Published: Aug 08, 2026 7:00 am
On Saturday, August 1, a team of volunteers spent the day raking, shoveling, and dragging debris that had accumulated at Sticks & Stones Farm.
This comes after the Guskie Pond dam — located just over the Newtown-Monroe border, right by Sticks & Stones Farm — broke during a major rainstorm on July 21. In just a few hours, the storm brought up to two inches of rain across the region, causing a torrent of rushing water to surge through the woods and flow directly into the farm.
While no buildings were harmed, the surge of water damaged a trailer, twisted metal chairs and tables, and left thick mud, debris, and battered paths in its wake.
Much of the major damage was addressed through the diligence and hard work of the volunteers who visited Sticks & Stones Farm. The team worked throughout the morning of August 1 to fine tune whatever work had already been done by the owner and residents of the farm since the storm.
Volunteers were free to drop in throughout the day, and used metal rakes and shovels to even out the trails around the property.
Members of the team that worked during the Sticks & Stones Farm storm cleanup day on Saturday, August 1 are seen during a break. This comes after a major rainstorm delivered up to two inches of rain across the region in a few hours, causing the Guskie Pond dam to break. The dam is located very close to the farm; it breaking caused a torrent of water to surge through the woods and flow into the farm, leaving thick mud and debris on the property. Sticks & Stones Farm Owner Tim Currier (far left, in excavator) smiles beside the volunteers who arrived to help and repair the damage caused by the flooding of the property. Among these people is Reverend Bill Donaldson (third from left), founder and president of Love Has A Home Here, one of the several nonprofit organizations located at the farm. —Bee Photos, Glass
Tim Currier, owner of Sticks & Stones Farm, carries a large drainage pipe that will be installed as part of an effort to mitigate the damage that may be caused by future flooding of the farm.
Tim Currier uses an excavator to help mitigate the damage from the recent flood.
Lisa Major traveled from Norwalk to be part of the cleanup effort. She was planning on spending some time at the farm for a retreat, but when she arrived and saw the damage she pitched in to help. She noted, “This place found me,” feeling as though she had been called to the beautiful property.
