Creamery loses sheep -- gains a few friends

The fast-rising floodwater filled the first floor of the Black Sheep Creamery with 30 inches of water, and then killed more than 50 of the specially bred sheep at the picturesque farm near Chehalis.

But owners Meg and Brad Gregory are determined to rebuild.

"We aren't easily defeated people," said Brad Gregory, as he took a soup break Thursday before facing the mud again.

Gregory, a cheesemaker, said he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of people offering to help -- a woman in Oregon will replace a ram they lost, farmers in Wisconsin have offered sheep, and Beecher's Cheese in Seattle will store and care for their cheese until it is aged and ready to sell.

Hundreds of other farms and farmers in Southwest Washington have similar experiences.

State agriculture officials still are collecting information on the devastation that hit farms and ranches in the southwest part of the state, especially Lewis County, which was hit particularly hard. The area is known for dairy and poultry. The dead animals will number in the hundreds, perhaps thousands.

Mike Louisell, a spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture, said they expect to have more information as the floodwater continues to recede.

More urgent at the moment he said, is making sure trucks are allowed access through Interstate 5 and other routes to get food to animals still alive. Draper Valley Farms, a major Northwest poultry supplier, has chicken operations in the area. Louisell said he knows of one chicken ranch with 280,000 birds. There also are dozens of dairies.

Besides agricultural animals, officials say dead recreational horses, wildlife and rodents could wash into yards, causing a health problem.

"Right now, the thing we are telling people is not to handle the carcasses. If they have to, then use gloves and protective equipment," said Donn Moyer of the state Department of Health.

"We are working out how the carcasses can be collected and disposed of; we don't have a full answer. Don't bury them on your property, they could wash back up again if there is another flood."

Brad Gregory said he found 22 sheep alive when he returned to the Black Sheep Creamery after the rains let up. But over the next two days, he collected twice that many carcasses.

"They're dairy animals. Some of them I have spent a lot of time with. I haven't dwelt on the personal connection. They are covered with mud," he said.

Gregory is waiting to hear what he is supposed to do with the dead animals. "We have to do something pretty quick or it will become a health issue. The cool temperatures help; it's not smelling," he said.

Gregory said if there had been more notice of the flood's intensity, he could have moved his animals.

"I was completely taken by surprise. I hadn't heard any flood warning before Monday," he said. The worst flood on record at his 100-year-old farm was in 1996. That was nothing compared to the deluge Monday.

By 10 a.m. the water was rising fast, he moved his sheep into the barn. And put his cheesemaking supplies up on high shelves. Within minutes, he saw water coming up through the drain in the cheese room and the floor was almost instantly covered with water.

He ran to the two-story farmhouse. It was flooding fast, too.

Together with his wife and sons, they moved their computers to the second floor of the house, then took refuge there. Eventually, a jet boat arrived to take them and two dogs to higher ground. Then they were flown by helicopter to dry land.

"The kids were still thinking this was an adventure. They knew it was bad, but they weren't scared," Gregory said.

Despite his losses, Gregory said it could have been worse. The family is safe.

"We eventually will have a house to get back to," he said.

On Friday, Brad Sinko, head cheesemaker for Beecher's Cheese in Seattle, plans to be at the farm with four cheesemakers to pick up some 300 wheels of cheese, a few hundred pounds' worth.

"Well keep them in our aging room for them, brush them and flip them everyday, you have to do that so the moisture doesn't settle," Sinko said. "That way they will have something when they get back on their feet."

They also are ready to help the family in any other way when they get there.

"They lost everything. This is just about us cheesemakers trying to chip in and help each other," Sinko said. "I told him don't worry, we'll come down and get it ready. This guy is hurting, we have to help him."