GRAYSON COUNTY, Va. – One year after Hurricane Helene ravaged River Ridge Farm in Grayson County, owner Charlotte Hanes continues to grapple with millions in damages.
“In the past 10 years, the flooding has gotten worse, or more often, left us with a mess,” Hanes said, describing a pattern of intensifying weather events that culminated in Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact.
The historic farm suffered extensive flood damage, with waters rising high enough to deposit debris in tree branches. The aftermath left behind a startling array of wreckage including “seven refrigerators, three RVs, lamp posts, gas containers, propane gas containers, torn up canoes and people’s porches and everything,” according to Hanes.
“It’s really hard to describe how you feel about losing something you’ve been working on for 45 years,” Hanes said, surveying the piles of debris still scattered across her pastures. “It was just like, how in the world are we going to recover from this?”
The destruction hit particularly hard in the farm’s organic berry operation, causing nearly $2 million in losses. The flooding not only destroyed the crops but also compromised the farm’s valuable organic certification.
“Our organic berry patch wouldn’t be organic even if we did plant it back, because of the debris that was on it,” Hanes said. “Being organic was our value added, and we had lost that. It’s hard to compete with somebody that has 2,000 acres of blueberries and they harvest by machine.”
The damage extended beyond the fields.
“We have coolers to keep the berries cool. We had trucks, and one truck was destroyed in the storm,” Hanes said. “We couldn’t find anything initially that would help us cover that loss, which is close to $2 million loss.”
Virginia’s newly announced block grant program, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, aims to assist farms like River Ridge recover from Hurricane Helene’s impact. The funding covers various types of damage, including timber losses, farm building repairs, road reconstruction, and other agricultural infrastructure.
“So these new block grants that are coming out will pay for losses, which is great, because we didn’t know that until a couple months ago that that was going to happen,” Hanes said. “When we get this grant money, we can help pay off those loans,” taken for initial repairs.
Matthew Lohr, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, acknowledges the grant’s limitations while emphasizing its importance.
“These funds that will be able to come in, certainly it’s not going to make anyone have a bad year, but it should provide some assistance to help them with their operations and hopefully get them ready for the next growing season,” Lohr said.
The experience has forced difficult decisions about the farm’s future.
“That’s why I can’t put this berry patch back in that floodplain, because I really feel like it’s going to happen again,” Hanes said.
Despite the challenges, Hanes remains focused on recovery and is encouraging other eligible farmers to apply for assistance.
“I could see some light after about seven months, and I’m encouraging everybody that qualifies for it,” she said.
“This was a wake-up call,” Hanes reflected. “People don’t want handouts; they want a hand up. Hopefully, the government will recognize the things we really need.”
For more information, eligibility details, and application instructions, visit www.vdacs.virginia.gov/about-farm-recovery-block-grant.shtml, or contact VDACS at (833) 469-5037 or DisasterRecoveryGrants@vdacs.virginia.gov.