AgrAbility News for June 2019
Maine AgrAbility Project News
On June 2, AgrAbility staffer Brie Weisman presented “Yoga for Farmers and Gardeners” at the Annual Farm & Homestead Day in Unity, ME. Fifteen people attended the session. During the same event, Ellen Gibson shared AgrAbility information and proper lifting techniques.
Ketra Crosson OT/L, worked with APRIL and Nebraska AgrAbility to deliver the AgrAbility webinar “Advocacy: Working Together for Change.” The webinar recording is now archived at Archived Webinars, along with the PowerPoint file.
On July 27th, the AgrAbility and Pre-ETS team met to discuss achievements during the school year and plans for summer work on farms. Four youth will be working three mornings a week on local farms for four weeks this summer. Staff are developing a video to illustrate and document the impact of this work.
Maine AgrAbility Veteran Outreach Coordinator Anne Devin and Kelley Smith, ATP and AgrAbility specialist, are finalizing the program details for the upcoming Educate-2-Culitvate symposium. Anne has also begun working with the Maine VA therapeutic recreation services department to better utilize their community gardens. Staff would like to work with Veteran Affairs to develop a training program that will help veterans learn several aspects of farming or market gardening as a business.
Maine AgrAbility’s Ellen Gibson presented an “Adaptive Gardening” class for Knox-Lincoln and Waldo county Master Gardeners program on June 6. She covered topics on how to continue gardening with barriers, how to work smarter & conserve energy, a discussion of simple ergonomic techniques, and yoga stretches to incorporate into your garden activities.
Toolbox Spotlight
South Dakota rancher Bill Gottsleben’s Portable ATV/UTV Drive-Thru Gate is designed to tie in to any fence. The vehicle pushes the hinged gate to the ground for drive-over. The steel-tubed, self-standing frame is designed wide and tall enough to accommodate a side-by-side UTV and the cab on a UTV.