Tom Quaife, Editor, Dairy Herd Network   |   Updated: October 3, 2011

It’s difficult for David and Denise Lloyd, owners of Maple Downs Farm in Middleburgh, N.Y., to discuss the damage that occurred to their farm when tropical storm Irene swept through on Aug. 28.

Several times during the YouTube video shown above, the Lloyds falter with emotion as they speak about the event.  

“It wiped out our farm, our business… Everywhere you look, it affected every part of our life,” Denise Lloyd said.

David Lloyd describes the chaos when torrential rains caused flooding in their barns.

“In 20 minutes, we went from nothing in the barn to seven feet,” he says. He recalls getting cows out of the barn, but the cows were far from safe when they got outside: There was a stream behind the barn where the water was actually deeper.

“When (the cows) hit the stream, they were swimming down the stream and we had no idea at that point if they would survive or not,” David says, choking back emotion.

The farm ended up losing 47 animals, the majority of which were young calves.

The video also shows how the storm flattened corn fields and put the Lloyds in a tough position trying to find feed for their cows.

“Words can’t describe the feelings you have... Again, I am very thankful to God for His mercy that we’re all here, my family members are all here,” Denise Lloyd says.

To see more photos of the devastation and to learn how you can help, click here.

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