Local CSA members recount 'operation onion rescue' ahead of 2011 flood

Melissa Passin described a late-August weekend in 2011 when she and other CSA members turned up at the Intervale to help harvest onions and support farmers ahead of a major storm. She recalled a mix of teenagers, members and farmers working together in hoop houses, sharing fresh watermelon and cantaloupe while preparing for what turned into a widespread flood event the following week.

Passin said the volunteer harvest helped mitigate some losses and created a memory that shaped her children's appreciation for local food: after the effort many members continued CSA participation and taught their children to cook with fresh produce. "We are embarking upon operation onion rescue," she recalled reading in the community message requesting help, and she linked that collective response to the Intervale's broader culture of neighborly support.