family wore the shirts on Saturday.
Despite the tragedy, Everard says community and family support has helped them bounce back.
“You see so much negative, you tend to focus on the negative, but the reality is, the community, the people, just the support we have gotten– it’s just refreshing to realize there is good people. There is super good people in the world yet," she said.
