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Efforts Springing Up To Aid Bloomingcamp
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Some of the harvest offerings at Oakdales Blooming Camp Ranch. - photo by Photo Contributed

A GoFundMe account has been established – to help save Bloomingcamp Ranch.

The well-known ranch – which hosts a number of festivals throughout the year and is famous for its pies, wagon rides and special event venue – is among the Stanislaus County businesses in danger of being shut down due to water issues, specifically higher than acceptable levels of nitrates measured in the drinking water supply.

Betsy Townsend of Bloomingcamp Ranch has kept fans of the business updated via the ranch Facebook, encouraging them to write local Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors members in hopes of getting more time to address the issue.

Now, a loyal customer has even started a GoFundMe to help Bloomingcamp raise funds for what is anticipated to be a costly water study and treatment plan.

“I can’t even begin to express my gratitude and complete surprise,” Townsend wrote on the business Facebook about the effort started by Ashley Olson.

Donations have already started to come in.

“I have had hundreds of calls, emails, posts, shares and customers show up,” Townsend added. “We feel the support. Thank you! We believe there is a solution.”

To that end, Townsend said meetings are being requested with state legislators including Assemblyman Heath Flora and State Senator Andreas Borgeas to further discuss the situation and possible options.

The owner/operators of Bloomingcamp Ranch were among local businesspeople attending the most recent county board meeting – Tuesday, April 16 – to offer testimony and air concerns about the water issues.

Townsend said the more discussion there is, the better, as all the impacted small businesses around the county will benefit from “more awareness and support” from the county leaders.

“There are many simple and cost effective solutions that can be done but the State is mandating unrealistic codes that the cost alone will put not just Bloomingcamp Ranch but many other small farm stands, family owned and operated businesses and many others businesses in Stanislaus County out of business,” Townsend wrote.

Olson’s GoFundMe account has set a goal of $300,000.

Townsend said they are hoping to see the impacted businesses be granted a waiver to continue operating while the regulations are reviewed and, hopefully, she said, “changed to accommodate small business like ours.”

Residents can also contact District 1 Supervisor and vice chair Kristin Olsen, who represents Oakdale on the board, at olsenk@stancounty.com to request assistance for the impacted businesses as well as chair Terry Withrow at withrowt@stancounty.com.