Watermelon plant faces months of repairs after NC tornado damage

BATTLEBORO, N.C. — A watermelon process plant is facing several months of work for repairs after last week’s EF3 tornado devastated Edgecombe and Nash counties.

Number One Construction Owner Steve May is working to help repair damage to a watermelon plant along Morning Star Church Road, which is also known as State Road 1412. The site is between Old Battleboro Road and East Battleboro Avenue.

May said he’s focused on getting the watermelon facility at Boseman Farms back up and running as quickly as possible. He said reopening the facility is important to him and he is hoping it takes about three months.

“Sometimes, instead of working eight hours a day, you have to work 12-14 hours a day, seven days a week just to get things done,” May said.

Boseman Farms supplies tobacco, sweet potatoes, watermelon and other produce.

On Tuesday, WRAL News saw insurance appraisers and others at the site to assess the damage.

May said it will likely cost between $3 million and $4 million to repair the watermelon plant.

“They have a hard enough time making it,” May said. “Then, something like this comes knocking at the door.”

The owner of the watermelon processing plant owns several plots of land in the area.

May is also a contractor for the nearby Pfizer plant that is closed indefinitely due to the tornado damage.