{"id":5651,"date":"2020-08-12T11:19:05","date_gmt":"2020-08-12T15:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/?p=5651"},"modified":"2020-08-24T15:00:07","modified_gmt":"2020-08-24T19:00:07","slug":"farmers-with-limitations-offer-their-advice-try-stuff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/2020\/08\/12\/farmers-with-limitations-offer-their-advice-try-stuff\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmers with limitations offer their advice: \u201cTry stuff\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #003366\"><em>By Ellen S. Gibson<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Farming is hard work.<\/h3>\n<p>Physical limitations- whether from an injury, disability, or an aging body &#8211; can be challenging.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How do you take care of your animals if you can\u2019t lift a 50-pound grain bag?<\/li>\n<li>Get water to the garden if your mobility is limited?<\/li>\n<li>Put hay in the barn if you don\u2019t have the physical endurance?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Farmers are inventive.<\/h3>\n<p>They like to do things for themselves. Take Liz DePoy and Stephen Gilson for example, they have been adapting and modifying <i>Chapter Three Farm<\/i>, where they care for rescue horses, for the past 25 years.\u00a0DePoy and Gilson live with physical limitations. Gilson\u2019s left hip is fused from a skiing accident and one leg is shorter than the other. DePoy has a congenital spine condition that limits her strength and mobility. With a goal of being able to care for the horses themselves, they look at what they need to do, think it through, and come up with some safe and reasonable solutions.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0\u201c<span style=\"color: #003366\">It\u2019s a learning curve<\/span>,\u201d <\/em>said DePoy.<em> \u201c<span style=\"color: #003366\">We try stuff. It doesn\u2019t always work. We keep trying and adapting<\/span>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Putting ideas into action.<\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-5652\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture1-300x225.png\" alt=\"electric hoist mounted in the top loft of a barn\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture1-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture1-105x79.png 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture1-317x238.png 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture1-423x318.png 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture1.png 474w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,200px\" \/>\u201cI can\u2019t lift anything,\u201d said DePoy. She and Gilson installed an electric hoist in the loft. Now they can easily raise and lower items from the barn floor to the hayloft. Once they saw how well the hoist worked, they installed a second one at the other end of the barn.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5653\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture2-150x150.png\" alt=\"containers stacked in barn loft area\" width=\"200\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture2-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture2-105x79.png 105w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture2-317x238.png 317w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture2-423x317.png 423w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture2.png 452w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 85vw, (max-width: 768px) 67vw, (max-width: 1024px) 62vw,200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Keeping the main floor clear of extraneous equipment decreases danger from tripping. As people age and have limited mobility, tripping presents a serious hazard, which can result in injuries that take a long time to heal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #003366\"><b>Multiple ways to get from here to there<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-5657 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture3-150x150.png\" alt=\"wooden ladder mounted to barn interior wall\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture3-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture3-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/b><\/p>\n<p>There are two substantial, stationary ladders to get to the hayloft from the floor of the barn, one at each end of the barn. Having duplicates increases accessibility and conserves energy.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5658 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture4-150x150.png\" alt=\"interior staircase with railing to barn loft\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture4-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture4-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The safest way for DePoy to get into the haymow is up the stairs. But she likes the challenge of climbing the ladders at either end of the barn. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s good exercise,\u201d she said. \u201cWhether I can do it or not depends on how my body feels on a particular day.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-5659 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture5-150x150.png\" alt=\"garden hose and reel inside an insulated box and 2 buckets of water\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture5-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture5-447x444.png 447w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture5-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>Getting water to animals is always an issue. At Chapter Three Farm, the spigot was quite a distance from the stalls. The spigot is inside an insulated box so it won\u2019t freeze in the winter. It\u2019s heated with a lightbulb designed for reptile cages. A reel in the cabinet makes it easy to unwind the hose.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5660 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture6-150x150.png\" alt=\"Zero G brand garden hose in a box\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture6-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture6-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>DePoy uses a special hose, called Zero Gravity. This house is 50 percent lighter than a regular hose and it doesn\u2019t kink.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-5662 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture8-150x150.png\" alt=\"covered walkway between the garage and the barn\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture8-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture8-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>DePoy and Gilson built a covered walkway between the garage, which is attached to the house, and the barn. Now they don\u2019t have to go outside to access the barn in the winter.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5661 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture7-150x150.png\" alt=\"ramp between garage and barn with a hand rail\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture7-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture7-335x338.png 335w, https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2020\/08\/Picture7-32x32.png 32w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The barn is at a lower level than the house, and a ramp was built instead of stairs, which simplifies moving feed and other items from the garage to the barn. They use a collapsible marine cart to move things, like grain, from place to place. Designed to be exposed to salt spray from the ocean, it won\u2019t rust and it has large wheels that don\u2019t get caught in the cracks in the old barn floor. \u201cWe learned about wheels,\u201d said DePoy. \u201cThey need to be big.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Maine AgrAbility created a series of videos on <a href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/videos\/\">AT used at Chapter Three Farm<\/a>, the couple discusses many other tools and strategies they use on their farm to address physical limitations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thank you, Liz and Stephen, for sharing so many good ideas!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>There\u2019s much for farmers to learn from each other. What problems have you encountered and what solutions have you put in place? Email me at gellen2010@gmail.com and tell me the problem and how you addressed it to share on this blog. Thanks!<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Ellen S. Gibson Farming is hard work. Physical limitations- whether from an injury, disability, or an aging body &#8211; can be challenging. How do you take care of your animals if you can\u2019t lift a 50-pound grain bag? Get water to the garden if your mobility is limited? Put hay in the barn if [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"66","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","spc_primary_category":0},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-maine-agrability-blog"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":66,"label":"Maine AgrAbility Blog"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"","author_link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/author\/"},"comment_info":"","category_info":[{"term_id":66,"name":"Maine AgrAbility Blog","slug":"maine-agrability-blog","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":66,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":50,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":66,"category_count":50,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Maine AgrAbility Blog","category_nicename":"maine-agrability-blog","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5651"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5651\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5699,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5651\/revisions\/5699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}