Last week's storm dumped heavy snow upon the Eden Valley, damaging greenhouses and structures that are integral to the local food network.
The Zittels have been growing things in Eden for well over a century, with a farm on Webster road so big it produces one million geraniums a year and needs a series of its own natural gas wells to support year-round-operations.
After the storm, the farm looked more like a scrap yard, with twisted steel supports, wind-blown large plastic sheets and piles of broken glass. Seven feet of snow was more than the structures could handle, even with the heat turned on to help plants grow. Paul Zittel has spent nearly 40 years building the network of greenhouses and was clearly worn as he showed what happened to reporters and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
"We've got to call for help to come in. We've got to order new greenhouses. You need to build them during the wintertime. We're going to need massive help," Zittel told reporters.