Indomitable Verrill Farm

If you saw either of the stories in the Globe, or watched the tape Devra posted, you know that a fire destroyed Verrill Farm's stand in Concord late Saturday. Verrill Farm was started in 1918 by Steve Verrill's father, Floyd.

The fire didn't destroy their spirit. Food section contributor Rachel Travers, who shops at Verrill, went by yesterday and sent photos. The first thing Steve Verrill (pictured above) did was to set up a temporary farmstand so he could continue to sell his fruits and vegetables.

"On Sunday morning," wrote Rachel, "I stopped by to see the awful sight in the light of day. It was a devastating scene brightened by Steve's wife, Joan, noticing a potted, blooming day lily that lived through the horror at the back of the greenhouse, which was attached to the farmstand. She placed it out front.

"Yesterday I went with a friend, Guida Ponte, a chef at Verrill, and a staff member who was inside when the fire broke out. We went through the catering kitchen, where people were scrubbing walls and equipment. In the back room I saw something beautiful: tubs and tubs of gorgeous freshly picked produce, which would have been delivered to area restaurants early this morning. Monday deliveries had already been made."

"The Verrills have a world of neighbors and customers and chefs who want to do something. The family will rebuild, and I suspect they’ll be handing out turkeys by Thanksgiving."

Here's the address for contributions:

Verrill Farmstand Fund
Middlesex Savings Bank
1208 Main Street
West Concord, MA 01742

Rachel continues: "In the meantime, go get your pumpkins and catch the end of corn season. Verrill has always had some of the very best around. The positive spirit in the air is palpable."