Pearson Farm loses pecans from Hurricane Michael

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Many home owners and businesses continue to clean up from Hurricane Michael. Farms are also trying to pick up the pieces and lost crops.

“Last year, we lost about 1,000 trees across our farm. It was earlier, so the nuts blowing off were not salvageable. This year, I really hesitate to say we have any damage,” Pearson Farm partner, Al Pearson said.

Broken limbs, uprooted trees, and fallen pecans leave a mess for some farmers.

“For us, it’s a slowed down, normal, harvest,” Pearson said.

Farmers at Pearson Farm in Fort Valley say Hurricane Irma did more damage last year than Hurricane Michael. Pearson says the fallen nuts, as a result of Michael, are salvageable.

“We don’t feel like we’re going to lose a big portion of nuts and it’ll slow harvest down a bit, but it’s not going to be something we can’t get on top of,” he said.

There’s isn’t enough damage done to Pearson Farm to apply for FEMA help.

“We lost 100 to 150 trees,” Pearson said.

Farmers at Pearson Farm will harvest now, and clean up Michael’s mess later.

“Pecan farms are a great place to be in the fall. It’s sunny, temperament, we can harvest pecans now and bring money in,” Pearson said.

Pearson says there’s not much more they can do to prevent crop damage before a storm hits. He says they will turn off irrigation systems sooner and move machinery so trees don’t fall on them.