Madison County seeks disaster declaration after storm leaves major damage behind
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Lapel Community Rallies Around Family Farms Devastated by Storm
Madison County, Ind. – The intense storm that swept through the area recently has left a trail of destruction, and one local family farm is feeling the brunt of it. Bodenhorn Farms, a Lapel staple for over 150 years, has seen its family home, barns, tractors, and semis destroyed.
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Joey Bodenhorn, who closed on his inherited home just a month ago, is still trying to process the damage. “You know planting time is coming up now, we’ve got to do a lot of cleanup,” his father, David Bodenhorn, said. “So, there’s a lot of good people out here helping, and we’ll manage.”
The family’s brand-new barn, which housed expensive tractors and their office, was severely damaged, with a portion of the roof torn off. Additionally, holes have been found in their grain silos, which are full of product. “Not that this is stuff, it’s not just stuff, but all of this is replaceable,” Joey said. “It’s the people that we care about. That’s what makes the family farm so special. As you can see, we’ve got people from counties over, farmers that just showed up. That’s what it’s about. It’s about the people.”
Just down the road, Justin Walker’s house suffered less severe damage, but his experience during the storm was still harrowing. “So, we huddled in, and I got on top of the girls, and my garage doors were really going, and I thought, ‘Okay, this might be it.’ So, we kind of just prayed and waited,” he recalled.
First responders are warning residents to be cautious, especially with the possibility of more severe weather on the horizon. “That’s going to maybe lead to some potential flooding concerns,” Tom Marvel, fire chief of the Lapel Stony Creek Township fire territory, cautioned. “So, we will be cleaning up from damage with road closures that could also lead to some flooding issues with our farm fields and other things. So, be safe, be cautious, and don’t go out if you don’t have to.”
For Joey and his family, the support of their community is a welcome relief. “37 years old and back in the basement. So, pretty cool,” Joey joked, while David added, “I thought we got rid of him once,” eliciting laughter amid the somber situation.
The National Weather Service is expected to survey the area tomorrow to determine if a tornado was responsible for the damage.
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