AgrAbility News for March 2021
Maine AgrAbility News
The Boots-2-Bushels (B2B) program is ramping up for the growing season, spending two days in the field cleaning out the greenhouse and high tunnel.
We held our quarterly Maine AgrAbility Advisory Council meeting in March via zoom. We welcomed 3 new members representing the forestry industry, Assistive Technology, and a farmer-client. To learn more about our advisory council check out the advisory council webpage.
Ellen Gibson presented Everyday Ergonomics in the Garden on March 19 via zoom to 28 Master Gardeners (MGs). This session was Part 3 of March Self-Care Month, a six-part series for Maine
MGs organized by Hancock County Maine MG volunteers.
On March 23, 2021, Kelley Spencer, presented Farming Smarter with Assistive Technology. This webinar focused on how AT can be expanded for use in a farm setting, enabling a farmer to work smarter. The webinar has been archived at MaineCite Training.
Be sure to check out our most recent news and blog posts:
● What Does an Occupational Therapist Do?
● Keep Kids Safe on the Farm with Universal Design
● Small Bites: Coping with Grief in Times of Loss
● Small Bites: The true cost of getting distracted and ways to avoid it!
● Small Bites – Planned Decision Making Reduces Frustration (and Increases Happiness!)
National AgrAbility News
NAP is three months into the NTW Virtual Sessions. They have been recorded and are available on the NAP website HERE, or one can find them by going to the NAP website, Online Training, then Archived Webinars, and then “NEW! 2021 AgrAbility National Training Workshop Virtual Sessions.” Our next session is “Safe Livestock Handling and Labor-Saving Devices” on Tuesday, April 20 at 1 pm ET. For those who haven’t registered yet, a schedule through May and a registration link is available on the NTW tab of the NAP website HERE. If already registered, use the same Zoom link for any session as one does not have to register for each session. For any questions, please contact Tess tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org or JoBeth jbrath@goodwillfingerlakes.org.
Toolbox Spotlight
The Hitchrific Reel-Quik Hitch is designed to allow one to more easily hook up a trailer or towed implement by eliminating the need for exact alignment. It features a retractable arm that extends out rearward and to the left and right until the hitch ball is directly beneath the trailer/implement coupler. Once positioned, the arm is hand-cranked until ball is seated (and locked) into coupler and then reeled back to the hitch.