Weekend hail: Volusia County fern farm experiences the worst storm damage since the 50s

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A fern farm in Volusia County was severely damaged during Sunday night’s storms.

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Hail collapsed the saran shade cloth coverings meant to protect the plants at Ronald Jones Ferneries in Pierson, leaving the ferns damaged and unprotected just before Valentines Day.

The fern farm started in the 50s and survived countless hurricanes and other storms over the years, but somehow, Sunday’s storm did the most damage in the farm’s history.

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“We have never experienced anything like this so I don’t know how we will even get this back up. It is just going to be trial and error,” said owner Stacy Jones.

Jones said what’s worse is most of the local ferneries were dropped by their insurance providers after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.

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The fern farm stretches nearly fifty acres, but as far as costs and how much crop he lost, Jones can’t give an exact estimate until they start taking apart the coverings.

He said the timing is terrible with Valentines Day just around the corner.

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