I’m doing a little bit of traveling right now, but it still took no time for the terrible news about the fire at Bauman’s Farm Market on Wednesday morning to reach me.
Bauman’s, which is located at the corner of Five Mile Line and Plank roads in Penfield, is a family-run business which has been serving our community since 1908. Visiting Bauman’s for pumpkins, Christmas trees, fresh produce and fresh-cut flowers has been a tradition for generations of local families.
There’s little chance you haven’t heard the news, but here are some of the details, which I pulled from various news reports:
- Owners Jim and Barbara Bauman had fallen asleep on the couch when they awoke around 2:30 a.m., saw an orange glow and called 911.
- When fire crews arrived, they found heavy fire coming through the roof of the farm market building. Strong winds intensified the fire, leading to a second alarm and a multi-department response including 12 fire trucks and around 60 emergency responders.
- The main farm market building was destroyed, but many of the greenhouses and some of the farming equipment survived. The house only suffered some melted siding.
- No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
The response from the Webster/Penfield community has been immediate and widespread. Neighboring farm markets have been especially supportive; Herman’s Farm Market and Cider Mill has placed collection boxes at its registers. Other neighboring farms and friend have offered cooler storage, tents, equipment and other resources to help the family get back on its feet.
The Bauman family, however, has asked that people not send in donations yet. In a statement they released Wednesday evening, they wrote,
“At this time, we kindly ask that no donations be made. The greatest way you can support our family is by visiting Bauman’s Farm Market when we are able to reopen.” As the situation progresses, they’ll make additional announcements about how the public can help if their needs change.
In the meantime, since most of the greenhouses survived, they plan to continue farming and wholesaling, and are considering setting up a temporary pop-up farm stand.
Here’s the whole statement from the Bauman family:
Tonight, our family experienced a heartbreaking loss as a fire completely destroyed our farm market. Our hearts are heavy, but we are incredibly grateful for what matters most; everyone is safe.
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to the firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, and all of the first responders who responded so quickly and worked tirelessly throughout the night. We are beyond thankful for your courage, professionalism, and dedication.
Webster, West Webster, Penfield, Brighton, Irondequoit, we are also grateful for the overwhelming support, prayers, and kind messages we’ve already received from our community. They mean more to our family than words can express. Right now, we are taking things one step at a time and assessing what comes next. We appreciate your patience as we work through the days ahead, and we’ll share updates as we are able. Thank you for keeping our family in your thoughts.
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(posted 7/23/2026)
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