ORDER ONLY: The storm.
Aug. 6th, 2012 11:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alt_aliceWe've had quite a morning. We went out as soon as the weather died down and it was light enough to see, and I'm taking a moment to update everyone before heading back to work.
The storm was indeed a bad one -- we haven't had one on quite that magnitude for ten years at least. We're all safe and sound, but we lost four goats and a dozen chickens. One of the greenhouses was smashed to pieces by a falling tree. There's glass everywhere and we're working as best as we can to salvage as many of the plants as possible, but it will be difficult. The other two greenhouses are in much better shape -- they were sheltered from the worst of the winds, and we only lost a few panes of glass in each along with some minor water damage, but our fluxweed supply has been halved. The roof held, but is in sore need of repair, and several windows will also need to be replaced. Our new dormitory addition wasn't fully walled in yet, so that had quite a bit of damage as well. Victor is currently assessing the boats, and I've no idea if they are still seaworthy until he comes back with his report.
Everyone with a wand is currently shin-deep in mud, trying to accio the root vegetables out of the ground so we can store them properly before they rot. There's very little we can save of the veg that was above ground. It's late in the summer to re-plant those particular crops, but we'll see what we can do once things dry out a bit. We had a good month in July, so we've got quite a bit canned and preserved already, but August's crops of tomatoes, courgettes, peas, cabbage, and corn will be sorely missed. Our carrots, onions and potatoes are such staples of winter that I'm hoping we'll be able to save as many as we can, but we won't really know until October whether we'll have enough to float us through. I have a feeling we'll be very dependent on the solstice shipment this year.
I've got to get back to it now. I'll be sure to keep you all appraised.
The storm was indeed a bad one -- we haven't had one on quite that magnitude for ten years at least. We're all safe and sound, but we lost four goats and a dozen chickens. One of the greenhouses was smashed to pieces by a falling tree. There's glass everywhere and we're working as best as we can to salvage as many of the plants as possible, but it will be difficult. The other two greenhouses are in much better shape -- they were sheltered from the worst of the winds, and we only lost a few panes of glass in each along with some minor water damage, but our fluxweed supply has been halved. The roof held, but is in sore need of repair, and several windows will also need to be replaced. Our new dormitory addition wasn't fully walled in yet, so that had quite a bit of damage as well. Victor is currently assessing the boats, and I've no idea if they are still seaworthy until he comes back with his report.
Everyone with a wand is currently shin-deep in mud, trying to accio the root vegetables out of the ground so we can store them properly before they rot. There's very little we can save of the veg that was above ground. It's late in the summer to re-plant those particular crops, but we'll see what we can do once things dry out a bit. We had a good month in July, so we've got quite a bit canned and preserved already, but August's crops of tomatoes, courgettes, peas, cabbage, and corn will be sorely missed. Our carrots, onions and potatoes are such staples of winter that I'm hoping we'll be able to save as many as we can, but we won't really know until October whether we'll have enough to float us through. I have a feeling we'll be very dependent on the solstice shipment this year.
I've got to get back to it now. I'll be sure to keep you all appraised.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-06 04:10 pm (UTC)I'm very glad that you are all safe and sound--but do, please, take care not to hurt yourselves as you go about the clean up tasks.
What a blow the loss of your food crops will be. Gracious. We shall have to put our heads together to see what we can do to help bolster your supplies.
The fluxweed will be missed, too, of course. Halved? At least we've the means to help you rebuild that crop. Pomona was feeling really pleased this spring about the quality and quantity of our plants. Surely that means we could send some starts along to you. Pomona?
no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 12:43 pm (UTC)The only thing is, it'd be much easier to do now, rather than after school starts. It's tricky enough to hide the fluxweed beds, without moving things in and out of them.
We can't offer too much in the way of actual food supplies from the Hogwarts greenhouses - you know those are carefully tallied. But I should be able to manage seed and starts and such for next spring without any difficulty, especially if you can give me a list in the next week or two of what you'd want.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 06:24 pm (UTC)Private Message to Pomona Sprout
Date: 2012-08-07 07:08 pm (UTC)Neville was talking to us the other day about his future plans, and Herbology featured rather heavily in his notions. That's due to your influence, I've no doubt about it. You're his favourite teacher by far, and I know he looks up to you.
Re: Private Message to Pomona Sprout
Date: 2012-08-07 11:23 pm (UTC)I am rather wishing the decision had gone the other way - he'd be an excellent help replacing some of your plants, but I suppose that's a hair too much of a risk to take just yet.
I'd been wondering if you'd be upset that my comments - that distancing him from his friends might be the wrong choice - lead to some of the decision. I'm glad it's not so. And I do still worry about that. (And frankly, thinking about that quite a lot for my own reasons, not simply his.)
no subject
Date: 2012-08-06 06:25 pm (UTC)Well, I'm certainly glad no one was hurt, but oh, dear!
I'll do whatever I can to help. Send me a list, Alice. Perhaps I can scrounge for glass through the barter network, if what you have is too pulverised or scattered by the winds for reparo. I'll put some of my eggs aside to set to get you more chicks. I think I can spare at least one goat, but it will have to be after the children leave for school, of course.
But the root crops--that is a blow. And whatever you manage to save will still be small.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 01:08 am (UTC)I can check with my black market suppliers, to see if any new sources have opened up, but I doubt it. Anyway, I'll investigate.
Do you need another wand or two for cleanup, Alice and Frank? We could spare you a couple of Players, if it would help, as long as it's not for too long: we're still guarding Ridley.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 01:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 01:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 01:27 am (UTC)Believe me, you'd be doing me a favour. After weeks of kicking our heels here, they're bored out of their minds. They'll relish the chance to do some hard physical labour, and I hope they'll be in a much better mood when they come back.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-07 02:56 am (UTC)And I'm sorry Frank will be otherwise occupied this week. He'll be able to help out again just as soon as we've dug ourselves out of this mess.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-08 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-08 01:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-08 05:24 pm (UTC)Private Message to Severus Snape
Date: 2012-08-07 02:51 am (UTC)That being said, I do want you to know that when it comes to our end of things, you are free to come whenever you wish, and that you'd be welcome (even though we'd most likely put you to work if you came down this summer). I talked to Arabella when we came back from our camping trip, and now that you've had a chance to meet properly, she's willing to give you entry.
You may want to tell Minerva of your intentions first, as a courtesy, but I can't imagine she'd take any issue with it, especially as Arabella is on board.