Oral History Interview with Larry and Betty Kelley, December 9, 1999. Interview K-0511. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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Abstract
Although ostensibly about the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, this interview presents a history lesson on the gradual extinction of independent farming in eastern North Carolina. Larry Kelley shares the details of a lifetime of farming and other rural work. He sees himself as among the last members of a generation of old-school farmers who were pushed out of agriculture by factory farms and new techniques. But although farmers are being forced to abandon their farms, especially as Floyd exacerbated their financial difficulty, Larry maintains his faith in the strength of his rural community. This is a lengthy interview, and it is sometimes difficult to hear clearly because of interruptions and sound interference. The interview's highlights are focused on the Kelleys' experiences. Researchers interested in Larry's father's experiences as a farmer can look to the first fifteen pages of the transcript. Both Larry and Betty Kelley participated in the interview, but Larry does the majority of the talking.
Excerpts
The decline of family farms
The transition to the factory farming hog raising system
Competition hurts small hog farmers
Leaving hog farming and the sand business
Economic challenges of rural enterprises
A bad year in 1980
FEMA fails to deliver on promises
Coping with flooding, during and afterward
FEMA and the SBA make securing aid difficult
The flood was God's will, but people made it worse
A bleak future for farming
The flood puts a stop to community-building activities
Factory farming destroys farm knowledge through segmentation
Rural values in Kelley's community
Learn More
Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
Resources for Educators
Hurricane Floyd Learning Object
Subjects
Duplin County (N.C.)
Hurricane Floyd, 1999
Floods--North Carolina
Disaster relief--North Carolina
Swine--North Carolina--Duplin County
Kelley family
Kelley, Larry
Kelley, Betty
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
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