CHARLESTOWN, Ind. — The tornadoes that hit southern Indiana almost a year ago left a large amount of damage in their wake, but that didn’t keep most farmers from getting their 2012 crop planted and harvested, according to local officials.

The March 2 storms killed more than 30 people in the Midwest, including 14 in Indiana. Six counties – Clark, Jefferson, Ripley, Scott, Warrick and Washington – were declared federal disaster areas due to storms on Feb. 29 and March 2. Parts of Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee and Ohio were also hit by tornadoes.

Despite damage to fields, fencing, equipment, barns and storage buildings, most farmers were able to plant on time, said Bob Backus, county executive director for the Farm Service Agency in Clark and Scott counties. Those Hoosier farmers had help in getting their farms and fields ready, he noted.

“There was a tremendous volunteer effort,” he said. “Hundreds walked fields and cleaned debris. We had organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Farmers, March2Recovery and Samaritan’s Purse. They had people and equipment out here as soon as the Monday afterward.

“We had college kids from in and out of state. Some decided to come here and help rather than take their spring breaks.”

Most farmers who had damage to barns and other buildings have had them repaired, Backus said. While just about all farmers who wanted to plant a crop last year were able to, the storms did impact a few older producers, he noted.

“They didn’t want to start over,” he said. “They were close to retirement age anyway and this sort of made the decision for them.”

The process of repairing or replacing farm equipment damaged in the storms meant a lot of work for equipment retailers such as Jacobi Sales, Inc. in Palmyra, Ind.

“We were swamped,” Billy Jacobi said. “Normally we do about four or five insurance jobs a year, but we probably did about 75. And generally, if they had one piece of equipment damaged, it wasn’t the only thing they had damaged.”

A couple of farmers who weren’t insured enough to cover their losses opted to get out of farming, he said.

“They were close to retirement age and maybe thinking about it, and this is what put them over the edge,” Jacobi explained.

Most of the producers Jacobi worked with had equipment repaired rather than replaced, he said. His business didn’t have any trouble getting replacement parts in a timely manner, he added. Jacobi said his facilities weren’t damaged in the storms.

Most farmers who had problems with debris in their fields or damage to fencing and buildings had those issues taken care of by last summer, said David Hynes, agriculture and natural resources extension educator in Clark County. He is aware of a few barns that may still need repair. As the growing season wore on last year, the hot, dry weather ended up being more of a concern than storm damage, he added. “They could get into the fields after the storms, but then we had the drought,” he said. “That was the bigger story.”

Still more to do

Hynes said he’s not heard many people talking about the storms as the anniversary approaches.

“They realize storms are going to happen in this part of the country,” he said. “They’re more interested in what the drought is going to do this year.”

The March2Recovery organization started a couple of months after the storms and is a long-term effort, said Carolyn A King, its executive director. The organization is working in Clark, Jefferson and Washington counties and is funded by an Indiana Assoc. of United Ways grant.

Ripley and Scott counties have also received funding, which totals about $3.5 million for the five counties, King said. The money pays for such things as case management staff, a construction supervisor and someone to do construction estimates.

The organization helps with rebuilding and repairing homes for those who have no other means to recover, she explained. The people they help don’t have insurance and weren’t eligible for other forms of assistance such as that offered by FEMA. The organization also works on social and medical needs, she added.

March2Recovery has contacted more than 1,100 people who registered with FEMA from its three counties and is currently working with about 150 families, King noted. “I think we’re seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “I’m hoping we’ll be finished by the end of the year, if not before. We still have to get a few families back into their homes.”

As the anniversary of the storms approaches, individuals and communities have various ways of acknowledging it, King said. For example, the community of Henryville is planning a parade to celebrate the volunteers. March2Recovery is encouraging survivors to share their stories, both for history and to help them deal with their feelings, she said.

“Some people are ready to talk and share their stories,” she said. “Others want to move on and forget it. But with the anniversary, all kinds of memories come back. I encourage people to acknowledge it and to mark the occasion.”

The area could still use volunteers skilled in construction, she said. “We need people who are able to commit for a few days, who are willing to come, roll up their sleeves and get to work.”

For more details on March2Recovery or to volunteer, call 502-599-8557 or visit www.march2recovery.org

Backus said despite the cleanup efforts, remnants of the storm remain.

“There’s debris in the woodlands, you can see parts of trees still standing,” he said. “In Marysville, it was a little town of about maybe 18 to 20 homes; there’s maybe eight to 10 left. Some of the houses were dozed over and there’s just an empty lot. It’s not too hard to follow the path (of the storms).”