Rising Together in Aid
On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene ripped through the Appalachian region of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. Our farm and community suffered many losses from this climate change fueled super storm. The recovery effort over the weeks and months after the storm proved that we have the relationships, capabilities, communication skills, knowledge, and adaptability to care for ourselves, our neighbors, and our greater community. We are working NOW to provide quality vegetables to area food pantries who support the thousands of families experiencing economic and lifestyle hardships post Helene. We are meeting with mental health professionals to plan using our farm land as an outdoor healing space for all. We are creating workshops in 2025 to address the growing need to learn resiliency skills like soil remediation, chainsawing, basic carpentry, running machinery or other tools, and more. Join us in reclaiming the beauty and bounty of Appalachia. Below is an account from our Board Co-Chair Kristin Wilson as to our initial efforts post Helene.
“When Hurricane Helene hit our community, we all jumped into action immediately to show up for whatever was needed. Full Moon Farm naturally became a hub for our community. We offered communication through our starlink wifi and solar generator. ASU brought down a mobile solar panel unit to meet further power needs for the community. We coordinated to ensure the elders first received generators. We got a generator to run the farm's walk-in cooler which was made available for others in the community to refrigerate foods. We helped folks clear debris, mud, rebuild bridges, culverts, and roads. We cut trees, repaired fences and spring water systems. The list goes on and on. We received donations and offered free gasoline and propane. We ensured folks had hay to feed animals. Even a small make shift distribution center started in the barn. We held a community meal and organizing meeting to celebrate the successes, identify further needs, and coordinate responses to ensure needs were met and timely. We later offered circles of support and a grief ceremony for emotional and spiritual tending for all that was lost.
Full Moon Farm naturally became a hub as a result of the relationships that were already well formed and an understanding of how to access resources and move them toward the most vulnerable first. It was truly spectacular to see how the community of Triplett came together to take care of each other. There is nowhere else in the world I would rather live and call my home community.”
-Kristin Wilson, Board Co-Chair