North Carolina
NC AgrAbility Partnership provided a one-day workshop to the Whitaker Small Farm group at The Center for Environmental Farming Systems - Small Farm Unit in Goldsboro, NC, on March 5. Dr. Kyle presented information about the NC Agromedicine Institute programs and the veteran farmer services in NC. Beatriz presented the NC AgrAbility program, "Work Smarter Not Harder," and an ergonomic tool design exercise. Participants were provided with the opportunity to try the different ergonomic tools and adaptive equipment display by NC AgrAbility. The activity was attended by 17 participants.
NC AgrAbility participated at the AgrAbility National Training Workshop (NTW) March 25-28 in Lincoln, Nebraska. At the event, NC AgrAbility Partnership was widely represented by staff, partners, farmers, and students, who participated as speakers, poster presenters, panelists, exhibitors, donors, and volunteers.
NC AgrAbility joined Maine AgrAbility presenting a session entitled "Opening the Eyes of Many: Farming with a Visual Impairment." Beatriz Rodriguez, Lani Carlson (Maine AgrAbility coordinator), and Kristi and Dan Grove (NC farmers) were the speakers for the session.
NC AgrAbility joined Michigan AgrAbility to present a session entitled "A Caregiver's Experience: Empowerment through AgrAbility." Beverly Berens and Kristoff Minus were the speakers for this session.
- NC AgrAbility veteran farmer Donald Smale participated on the veteran farmer panel.
NCA&T State University landscape architecture students Jasmine Hester and Marquan Suggs presented a poster project for one of the NC AgrAbility farmers titled "Gather Heritage Farm Project".
- NC AgrAbility was one of the exhibitors at the NTW displaying a table with information about NC AgrAbility Partnership and sharing information such as the show and tell tool kit list, the list of resources available to small farmers, and photos of farmers in North Carolina.
- With the contribution of NC farmers, NC AgrAbility was able to donate a basket of NC goods to be auctioned at the event with the purpose of raising funds to provide stipends to farmers coming to the NTW next year.
Submitted by Beatriz (Betty) Rodriguez