When the Storm Hit, a Tennessee Family Found Strength in Community
Landon, left, and Tyler Redmon walk their family farm in Selmer, Tennessee.
Around 12:30 a.m. on April 3, Landon Redmon’s wife, Emily, woke him as the rain grew louder outside. She had never been a fan of storms, but this one felt different. Landon looked out the window and called his brother, Tyler, who lives next door with his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughters. They decided to go to their parents’ house, where they had a basement.
It was hailing so hard that Landon could barely see as he drove.
“About halfway to my parents’ farm, it just quit — quit raining, quit hailing,” says Landon. “The road was dry, and I knew that was probably a bad sign.”
Rooted in Family
Landon and Tyler grew up farming with their dad, Barry Redmon. Together, they still farm about 2,500 acres of corn, soybeans and occasionally wheat in Selmer, Tennessee. The brothers are two years apart and very close, though Landon admits they didn’t always get along growing up.
“Now that we’re older, we’ve got the same goals and drive — it helps a lot,” says Landon. “We’ve got a great relationship that a lot of people probably wish they had with their siblings. I don’t take that for granted.”
Outside of farming, their lives are just as intertwined. Their wives teach at the same school. When they aren’t working, the entire family is active in the community.
Over the years, they’ve made a point of giving back when they can, donating their time and labor to their local church. When a tornado hit one of the campuses in 2023, the Redmons helped clear the damage — not knowing the favor would be returned.
Hitting Home
As Landon drove toward his parents’ farm that April night, the sky lit up green and blue from exploding transformers. He dropped everyone off and went to park his truck.
“I’ll never forget when I left the shop,” Landon says. “I was facing the house, and all the exterior lights were on. I thought, ‘This is the last time I’ll ever see that house,’ and then the lights went out.”
The Redmons sheltered in the basement as an EF-3 tornado passed over. The farm was a near-total loss. Grain bins, three of four shops and their parents’ house were destroyed. Equipment and trucks were damaged. Thankfully, everyone was safe.
Rebuilding Together
According to Lance Carter, an agronomy specialist with United Co-op in Selmer, the damage was devastating. The local ag center opened for disaster relief, the co-op donated supplies and the church cooked meals.
“Everybody knew we had to get it done, so we all pitched in,” Lance adds.
Lance is the Redmons’ Armor® Seed retailer. He helps with seed decisions, gives agronomic advice and helps increase their ROI potential.
“We’re always trying to learn from the past year and plan what we need to be doing next year to be better,” he says.
That spirit of dependability defines the Armor team. They show up and stand by their growers when it matters most. So when the Redmons needed help after the storm, they knew who to call.
The farm has been largely rebuilt after an EF-3 tornado. The foundations of the destroyed farmhouse, upper middle, and the last shed to be rebuilt, lower left, are visible.
“I called Lance, and he brought his boss and a few other people from the co-op,” Landon says. “They picked up a field by hand in 100-degree weather so I could plant before more rain came.”
They weren’t the only ones who offered assistance. Numerous folks stepped up to help, offering trucks, equipment and time. Thanks to the community’s generosity, the farm is almost back to normal.
“We had a tremendous amount of support from our local community,” Landon says. “You never really see that day-to-day — but it shows up when something like that happens.”
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