North Carolina

October 1, NC AgrAbility held its quarterly meeting at the Veterans Healing Farm in Hendersonville, NC. At this meeting, partners discussed goals, objectives, and activities for the following four years. At the same time, partners and collaborators had a chance to network and receive a tour led by John Mahshie, the founder and executive director of Veterans Healing Farm. It was really a great experience to learn about the wisdom behind this great resource for veterans who want to engage in farming.

North Carolina was the Spotlight State at the Sunbelt Ag EXPO October 15-17 in Moultrie, Georgia. "From the Mountain to the Sea" was the theme of the NC display where organizations like NCDA, NC Grange, Farm Bureau, and NC Cooperative Extension showcased some of their programs. NC AgrAbility was included and had the opportunity to share program information with thousands of people and get together with colleagues from Tennessee and Georgia AgrAbility.

JAC Farm had a Demo Day October 22 in Warrenton, NC, and invited NC AgrAbility to present information about the program and show tools to help farmers overcome challenges while gardening and farming. County Cooperative Extension and Vocational Rehabilitation were also part of the event, presenting their programs to about 40 attendants.

October 17-27, the College of Ag and Environmental Sciences at NCA&T exhibited at the 2019 NC State Fair and allowed NC AgrAbility to share information about the program with the thousands of people who visited the booth. There is a lot of Aggie pride in the community and staff were able to encourage the new generation to pursue agricultural careers while teaching the rural community that it is possible to make farming safer and more enjoyable, even when dealing with a disability.

Submitted by Beatriz (Betty) Rodriguez