Eleva Family Farms hit hard by flood

by Dan Groeschel, Editor

In what can best be described as a significant hit, Eleva Family Farms seemed to be in the crosshairs of the Sept. 6 storm and ensuing flood.

The farm distribution company saw waters five feet deep outside the building. The company had eight distribution trucks parked outside, and all eight were totaled.

“We have had to lease four trucks to deliver our routes,” Chuck Harper, owner of Eleva Family Farms, said. “That’s the short-term fix. Long-term, we will need to buy six refrigerated trucks that will cost about $900 thousand total.”

Harper said the inside of the building had about 12 inches of standing water. Eleva Family Farms had to throw away a number of boxes that were stored at ground level. Harper said the United States Department of Agriculture spent their Labor Day holiday working with him and his staff to sort through what product could be salvaged.

“As part of the cleanup process, we had to move the product out into a freezer truck we had to lease, sanitize the freezers and then move all the product back in,” Harper said.

Harper estimated the company threw away about $200 thousand in product, but added that number may grow as they are still sorting through the freezers.

Eleva Family Farms distributes product in an area that spans from Duluth to La Crosse and Wausau to about an hour west of the Twin Cities. Harper said being short a few trucks has inconvenienced them and some clients, but everyone knows they are doing their best given the circumstances.

According to Harper, between 50 and 100 Eleva residents spent at least part of their Labor Day helping clean up.

“We received a tremendous response from our employees and the community,” Harper said.