NC AgrAbility had its first Peer Farmer Lunch in late January 2013. The Peer Farmer Lunch opportunities are intended to be informal and family friendly, encouraging farmers with disabilities to come and meet each other to share stories and ideas about all aspects of life and farming with disabilities. Staff member participation is kept to a minimum to ensure a 'mostly farmer' atmosphere. The first lunch was a success, targeted at a concentrated area of farmers in the Eastern part of the state. The next lunch is scheduled for early May and will include a speaker to discuss farm land protection and estate planning. This meeting will be sponsored by North Carolina Farm Bureau. This program will be developed across the state in order to give farmers in all of North Carolina the opportunity to attend a Peer Farmer Lunch.
NC AgrAbility had a front row spot at the 2013 Southern Farm Show at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds January 30-February 1. Student projects from NC State University Agricultural Engineering were on display, as well as the debut of the NC AgrAbility refurbished tractor lift, ergonomic tool kit, and the Garden Scoot, a device designed to assist with mobility for ground-level gardening jobs. The display was a success with lots of interest.
Submitted by Michele Proctor