Title: Oral History Interview with Larry and Betty Kelley, December 9, 1999. Interview K-0511.
Identifier: K-0511
Interviewer: Thompson, Charles
Interviewee: Kelley, Betty
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    
Extent: 02:07:54
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.