AgrAbility News for September 2019
Maine AgrAbility News
Maine’s veteran outreach specialist, Anne Devin, had an AgrAbility display table at the Northeast Mechanical Weed Expo in Old Town, Maine, on September 12. The room was filled with many enthusiasts and one special Maine farmer named Eliot Coleman who talked with Anne about the adaptive tools.
AgrAbility staff exhibited project information at the three-day Common Ground Fair in Unity (September 20-22). The theme was aging farmers asking, “What’s your body telling you?” This display generated lots of conversations with fairgoers, and staff were able to speak with about 300 people about aches and pains and possible work modification ideas.
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On Sunday, September 22, Anne Devin gave the Sunday keynote speech, “United We Grow: Veterans in Agriculture” at the Common Ground Fair. In her keynote, Devin discussed how her military experiences have been helping her and her family navigate farming as a lifestyle and business. She also laid out their vision of developing a veteran-to-farmer transition program and how the community can help support its local veteran farmers.
On September 26, Brie Weisman hosted a free yoga class for gardeners and farmers. She demonstrated ways to incorporate yoga into daily routines, using stretches that can be done sitting or standing.
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The WoodOX Sling Firewood Carrier positions the load under the user’s arm (on either side) so that the weight is distributed across the upper body (rather than it being all on one side and transported by one arm). This design means an upward shift in the carrier’s center of gravity to promote less strain on the body and less chance of the load tripping in transit.
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