CONETOE, N.C. — Members of Conetoe Chapel Missionary Baptist Church were initially skeptical of their pastor’s suggestion to embrace farming as a means to enhance their health and foster self-sufficiency. This small, primarily Black community, situated about 80 miles east of Raleigh, lacks a grocery store in the vicinity and has a high poverty rate, with around 67% of its inhabitants living below the poverty line, according to Census Bureau data.

However, the Rev. Richard Joyner’s vision was ahead of its time. In 2007, this initiative evolved into a nonprofit organization, known as the Conetoe Family Life Center, which now yields 1,500 boxes of vegetables each week on land that is owned or leased. Collaborating with various partners, including public schools, hospitals, the North Carolina Food Bank, and local churches, they plant, grow, harvest, and package these vegetables, with a significant portion being donated rather than sold.

Once a regular at funerals for community members, Joyner reports a decline in such events, correlating it to the enhanced health of his parishioners who consume the farm’s organic produce, free from synthetic chemicals.

However, Joyner now faces a new challenge. Recent flooding from Hurricane Helene ruined crops of salad greens, radishes, and beets that were planted in late August. The hurricane struck after prolonged periods of rain, dropping 17 inches of water over two weeks. This was not the first incident; Hurricane Matthew also previously inundated the nonprofit’s fields back in 2016.

Congregation members have speculated that these disasters could be a divine message. “We’re in the Bible Belt,” said Joyner, who has heard comments suggesting that the floods are a signal from God to abandon the farming efforts. He firmly disagrees, asserting that environmental harm is the real culprits behind such flooding—and not divine intervention.

In recent years, the 71-year-old pastor has transformed into not only a farmer but also a climate change advocate. He recently affiliated himself with a new organization, Extreme Weather Survivors, which offers trauma-informed assistance for those affected by natural disasters. Joyner and others from the group attended a specialized forum in New York City focused on confronting the misconception that extreme weather is an “act of God” rather than an “act of Man.”

Experts like Delta Merner from the Union of Concerned Scientists have pointed out that research conducted in North Carolina indicates that climate change has markedly intensified heavy rainfall. In other instances, such as in Arizona, evidence now connects climate change to increasingly severe and frequent heat waves.

Merner, who specializes in “attribution science”—a branch of study examining how human-induced climate variation impacts extreme weather—described how researchers can now trace climate change back to major fossil fuel and cement production entities.

Relay this information to his congregation has not been straightforward for Joyner, but he recognizes this as a vital part of his mission.

Joyner’s journey into both farming and environmentalism began later in life. Growing up as one of thirteen children to sharecropper parents near Greenville, North Carolina, he harbored a strong dislike for farming when he witnessed his father’s struggles against injustice. After serving in the U.S. Army and studying chaplaincy, he worked in various medical fields, ultimately immersing himself in hospice care, where he developed a deeper spiritual understanding.

In 2004, he took on the role of pastor at Conetoe Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, urged by a mentor. Many church members contended with preventable health issues, like diabetes and hypertension. Joyner recognized that persuading the congregation to alter their lifestyle choices was no simple task. Faced with the reality that a major grocery chain was unlikely to establish itself in their small town—a typical food desert with a population of merely 671—he opted to create a community garden instead.

He successfully negotiated with local landowners for three plots for a community garden, which started modestly at two acres situated just a quarter-mile from the church. Initially, many in the congregation resisted this idea, especially those with painful memories of being exploited on the land. Nevertheless, Joyner eventually garnered support from both the children and adults, creating expansive gardens that incorporated various crops and even 30 beehives to produce local honey.

Joyner’s efforts have earned him numerous accolades, including a notable Purpose Prize in 2014, which celebrates social innovators over the age of 60. The farm has also collaborated with several universities to investigate whether food-as-medicine approaches yield positive results for individuals with chronic health conditions. Recently, they constructed a kitchen on the farm to educate community members on preparing nutritious, plant-based meals.

The lifestyle changes have led many church members to adopt healthier diets. Betty Jones, a retired high school cafeteria manager, shared her transformation. Although she still occasionally includes meat in her collard greens, she has largely embraced a mostly meat-free diet thanks to the fresh offerings from the farm.

Now, Joyner is delving into sustainable farming practices that can adapt to climate change. Strolling across his flooded fields, now a dismal sight of parched soil and dead weeds, he realizes the need to modify his approach. He had not noticed how the elevation of a nearby road had created a catch basin on the farm, leading to these problems.

With newfound knowledge about how tractors can compact soil and contribute to flooding, as well as potential solutions such as high tunnels to offer rain protection, he aspires to build more structures that can safeguard crops. His advocacy efforts are focused on fostering a deeper understanding among community members about their relationship with nature. Joyner emphasizes the importance of respecting and nurturing the environment to prevent devastating consequences.

For him, this farming endeavor is now deeply intertwined with his spiritual journey. “I’ve been in Christianity all my life,” Joyner expressed. “But, these fields have become the most powerful place of worship I’ve ever been on.” It’s a principle rooted in the wisdom of his forebears, which he hopes to share more widely: “My grandma would always say, this is God’s beautiful earth and you have one responsibility, to leave it better than when you got here.” Joyner takes this charge to heart.