North Carolina

On June 8th, NC AgrAbility staffed a booth at the "Gardening: A Prescription for Healthy Living" NC Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association Conference in Greenville, NC. Extension agents, gardeners, farmers, other educators, and providers gathered at this event to share information about diverse topics in horticulture, including sustainable gardening, pesticides, irrigation systems, healthy eating, and more. The event reached more than 150 attendees who had the chance to learn about NC AgrAbility: discover how to prevent injuries while working in their garden or farm, try ergonomic tools, and receive information about farming and gardening with arthritis and back pain.

On June 14, at the NCA&T Small Farm Field Day (SFFD) in Greensboro, NC, AgrAbility presented a poster titled "Injuries in Agriculture: A Comparison to Other Industries". At the same time, staff participated as an exhibitor instructing the audience on how to prevent injuries while farming and/or gardening, how to make a better use of their bodies by utilizing ergonomic tools, and how to connect with the program. NC AgrAbility also facilitated the means for farmers with disabilities to attend the SFFD tours. The event reached more than 250 attendees.

June 18 - 20, NC AgrAbility exhibited at the 14th Annual Minority Farmers and Land Owners Conference in Lumberton, NC. More than 200 small farmers had the opportunity to learn more about the resources available to them. NC AgrAbility Project Manager Beatriz Rodriguez had the chance to present a five-minute introduction of the program and to invite farmers to visit the booth and sign in to a listserv to receive periodic information about recent technology available, webinars provided by AgriSafe Network and National AgrAbility, and information about statewide events.

On June 13, NC AgrAbility and professors of other programs at NCA&T met with Buck Cochran, executive director of Peacehaven Farm, to consider the possibility of collaborative work between NCA&T and the Peacehaven Farm. The mission of the Peacehaven Farm is to connect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to the larger community through shared living and the work of a sustainable farm.

Submitted by Beatriz (Betty) Rodriguez