2006 AgrAbility Articles

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From the WVATS Fall 2006 Newsletter

Partnerships, Persistence Pay off for Vegetable Farmer

Butcher Family Farm's roadside stand offers not only the predictable gamut of summer vegetables, but also some of the most perfect round onions, purple sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes and more. Depending on the time of year, you might find fresh strawberries, blackberries, flowering mums, hanging baskets or buses full of school children paying a visit to Butcher Farm's chickens, goats, sheep and llamas. The man behind this 110 acre operation, which also wholesales its fresh vegetables, is Rob Butcher, the grandson of the original owner of Butcher Farm.

Rob, like other members of his immediate family, has facioscapularhumeral muscular dystrophy. Its progression has dramatically impacted his leg strength in the last ten years, and consequently his mobility. He and his wife reside on the family farm. "I am very fortunate that my family is so supportive," he says. The farm belongs to his parents, and the whole family works to keep it in production.

In 1999, Rob worked with the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services, who helped him purchase a platform lift for his John Deere 5410. The lift allows him to stand at ground level and be lifted by hydraulics up to the level of the tractor seat. "I honestly cannot imagine life without it now," he says, grateful both to DRS and to the National AgrAbility Project, which helped put him in touch with the company who designed the lift.

Concerned about navigating the farm as his muscular dystrophy progressed, Rob e-mailed West Virginia AgrAbility in the early winter months of 2006. Since then, Inetta Fluharty, Field Operations Manager for WV AgrAbility, has made several visits to Butcher Family Farm to conduct safety assessments, and to help Rob evaluate mobility options.

"Rob was concerned that in the future he might need assistance getting up out of the tractor seat and rising to a standing position to allow him to utilize the lift," says Fluharty, who works with the Northern West Virginia Center for Independent Living (NWVCIL).

Inetta recommended some additional hand holds for the tractor, as well as something called a Standing Chair, which enables the user to sit or stand with the legs and back supported.

According to The Standing Company, which manufactures the Standing Chair, 'passively standing' improves circulation, reduces swelling, and prevents bone loss, all of which can be problems with long term wheelchair use. Such a chair would allow Rob to get into a standing position all by himself, simply by pulling a lever on the chair.

Read more about the ways Rob and West Virginia AgrAbility are working together by visiting the Web at www.cedwvu.org/programs/agrability/successstories.html

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New Tool Available to Compare Utility Tractors

The second in a series of comparison tools created by the National AgrAbility project is now available. The "Utility Tractor Product Comparison" compares 10 models (including John Deere, Massey-Ferguson, International, Kubota, Farm Trac, and McCormick) on a wide number of specific features. The depth and width of steps are measured, as well as handrails, cab accessibility and operator controls, among dozens of other intricate details that help potential purchasers evaluate the best fit for their needs. The comparison is available on line at www.agrabilityproject.org/assistivetech/comparison/utilitytractor or by calling 800-841-8436.

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AgrAbility Travels the State, Plans Training for Therapists

The summer was a busy time for West Virginia AgrAbility staff.Between farm visits, exhibits and presentations, the program clocked a lot of miles in the last few months. In addition to exhibiting at the WV State Fair and the WV Public Health Association Conference, presentations were made at the WVU Organic Farm Field Day, the 4-H Leadership Conference and the WORKFORCE West Virginia Conference, along with other presentations at local health clinics.

Staff also traveled to Oklahoma City for a train-the-trainer workshop on organizing workshops for occupational and physical therapists. In the spring of 2007, the project plans to conduct a training to provide therapists with the tools necessary to work with farmers with injuries and disabilities. For more information on this opportunity, call Stacy Miller at 800-841-8436.

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From the WVATS Summer 2006 Newsletter

Ventrac 300 Available for Demonstration

Does the idea of transferring from a wheelchair to another seat keep you away from anything but the smoothest of surfaces? If so, AgrAbility may be able to help make you more mobile on your property. A generous discount from the manufacturer has allowed AgrAbility to purchase a Ventrac Freedom 300, which allows those using wheelchairs to go off-road up to 15 miles per hour, without transferring to another seat.

