Maine

On May 11, staff provided AgrAbility resources and presented "Gardening & Ergonomics" to 37 Bucksport Maine Garden Club members. During OT week at Kennebec Valley Community College, AgrAbility's Kelley Spencer talked about assistive technology (AT) and farming, and Ketra Crosson shared information about adaptive driving and how similar techniques can be used to safely operate tractors and heavy equipment also.

On Friday May 6, Maine AgrAbility launched the first Yoga for Sea Harvesters/Farmers event at Eros Oysters in Georgetown, ME. This yoga session included breathing practices and a series of standing movements designed to unwind your body after a day of lumping shellfish or seaweed. This event was offered by Antonia (Toni) Small of Ice House Oysters in Port Clyde in collaboration with her teaching studio, Oryx Worx, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension's FishAbility Project, and the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association.

For more yoga and stretching ideas, check out the most recent blog post: This is Awkward. That moment when you are trying to counterbalance your body against boat, gear, weather, and tide! This is the third month of featuring stretches to counter strains on the body during normal work routines. FishAbility's most recent article has been published in the Commercial Fisheries News using the term "Industrial Athletes." This is a relatively recent term that refers to workers in physically demanding jobs outside of sports. Fishermen are Industrial Athletes Too.

Submitted by Lani Carlson