But while the water is long gone, Turner's money woes continue.

As the third-generation farmer accepted a $10,000 grant from Vermont Gov. George Gross of Dog River Farm in Berlin says about 20 of his 25 farmed acres were submerged during Irene. But he said he has been frustrated by the lack of clarity from government officials over whether he can sell produce touched by floodwaters only on the plant's inedible portions.

Shumlin traveled to Turner's Simplicity Farm in Waitsfield to hand him the $10,000 check during a ceremony in the farmer's barn and to highlight the source of the money, the Farm Disaster Fund. Turner's check is the first of 52 totaling $303,700 that will go to Vermont farmers from the charitable fund managed by the not-for-profit Vermont Community Foundation.

Additional rounds of grants will go out in the future until the fund is exhausted.

"For Vermonters who care about helping farmers when they're down on their knees, donate to the fund," Shumlin said.

Shumlin said farmers need grants, not loans, because "the last thing Vermont farmers need is debt."

The Community Foundation said even a conservative estimate of crop losses and crop land damage is more than $10 million dollars.

Vermont Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross said Irene will continue to impact farmers for a long time.

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