HAWKINSVILLE, Ga. — When Hurricane Michael heaved through Georgia five years ago, it damaged farms across the state, including trees at King Springs Pecan Farm in Hawkinsville.
Farm Manager Cody Casey says he's learned his lesson from the past and is controlling the variables he's able to.
"I think during Michael, we lost something like 300 trees," Casey said.
Twiggs, branches, leaves and pecans were scattered throughout his fields.
For two months, his team cleaned and recycled the fallen debris as a sustainable fertilizer.
"It was a grueling process," he recalled. "We had to go through with chainsaws, and bring trees down that were leaning and then just clean up the entire orchard before harvest."
Casey continues, "They're built for rain and wind and inclement weather. This time of year just happens to be a super vulnerable time for pecan trees."
A pecan's casing is a water-filled fruit. Heavier fruit means heavier trees, which means trees lean because they're weighed down.
Wind and water are normally a tree's best friend, but hours of heavy storms are its worst enemy.
As a result, Casey shut off the water irrigating his fields because that is the only variable he can control.
Casey says he is not only hoping and praying for his pecan farm but also for his "pecan brothers" in South Georgia who are expected to get hit by Idalia's storm.
"We're always worried about these trees," Casey said. "But I think, we just kinda realized, there's nothing you can do. We're gonna clean it up, like all farmers, we're gonna replant, and we're gonna try again."
Until then, they will sit calmly before the storm arrives.