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A group of Claiborne County farmers collected hundreds of bales of hay and tons of feed along with fencing and other supplies and took them in a convoy to Newport last Wednesday to give to Cocke County farmers recovering from flooding after hurricane Helene. (Photo submitted)

One of the 15 or so trucks loaded down with hay bales heading in the Farmers Helping Farmers convoy. (Photo submitted)

A truck hauling a load of rolled hay as part of the Farmers Helping Farmers convoy. (Photo by Jay Compton)

This group of well-wishers held a sign and waved to the convoy of Claiborne County farmers as they headed out of Harrogate on their way to Newport Wednesday morning. (Photo by Jay Compton)

The Claiborne County Farmers Helping Farmers sign was proudly displayed on the back of this truck headed for Newport. (Photo submitted)

A group of Claiborne County farmers have pitched in to help their neighbors in need. Last Wednesday a convoy of trucks headed from Harrogate down to Newport to take hay, feed and other supplies to farmers in Cocke County who lost everything in the flooding from hurricane Helene.

The Farmers Helping Farmers relief effort started with a post from Dan Pearman, who wants those farmers in Cocke and Greene counties to know they are not alone.

“We here in Claiborne County intend to help you every way we can. We have been putting on an effort to get hay together and supplies to go farmers in Greene and Cocke counties,” Pearman said. “We’ve probably got about 500 rolls of hay line up, quite a bit of feed and other things.”

About 15 trucks pulled out at 9 a.m. on Wednesday from Mays’ Loadout Barn on Highway 63.

“This won’t be the last group of hay we bring. We’re bringing this to Cocke County,” Pearman said. “The next trip we are going to try and concentrate on Greene County if we can. Know this, it’s farmers helping farmers and that’s what we’re going to live by. So hang on, don’t give up and know that help is on the way and there’s a lot of good people left in this world that will come and help you get over this.”

Farming is a way of life for many in Claiborne County and throughout East Tennessee and when one is in need the rest will do whatever they can to help.

Another Claiborne farmer, Andy Welch, told WATE television that felt the need to help.

“We’re blessed here in this area, or I feel like we are. I’ve got all my barns full of hay and I feel like I need to help,” he said. “We were raised to help your neighbors, help your family and help your friends.”

Brian Alexander is another farmer who brought extra hay to Newport.

“I’ve got 300-400 extra rolls that I have not sold yet and I’m going to ship the biggest majority of that,” Alexander said. “Those guys over there, they’ve lost basically everything. They’ve lost their animals, their farm buildings and their hay.”

Help is also coming from those outside of the farming community. Alexander said in a matter of hours, nearly 1,500 lbs. of animal feed was donated for him to give out.

“I mentioned it at my church and you can see the feed on my truck,” Alexander said. “That was just brought in between morning service and evening service. It’s the good people getting together. There’s good-hearted people in this community.”

In all a convoy of about 15 trucks left Harrogate at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning with a police escort taking hundreds of bales of hay and 10 tons of animal feed and other supplies to Cocke County.

Harrogate Mayor Troy Welch had the fire department block traffic at  the lights along U.S. 25E so the convoy could pull out together on their way south.
“This bunch of farmers has been collecting hay, feed, fence post and wire to head toward Newport,” Poore said. “This a great thing that they’ve done and they should be recognized for it.”

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