A Saturday morning fire has destroyed the Never Say die Nursery in Pitt Meadows.
Owner Fe Laan lost the entire store drive-through, the whole back barn, the office and the tractor that has been in the family for years, daughter-in-law Kira Turner said.
A GoFundme “Never Say Die Nursery Fire” organized by Turner had raised just over $9,000 by Sunday morning.
“She is resilient and strong but has lost everything needed to start off the new year and spring/summer farming season,” Turner posted.
“Most of you have seen this wonderful woman at many farmers markets in the Tri-cities. She attended the Haney farmers market for over 25 years, and now currently is a vendor at the Coquitlam farmers market every Sunday and Port Moody summer market every Wednesday. She works so hard to give fresh beautiful locally grown, no spray produce and this is an extremely hard and difficult set back for the upcoming season.”
Turner said the family was unsure if insurance will kick in and how long it will take.
Friend and fellow farmer Ken Knechtel called it “devastating”
“They even lost their tractor,” Knechtel noted. “That’s tens of thousands of dollars. [But] no one got hurt. That’s a good thing.”
Laan and Knechtel were founding members of the Haney farmers market. He has since retired from farming,
“We’ve known Faye forever,” Knechtel said.
“She has a good family around her. She’s not young by any means, but her boys will be there with her.