On May 6, AgrAbility exhibited at Agriculture Day at Joe Johnson's farm in Parkersburg, demonstrating the device for dozens of current and beginning farmers in the western part of the state. E-mail agrability@hsc.wvu.edu to schedule a demonstration for interested farmers in your area, and to find out what other new tools are available for loan through the West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS) Loan Library. You can view the Freedom 300's specifications at www.ventrac.com/products/powerunits/VR300/index.htm

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Copies of "Burden of Arthritis" Now Available

Copies of the 40 page, full-color report, "The Burden of Arthritis" are now available from West Virginia AgrAbility. The report details arthritis prevalence by county as well as describing risk factors for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia.

If you would like to receive a free copy of the publication to learn more about how arthritis is affecting West Virginians, please call 800-841-8436 or e-mail agrability@hsc.wvu.edu

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'Access for All' Talk Show Interviews AgrAbility

In case you missed AgrAbility's interview with 'Access for All,' you can now watch it on-line at www.cedwvu.org/videos/. This 30 minute show provides a background on West Virginia's role within the National AgrAbility Project, as well as the kinds of clients with whom West Virginia AgrAbility works. The show also features a demonstration of some of the assistive technology available from the WVATS Loan Library.

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From the WVATS Spring 2006 Newsletter

4-H is for Everyone

Despite its stereotypes, 4-H is not just for 'farm kids'. Nearly 60% of 4-H members are actually from large cities and their suburbs.

Their projects, too, are more diverse than meets the eye, covering eight topic areas such as healthy lifestyle education, communication, expressive arts, citizenship, civic education and consumer and family sciences-not to mention the well-known plant, animal and environmental activities. As part of 4-H's mission to enable young people to become independent, it offers coping, competency and contributing skills. You can learn more about projects for 4-H members with special needs at www.rce.rutgers.edu, and receive inclusive 4-H project ideas by calling 304-293-4692 or e-mailing agrability@hsc.wvu.edu

To find out how you or your child can become involved in 4-H as a way to build leadership skills, entrepreneurial skills and confidence, call your county extension office at 304-293-2694 or visit www.wvu.edu/~exten

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FFA Members Present at AgrAbility Meeting

In late February, two students from the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind (WVSD&B) made a presentation on their agricultural education activities to the AgrAbility Steering Committee. Justin Rhodes and Michael Jarvis, both FFA members who are hearing impaired, provided an impressive overview of their greenhouse, forestry, landscaping and agricultural mechanics projects.

Agricultural science education programs are housed in public schools and universities throughout the state and provide a practical approach to learning through a three-pronged approach:

FFA (formerly 'Future Farmers of America' and now simply 'The National FFA Organization') has nearly 500,000 members nationwide and offers scholarships for those who want to be involved in horticulture; livestock; landscaping; the environment and natural resources; food marketing; and business development. FFA groups also focus on public speaking and communication skills vital to building confidence and living independently. To learn more about joining FFA, call 304-558-2347 or visit www.wvffa.org for contacts at your local high school.

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Welcome to AgrAbility Steering Committee

This fall, AgrAbility re-structured its Steering Committee to include more members and more ideas. Please join us in welcoming the following who have provided invaluable expertise and helped develop unique partnerships.

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Spring into action

For those of you itching to get a start on the season, ergonomic gardening tools are now available for loan from WV AgrAbility.

To learn more about what is available from AgrAbility through the Loan Library, call 800-841-8436. Stay tuned for new additions to the collection.

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Business Planning and Enterprise Budget Guides for Farming

Even lemonade stand entrepreneurs will tell you that planning and budgeting is a critical part of starting a new business. If you want to begin selling products at a local farmers' market, through a web site or through a pick-your-own operation, you will not only need to evaluate your personal skills and resources but also to sit down and look at some numbers. The following web site contains many step-by-step tools to help you develop a plan for a new rural business. www.agmrc.org/agmrc/business/default.htm

Along with these resources, an AgrAbility specialist can help you evaluate your readiness for launching a small business, whether it is hand-made wool products, strawberries, herbal soaps or cut flowers. You are never too young or too old to become an entrepreneur.

