Build Back the Boggess Farm After Hurricane Helene

The Boggess Farm is in Yancey County, about 10 minutes outside of Burnsville, NC, one of the parts of Western North Carolina hit hardest by Hurricane Helene. The farm is on relatively high ground, away from major rivers or streams, so even as the forecast worsened, we were optimistic that it would be safe from water and wind. But the whole region's expectations were turned upside down by a weather disaster that far exceeded the direst predictions. For the farm, that took the form of a landslide that started high up on the mountain and charged down, uprooting trees, flattening the upper barn, and eventually destroying the sheds that housed the cars, tractor, farm equipment, and chicken house. Possibly saved by the resistance of the outbuildings, the house is still standing, but all that earth and debris ended up packed against the wall in the back yard. The mud ran around the house and knocked down the doors on the north wall, filling the basement with a few feet of sludge and branches. Trees from far up on the mountain ended up scattered around the property.

Our parents, Sam and Carol Boggess, and their friend Sylvia (who picked a historically unlucky weekend to visit from the west coast) were in the house when the landslide hit, in the basement trying to bail out water that came in after the sump pump failed. Thankfully, Laura was able to make it to Burnsville that evening to check on them, and got them, the two dogs, and the cat to safety in Mars Hill. The mule and the donkey fled to a neighbor's pasture, and almost all of the chickens were accounted for the next day. We are grateful the living creatures made it through, but the house and farm have a long way to go before they are habitable, let alone back to normal.

The last week has been spent triaging the damage and starting repairs. It's clear there will be extensive work needed to:

Like all farmers, Sam and Carol are resourceful and hardworking, and they do all kinds of work themselves--plus, Yancey County is a tight-knit place where everyone is happy to help a neighbor in need. But two retired college professors in their 70s and 80s and their neighbors simply can't handle this on their own. This will require heavy equipment, specialized knowledge, as well as a lot of raw labor, and of course, money.

Homeowners insurance has assured us that there will be NO insurance payout for the house, since landslides are not covered in standard insurance policies. We have applied for FEMA aid and should get some, but that is capped far below what we estimate the recovery will cost. There will likely be other government relief avenues, which we'll pursue doggedly. But we are also turning to our communities to ask for help. The money we raise here will only be one piece of the puzzle, but we are hopeful that with your help, we will be able to get the house back to livability without jeopardizing their carefully planned retirement.

The farm is where we grew up, and even as we have moved around the country and the world, it has always been home. We deeply appreciate your help to restore it from this unthinkable disaster.

Yours,

William and Laura Boggess

Sam and Carol the day before the storm

Same flowers, different circumstances

Getting to safety

Where the road used to be

View of the back of the house

North side of the house, where the force of the mud and rubble blew in the doors and entered the basement

Sludge in the basement

What used to be the garden

Cars and equipment stuck inside the crushed shed

Where the landslide exited the woods. We're not sure how far up it originated, but farther than we've been able to hike at this point

Carol and grandson Quentin meet the donkey in happier times