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March 2021

Kansas

Kansas AgrAbility staff were all-hands-on-deck for the 2021 Women Managing the Farm Virtual Conference. KAP AT ag specialists Karin Rasmussen and Cassie Ramon presented "Taking Care of ALL the Generations on the Farm" and staffed the KAP Virtual Exhibit along with Lesa Clubine, AT ag specialist, Sheila Simmons, evaluation and training specialist, and Tawnie Larson, project coordinator. Larson also served on the executive committee of the conference as publicity chair.

Karin and Cassie demonstrated how home automation can have simple, inexpensive, and efficient uses in the home and on the farm. Some of the items they discussed included cameras, smart plugs, light bulbs, door locks and sensors, weather alert systems, and gate openers.

Karin has worked in assistive technology for people of all ages for over 20 years. She grew up on a family farm with row crops, orchards, and livestock, so she is well-versed on how to use timers and lighting to keep livestock warm, employing cameras during calf-watch, and keeping an eye on the Western Kansas weather. She was able to easily demonstrate how to convert some of the manual systems to smart technology by using apps to monitor temperatures, activity, and more.

Cassie Ramon loves finding simple technology solutions for unique situations. She learned drip irrigation on her dad's Christmas tree farm and has over ten years of experience in AT and working with farmers and ranchers. Cassie's grandmother lives with Cassie's family in a busy household that also includes a preschooler. Her real-life demonstrations of how her family uses cameras, microphones, door locks, and alarms that help keep grandma safe are invaluable.

The PowerPoint presentation can be found at Taking Care of ALL the Generations on the Farm.


Women Managing the Farm is an annual conference that provides KAP staff the chance to meet women farmers, ranchers, and producers from across the state. The KS AgrAbility team strategically planned how to create a virtual booth with materials that would draw attendees and allow staff to chat and continue to develop relationships. KAP staff utilized existing materials that addressed topics of interest to women growers and seasonal topics. Arthritis, diabetes management, secondary injury prevention, and working in the elements continued to be popular. Attendees were able to download a new handout on products and techniques to stay active and safe on the farm and the presentation handout for "Taking Care of ALL the Generations on the Farm" that demonstrated how to meet the needs of all generations at home and on the farm/ranch site with smart technology.

KAP staff took shifts to watch the virtual hall as attendees "popped" up beside the KAP booth and then reached out to start a friendly virtual chat. Attendees moved quickly so staff realized it was a smart move to have some rapid-fire chat openers prepared to drop and paste so they did not lose the opportunity to reach the visitors. Most attendees downloaded materials and chatted virtually while only one was willing to open their camera and hop on a "live chat" where folks could see each other and even demonstrate a solution.

The staff used the conference app to download a list of visitors to the exhibit and overall gained 6-10 good leads. Staff followed up with visitors by email and an offer to receive a goodie bag through the mail. Overall, staff thought the combination of the presentation and virtual booth was a success and they look forward to participating in more virtual events until in-person events are open.

Submitted by Tawnie Larson