*The Rev. Richard Joyner of Conetoe, North Carolina, is grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has devastated homes and the community farm he built for residents.
Aiming to address food scarcity in a region often described as a food desert, the Conetoe Family Life Center is a testament to community resilience. However, the recent floods have submerged Joyner’s six plots of land, erasing months of hard work to produce healthy food for the neighborhood.
In the wake of the storm, which made landfall on the Florida coast on September 26, Joyner ventured to his small community farm, only to find that all four acres of vegetables he had planted were completely underwater.
“We could only see the top of the vegetables,” Joyner recounted. “We finally had to conclude that the crop was lost.” The farm, which had produced collards, broccoli, turnip greens, kale, and cabbage, was designed to alleviate food insecurity in an area where many families depend on its harvest.
The Conetoe Family Life Center, established by Joyner in 2007, has become an essential resource for over 1,500 people in the community. With many residents lacking access to fresh fruits and vegetables, the farm was a vital lifeline that offered not just food but also educational opportunities for local children as young as five.
Joyner’s commitment to providing healthy options has transformed the community’s relationship with food, yet now, following the hurricane, he faces the daunting task of clearing out the ruins of what was once an abundant harvest, NBC News reports.
“It’s been really tough,” Joyner said of the challenging two weeks following the storm. “We depend on this land to produce the products that we serve our community and congregations,” he said. “So when this flood came … it has been tough because we lost a lot of products that were getting ready to go to the market.”
As officials confirmed widespread destruction across North Carolina, with at least 115 reported fatalities, President Joe Biden announced efforts to support recovery, deploying federal assistance and troops to help with search and rescue operations. Amid the chaos, Joyner remains hopeful. His team is assessing the soil’s condition, aiming to restore the farm in the forthcoming months. Joyner has long been an advocate for climate action, contending that the increasing severity of hurricanes is linked to human-induced climate change. As part of the Act of Man Coalition, he works alongside community leaders to educate the public on the dangers of fossil fuel pollution and its correlation to extreme weather.
As he reflects on his past as a sharecropper, Joyner emphasizes the importance of stewardship over the land, crediting his father’s sustainable farming practices for shaping his views on environmental responsibility.
“My father was a real climate person. He believed that if we take care of the universe, the universe would take care of us. He would treat his land like a human being. That really informed my faith.”
With a focus on community resilience and climate advocacy, Joyner and the Conetoe Family Life Center embody a multifaceted approach to addressing both food scarcity and environmental challenges. Their story highlights the intricate relationship between community health and climate realities, urging a broader conversation about how society grapples with the consequences of natural disasters in an era of climate change.
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