California
California AgrAbility hosted the AgrAbility Regional Workshop in Davis, CA. The conference had over 30 attendees from various states and agencies including the CA Department of Rehabilitation and Ability Tools. Attendees learned about topics such as cultural humility, farming and ergonomics, farming assistive tools, and how DOR can collaborate with AgrAbility to enable clients to farm safely. An interactive workshop on the importance of strengthening community collaborations presented attendees with an opportunity to network and connect on a personal level. Some of the tools available at the AgrAbility and Ability Tools Device Lending Library were displayed during the conference. Tour day brought rain, but participants were able to explore a family migrant center and learn about the culture of different migrant centers and groups. Participants also got a chance to visit a couple of the UC Davis agricultural safety and engineering labs with projects researching ATV safety and co-robotics for farmworker safety.
Clinica Tepati, a free student-run clinic in Sacramento, conducted a train-the-trainer for their exercise class. In collaboration with California AgrAbility staff, a modified exercise routine, based on exercises from Arthritis Foundation, was created to help patients safely move and exercise to manage and prevent chronic illnesses such as arthritis. Three new volunteers joined the training to become trainers for their bi-weekly exercise class.
California AgrAbility staffed a booth at the Small Farm Tech Expo in Santa Rosa, CA. Hosted by Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and Farmers Guild, the Small Farm Tech Expo was the first exposition to introduce farm technology from around the state and private industry specifically for small farmers. Many new assistive devices on the market were showcased. Staff was able to inform many attendees about AgrAbility services and to network with other agencies in the hope of reaching more farmers who need AgrAbility services.
Submitted by Sara Wat