Hurricane Helene rips apart N.C. farm that feeds 1,500 people in a food desert each week
Rev. Richard Joyner expects his community farm to flood a bit after hurricanes. But the destruction brought on by Hurricane Helene endangers the hundreds of locals who the farm feeds each week.
The Rev. Richard Joyner ventured down to his small community farm in Conetoe, North Carolina, after the deadly Hurricane Helene ripped through six states before it dissipated late last month. Joyner, 71, is used to flooding brought on by extreme weather in the hurricane-prone state. But this time was different.
He has seen areas of the farm take on some floodwater. But this time, all six plots of about 4 acres of land he dedicated to farming produce for the community were completely flooded.
“We could only see the top of the vegetables. We were hoping the water would recess quickly. It didn’t happen. We finally had to come to the conclusion” that the crop was lost, Joyner said, noting that he and a group of children who helped plant in the garden went down to inspect the damage on Sept. 28 — two days after Hurricane Helene made landfall.
“We had collards, we had broccoli, we had turnip greens, we had kale, we had cabbage,” he continued. “Once the water set on it, it just flopped. We knew it wouldn’t recover.”
The youth-led community farm, called Conetoe Family Life Center, was a place where locals and children as young as 5 learned to farm and distribute produce to their neighbors. Now, they’re left to clear out damaged crops and wonder when they’ll be able to bring vegetables to their food-strapped neighbors.
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