Tennessee

Lauderdale County UT/TSU Extension showed their appreciation to their farm families in August by hosting a Farm Family Appreciation Day. TN AgrAbility & STAR Center were privileged to present to 40 farm families on services and examples of assistive technology tools offered through AgrAbility and STAR Center. This event was sponsored by Southern Ag Exchange Network (SAGE) TN and Lauderdale County UT TSU Extension. The SAGE website (https://southernagexchange.org/) officially launched with farm stress resources and tools.

It was a happy day delivering new assistive technology to Mr. Stapleton, a proud U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and farmer. He has mobility challenges after several knee and back surgeries and degenerative nerve damage. The UTV and additional assistive technology will get him back farming on his hilly East TN farm. Thank you to the TN Division of Rehabilitation Services/Vocational Rehabilitation Program for the state funding to purchase the mobility device that allows Mr. Stapleton to continue work on his farm. This was a great effort by the TN AgrAbility team!

Frontline Gardens expanded outside TN with their first build in Colorado! Earlier this year, Stephanie Trost, one of the founders and part of the TN AgrAbility family, was contacted by The American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming and the Veterans Administration of Aurora, CO, which had been following their mission and wanted to expand Frontline Gardens in Colorado. TN AgrAbility connected Stephanie with Colorado AgrAbility. The Colorado team built their first garden for a Vietnam veteran and made his garden accessible by adding a ramp so he has safe access to his back yard. They built a pergola with an electric retractable cover and a wheelchair-high herb box. Follow Home - Frontline Gardens or contact them for more information. Stephanie said "We are so excited for our future builds and to be able to give back to those who are most deserving. We are very proud of our team in Colorado. They worked very hard to make this happen!" More builds for the TN team are in process.

It is Fair time! TSU TN New Farmer Academy exhibited and shared TNAP information. TN AgrAbility assisted the TN Department of Ag in recruiting some of TNAP's veteran farmers to tell their stories at the TN State fair. Thank you to Ron Bridges, Farmer Veteran Coalition of TN past president, who taught about growing mushrooms.

Amanda Blount, the Farmer Veteran Coalition's Region 2N coordinator, championed the cause of small scale and micro farming. "Sadly, we are losing the older generations of farmers daily and with their loss, larger farms are being subdivided at an alarming rate. Each time we lose an experienced farmer, it's like a library of knowledge is burned down. That lifetime of farming knowledge is something we can't get back. On the other side, we have motivated veterans looking for their next adventure, but they may not have farming experience or the capital to purchase and run a large-scale commercial farm."

Blount continues, "Small scale and micro farms have less start-up costs and can be started at a slower pace than a commercial farm. Small scale and micro farming are the perfect way to encourage younger or less experienced generations to pick farming as a modern career. Small scale and micro farming are a great way to bridge the gap and engage the older and more experienced farmers to continue their love of farming and sharing their knowledge with new generations." Blount said. "Our FVCTN mission is clear: to empower TN veteran farmers with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to succeed in farming. Small scale and micro farming can be a profitable career choice for veterans." For more information about the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Tennessee and its initiatives, please visit https://www.fvctn.org.

The STAR Center and TN AgrAbility were honored to be joined by Governor Bill Lee and Maria Lee at the STAR Center! Staff are grateful for their support and their work to empower Tennesseans of all abilities. Thank you, Governor Lee and Mrs. Lee, for spending the morning with the staff learning more about The STAR Center! Maria Lee said, "A disability should never be a disadvantage to experiencing life to the fullest." Tennesseans living with intellectual and developmental disabilities can face lifelong challenges. Maria Lee and Tennessee Serves have been working this month to help empower both children and adults with special needs to experience life's richest blessings to the fullest and to live the lives they envision for themselves. Jennifer Cunningham, VP of client services with STAR Center stated, "It was great to have Joetta Turbeville White from Tennessee AgrAbility with us for the visit from Governor and Mrs. Lee! We talked about our statewide partnership serving farmers with disabilities."

Submitted by Tennessee AgrAbility Project