TOWN OF FARMINGTON, Wis. — A Farmington dairy family is picking up the pieces after a fire destroyed two buildings and killed four cows on their century-old farm early Friday morning.
Jenny Neumann said the emotional weight of the loss is only now beginning to settle in.
"This is our livelihood. This is our life," she said. "If we're not busy, then that's when it hits."
The fire tore through the Neumann family's dairy barn, dealing a devastating blow to their third-generation, 100-year-old farm. Neumann said the community's response has been a source of strength.
"Our biggest thing that has really helped us get through this is the community," she said.'
Residents in the Town of Farmington brought food, helped with cleanup, and opened their properties to house hundreds of the family's surviving cows.
Neighboring farmer Jacob Guttman, who lives less than a mile away, was among those who showed up to help. His own barn burned down in June, and he said seeing the community come together brought back powerful emotions.
"It was just like an overwhelming of emotions," he said. "There was enough times that morning where I lost it a little bit. Seeing everybody there again really helped."
Guttman said the back-to-back fires in the area have him slightly on edge.
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"I hate to think that there's someone doing it, but history says there are people that get off on that kind of stuff," he said. "Let's just try to take extra precautions and be extra vigilant in watching for things that maybe seem suspicious."
Washington County deputies ruled out arson in the Guttman fire. They are still investigating the cause of the Neumann fire but said they do not currently believe it is suspicious. Guttman said he's seen an increased deputy presence since June.
Neumann said she is focused on helping her cows heal and rebuilding when she can—trying not to focus on the cause.
"We don't really know. It could be [suspicious]? It has happened before!" she said. "But, in reality it could just be a great big coincidence. They're old barns. All we can do is wait and hear what they say."
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