Gorzynski farm hit hard

By TOM KANE

COCHECTON & TUSTEN - John Gorzynski, the organic farmer from Cochecton Center, isn't happy about many things these days. But the one thing he has to smile about is his reserves to fall back on in order to get through the winter.

"When you're in this business for as long as I am, you prepare for things like this," he said. "So much for the retirement fund!"

Much of the organic crops on his farm along the flats of Ten Mile River on Route 52 in Cochecton Center were lost in last weekend's rain.

In other local damage, the stone arch bridge at Ten Mile River access that was severely damaged will be restored to its original state, according to Sullivan County Commissioner of Public Works Peter Lilholt.

The bridge, built in 1896, is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. "We're hoping we get some extra help from the federal government to pay for the restoration," Lilholt said.

Another bridge that will have to be fully restored is one on Pump Station Road, linking Route 97 and Lake Huntington.

"That's going to be closed for two months at least," Lilholt said. The bridge supports were seriously weakened, he said.

In the Town of Tusten, several roads had to be closed. "We closed Rock Lake Road, Ten Mile River Road and Tusten Road," Tusten Supervisor Dick Crandall said.

Crandall said that, if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) doesn't declare an emergency and fund the repair work, it will take the town years to do the work because of the lack of funds.

Gorzynski, who is asking for FEMA assistance, is in the same position.

"A lot of things I thought would make it aren't going to," Gorzynski said. "This bean crop was a late planting and I don't know whether they'll make it or not."

Two thirds of his tomato crop was lost. "What's left is beginning to ripen up," he said.

All the winter squash were lost and about one third of his cabbages are gone. The things that survived, he said, were sorely stressed and will be set back a week in maturing. They may not make it before the frost which comes on average the first week of September, he said.

Surviving were broccoli, cauliflower, the storage cabbages, winter radishes and turnips.

For four or five days, neighbors, fellow farmers and others helped Gorzynski. "Glenn Swendsen came over with machinery to dig these four drainage ditches so that the next time it rains the fields won't get flooded," he said.

"I've been farming for 24 years and I never was hit this hard before," Gorzynski said.