Living my entire life in the Midwest, I’m no stranger — like many of you — to the threat of severe weather that arrives with the beauty and promise of spring. We’ve all grown accustomed to the Monday noon siren. Weather leads the evening news and scrolls across our phones. But probably no one watches the forecast more closely than farmers and growers.
What some of us see as red blips scattered across a radar can mean devastation for those whose livelihoods are rooted in the soil.
For organic vegetable growers, a few minutes of hail can destroy months of work, leaving behind shredded leaves, broken stems and uncertain income.
One such farm is Serenity Farm, owned and operated by Brad and Tiffany Dilts near Sedgwick. Alongside their eight children, they grow vegetables organically for their community and for restaurants throughout the region.
This weekend, a Facebook post showed the aftermath of hail across their fields: shredded leaves, broken stems and months of work undone in minutes.
Still, the Dilts press on. Year after year, they build healthier soil through compost and regenerative practices, teaching their children the value of stewardship and hard work.
When I saw the news, I called Brad to ask how I could help. He said the best thing would be to buy some of the surviving crop. He’s seen an uptick in response since the storm. Our customers — along with customers at other restaurants around Wichita who support local growers — are helping keep the Dilts going. It’s another reminder of why shopping local matters.
