The month of September brought the start of fall, National Farm Safety and Health Week, and lots of planning for upcoming events and activities that are resuming in Pennsylvania in the months ahead. AgrAbility PA is prepping for its upcoming Read more…
August brought the return of Ag Progress Days to Penn State University’s research fields. The three-day event is Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition with over 400 exhibitors from the United States and Canada. It was great to see Life Essentials Read more…
At age 5, Garvin Schaffer knew he wanted to be a farmer. Despite health and market challenges, he has made that dream come true. Garvin Schaffer, known by his friends as Butch, grew up on Schaffer Farms and began farming Read more…
On a cold winter day, Garvin Schaffer found himself dangling upside down from the metal steps of a red tractor. And all he could think about was his knee. “My back was on the ground, but I was hanging by Read more…
June was a diverse month of activities! Staffer Abbie Spackman (top row, center) participated in a panel discussion during the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA). The “Feeding the Future” Conference was hosted by the PA Dept. of Read more…
The month of May has meant more assessments and evaluations with farmers, planning for future virtual and in-person events, and continuing outreach activities as Pennsylvania shifts from spring to summer. Looking forward to the season ahead! AgrAbility PA Project Director Read more…
Staff members Abbie Spackman and Linda Fetzer partnered with Penn State Extension’s Farm Stress Team to host and teach “Communicating with Farmers Under Stress” in an online workshop format. A wide range of individuals with various involvements in agriculture attended Read more…
AgrAbility PA staffers Linda Fetzer and Abbie Spackman provided an in-person and virtual presentation to Penn State University Agricultural and Biological Engineering students. The presentation provided an overview of the AgrAbility project but focused on assistive technology design, utility vehicle selection and safety, and utilized interactive questions and quizzes with the Read more…
After a snowy February in Pennsylvania, the staff is looking forward to S-P-R-I-N-G! Farm assessments, virtual presentations, and outreach efforts continue as staff work to find new ways to engage and raise awareness of AgrAbility PA despite the typical in-person events that would have filled the Read more…
The AgrAbility PA staff kicked off 2021 at the Keystone Farm Show in York, Pa from Jan. 5-7. The display included take-away paper information; digital photos and videos of farmers and assistive technology; and QR codes for contactless access to AgrAbility PA materials online using Read more…