North Carolina Farmers Devastated by Historic Flooding from Hurricane Helene

 

Henderson County, N.C. — The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction in North Carolina, with farmers bearing the brunt of the devastation. Jeff Nix, an orchard owner, witnessed his life’s work washed away in a matter of hours. The flooding turned nine acres of his farm into what now resembles a barren riverbed, covered with sand and stone.

Before the hurricane, those acres were home to thousands of Granny Smith and Gala apple trees, recently matured enough to produce a substantial harvest. But as Nix watched from the safety of his son's house on a hill, he saw the relentless floodwaters uproot two of his trees, which then barreled down the river like battering rams. “They lined up like two big Caterpillar dozers, and we watched them just take this whole farm out,” he recalled.

The once-thriving orchard now looks like a scene from a disaster movie. A John Deere backhoe, slumped beside another farm vehicle, remains caked in mud, too damaged to be useful. Nix estimates the losses—both in damages and lost revenue—will run into the millions. But he is just one of many farmers in Henderson County grappling with the unprecedented flooding that has wiped away their livelihoods.

Despite the destruction, Nix remains optimistic about his farm’s future. However, he acknowledges that not all farmers in the area will be as fortunate. “We just need help,” Nix said as he showed U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards the scale of the devastation. “I’m out here today. I need to be working. I want to get help for everybody.”

Relief Efforts in Motion

Edwards, who represents the region, pledged to advocate for a supplemental relief bill in Congress. “We’ve been sitting here for years funding fires in California and tornadoes in the Midwest. It’s time this country comes together and that Western North Carolina be recognized,” Edwards said, assuring farmers that he would personally appeal for more recovery funds.

Governor Roy Cooper also weighed in during a visit to Canton, noting the need for state lawmakers to come together on a relief package. The North Carolina Legislature will meet on October 9 to begin addressing the issue. Edwards advised farmers to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance, promising that FEMA and Small Business Administration officials would soon visit Henderson County to assess the damage firsthand.

More Than Just Apples: Widespread Impact on Local Farmers

The devastation has not been limited to apple orchards. Dalton Rhodes, whose family runs a berry farm, described the scene as apocalyptic. Floodwaters deposited debris—including logs, parts of trees, and even parts of houses—across his raspberry fields. The stench of decay suggests that some of the family’s missing calves may have been caught in the flooding, their carcasses now part of the debris.

While the family’s blackberries survived, the raspberry fields were decimated. Rhodes believes it will take a bulldozer to clear the wreckage down to bare dirt. “With all the damage and lost revenue, we’re looking at over $1 million to recover,” Rhodes said.

Despite the daunting task ahead, the Rhodes family remains focused on helping their community. “We’ve been volunteering with our church, giving out food and supplies to those who need it,” Rhodes added. “We’ll get to this later.”

The resilience of the farmers in Henderson County is clear. They’ve put their own recovery on hold to prioritize helping their neighbors, demonstrating a spirit of community that remains strong even in the face of disaster.

For more updates on recovery efforts and the situation in North Carolina, follow along on X: @dark_web24.