Georgia

Iteago Felton, a veteran and Georgia farmer, was featured in the University of Georgia's rebranded College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences periodical, the Almanac. Iteago Felton is a livestock producer in east Georgia. In the article, Iteago Felton shares his experiences of starting a farm, 3 Ts Farm, after retiring from the Army, and the impacts working with AgrAbility have had on his success. The periodical and article can be viewed at https://issuu.com/southscapes/docs/caes_almanac_vol_1_2022 (page 57).

The AgrileadHER virtual conference was attended by 138 women from 29 different states. There were tracks for production, self-care, and business resources. The farmer stress panel was one of the most highly rated sessions. Gloria Montaño Greene, Deputy Under Secretary USDA/ Farm Production and Conservation, provided the opening greeting to the event. The survey reposes indicate a high level of attendee satisfaction and plans are underway for a conference next year, A few of the participant comments included: "You did an amazing job with the presentation delivery as well as keeping the interaction going with questions, chat box, etc. The additional networking opportunities were phenomenal and allowing for additional side conversations. Absolutely excellent job!" "I have loved the format of the conference! I hope other conferences will be modeled after this one. The lobby makes it feel real." "The range of topics was nice. It was personable even though it was virtual. I felt very comfortable asking questions and chatting with other attendees. The speakers were very REAL and motivating. Gave great information!"We provided a complimentary booth for National AgrAbility. There were 53 unique site visits with 218 documents and videos viewed. The AgrileadHER conference is part of both the AgrAbility and the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network work plans.

On August 18th, Georgia AgrAbility staff presented with Michigan AgrAbility for an NTW Encore webinar on "Vision Solutions for Farmers". The webinar was well attended by over 20 people and the webinar discussed common vision issues for aging farmers and farmer veterans. The webinar also explored solutions and included farmer clients from Michigan and Georgia.

On August 23, the members of the Men's Shed attended the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta Georgia. The IWF is the largest woodworking technology and design trade show and conference in North America. Men's Shed members were able to view product demonstrations of the newest technology in woodworking equipment and materials. The members had a great time connecting with each other and building friendships.

Submitted by Whitney Paige Ostrander