CLERMONT, Fla. — With only two weeks to go until their Fall Festival, Southern Hill Farms is now rushing to recover after a massive fire.

The fire, which was discovered early Monday morning, engulfed their barn where most of their farming equipment was kept and is now a total loss.

According to owners David and Lisa Hill, the fire was likely caused by a lightning strike seen on one of their security cameras.

Now the Hills are having to come to terms with the devastation left behind.

After a lifetime of farming, the loss isn’t just financial, but sentimental too.

“That corn harvester is probably 60 years old, I drove it probably 45 years ago,” said Hill, walking by his now scorched barn.

It’s only the next day that they are having time to process everything that happened, after having received a phone call at 3 a.m. Monday.

When they arrived, they found their barn scorched. Farm equipment purchased over decades, up in smoke.

“I look at this, and I see all the work that I could be doing with it,” said Hill.

He estimates this cost them about three quarters of a million dollars, but that amount could rise if they don’t find equipment to start farming soon.

“Because if we can’t plant and we can’t spray and we can’t cultivate and we can’t fertilize, then that would be devastating,” Hill said.

Luckily, neighboring farmers are pitching in, lending them things so they can keep up with their fall crops.

“That’s what’s been such a huge blessing is just the community support and these farms that day, you know, what we will loan us anything, you just let us know and as of this morning we are just trying to figure out what do we need. But those farmers have just been a godsend,” said Lisa.

The Hills sadly lost their train for kids, with only the Eagle on the front of it left untouched and two American flags barely burnt. It’s a popular attraction at their Fall Festival that’s coming up in a few weeks, where they make 40% of their annual revenue. They also lost $50,000 worth of tumblers they ordered to serve their fall drinks.

“We are in a dead sprint trying to get everything ready, and now we have to deal with this. It’s probably the worst possible timing but we all get it done,” Hill said.

The Hills are staying positive, tending to the zinnias that will be ready for the festival. They shared that their sunflower and corn fields were untouched, as well as their carnival rides. They are hopeful that while things might look a little different this year, people will still come out and support their family farm as always.

“We hope to keep it for a long time and give people a place to go and appreciate what we do, the food that we grow for them, and watch their faces when they come with their families," Hill said. "I’s worth it and we want to be here for a long time.”

Their 9th annual Fall Festival kicks off on September 28 and runs through November 17. Tickets are already on sale. You can find them here.