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Gardening For Life

This spring, West Virginia gardeners will have a new tool to help their communities flourish. In partnership with the West Virginia AgrAbility project, the newly revised 2006 edition of the Master Gardener Manual (published by the West Virginia University Extension Service) features "Gardening for Life," a chapter on accessible gardening. In addition to tips on ergonomics, the chapter features ideas and resources on gardening with low vision, arthritis, limited mobility and reduced strength.

West Virginia Master Gardeners is a flagship program of the West Virginia University Extension Service, providing horticultural training to hundreds of West Virginians. Volunteers take the 30 hour Master Gardener course, then use the nearly 400-page manual as a reference for designing workshops in their communities.

Those seeking to 'dig deeper' into the exciting world of accessible gardening can learn more from the following books:

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From the WVATS Winter 2006 Newsletter

Making the Best of Winter Farm Work

3 in 1 Head-Light

Don't fumble in the dark when the work day extends past dusk. January is National Eye Care Month, and headlamps are a hands-free way to keep the light trained on your task and prevent squinting. This lamp, from QC Supply or 800-433-6340, features fully adjustable head straps and lifetime LED bulbs that never need to be replaced.

High Leverage Wire Stretcher

For those who reserve winter for fencing repair, here's an inexpensive tool for making repairs safer and easier to do without the benefit of a helper. This tool is available from Gempler's, which also makes two and three hook stretchers for splicing fence wire with one hand.

Magnifier Tweezers

From splinters to garden pest identification, these tweezers with a built-in magnifier are the ideal tool for very small detail jobs. They are available from Lee Valley Garden Tools or 800-971-8158.

The Journeyman Mobility Vehicle

Have you been looking for a mobility device that is rugged enough for fields and trails but small enough to navigate narrow spaces? The Journeyman is all-weather resistant, travels up to seven miles/hour and has even traveled on the Oregon Trail! Hubert Von Holten, designer of the Journeyman, has been modifying and designing farm equipment since the age of 14, after contracting polio at age five. His machine shop manufactures many of the personal mobility products offered by Life Essentials or 765-742-6707. The Journeyman also features a lift that enables users to access tall cabinets and tool shelves.

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Tractor Safety Video Released

According the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center (ICRC), tractor accidents have killed 29 people in West Virginia since 2000. Side overturns, which can occur when operating tractors on hillsides, are among the most common causes of tractor-related injury. WVU Extension Service advises farmers to make uphill turns cautiously and turn downhill if stability becomes uncertain. If you have to go up a steep slope, back the tractor up rear-first. WVU ICRC and the West Virginia Farm Bureau have recently produced a new video, "A Tractor Accident Can Happen to Anyone", which has already been distributed to nearly 6,000 farmers statewide. For a copy of the video or for more information on tractor safety, call 877-329-8137.

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Eye Safety Tips for National Eye Care Month

Approximately 2000 work-related eye injuries occur every day in the United States, but even people who wear appropriate eye protection can be at risk for injury. Goggles or safety glasses can fog up and obscure your vision during dangerous tasks. To keep them from fogging, here are a few tips, courtesy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health:

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Finding the Right Utility Vehicle

You might look long and hard this winter at the utility vehicles available at your local dealership, but do you know at a glance the torque needed to turn the steering wheel on competing models, or which ones offer manuals in large print or alternate formats? The National AgrAbility Project has recently updated its utility vehicle product comparison data sheet to include information on ten different vehicles. Compare side-by-side details like seat size, angle and adjustability, tire width, the level of force needed to move the shift lever and much more. No where else can you find such a detailed tool to help you make the right choice when purchasing a utility vehicle for your farm.

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