Five things you MISSED if you missed Ag Progress Days this year
AgrAbility PA took part in Penn State's 2017 Ag Progress Days in August at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center near University Park. It was one for the record books with pleasant weather, thousands of people in attendance, and excellent representation from agricultural vendors, organizations, and more!
Ag Progress Days is Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition! AgrAbility PA teamed up with the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health to host activities in the Rural Health and Safety tent near the Farm Safety Demonstration Area.
So, if you missed it, you MISSED SEEING A LOT! But no worries, the event will be back next year. SAVE THE DATE: August 14 - 16, 2018
We won’t make you wait that long to see what AgrAbility PA had to offer at the event. 🙂
Five things you missed at Ag Progress Days this year…
- Free Chips -- Yes, that’s right. Thanks to Middleswarth Potato Chips
for sponsoring our Snack and Chat for current and potential AgrAbility clients. If you don’t know about this amazing brand of chips that hails from Middleburg, Pa., you MUST order a bag! The Weekender (10oz.) in bar-b-q is a good place to start! - Ergonomic Tools – Our booth exhibited a number of tools and assistive technology that can make any type of work around a farm or garden more enjoyable and provide some comfort or easement. The most popular item, Gripeeze gloves, were tried on by many – kids and adults! Also featured: a padded 2-in-1 gardening stool, Robo handles for lawn tools, one-hand nail-starting hammers, a pair of pliers with a magnifier and more. A digital picture frame also featured larger pieces of assistive technology: UTVs, grain bins, milking parlor takeoffs and rail systems, truck and tractor lifts, and more.
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- Nail-starting hammers & Gripeeze gloves
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- Robo handle with tool
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- Strong Arm Lift – AgrAbility PA featured this product in a recent e-newsletter and we were thrilled to see this product in action in person. Watch the VIDEO on our Facebook page! This company is based on a Pennsylvania farm and makes a device that is designed to bolt onto a utility vehicle and assist with loading heavy objects – think rocks, boulders, feed bags, large bins, and other weighted items. Multiple attachments enable you to perform a variety of other tasks.This could greatly assist any farmer, and especially those who experience trouble lifting and hauling heavy, cumbersome objects. More on Strong Arm Lift's website.
- Mr. Lifty – One of the most asked about items at our booth: What does this do? It’s great for kids (and their parents are watching, too) to learn how to lift properly as to lessen the strain on your back and other joints. Place the heavy item between your feet, bend at the knees, and lift with your legs is the key message from this demonstration. Part of AgrAbility’s message is prevention – being safe to prevent injuries. Our staff meets many farmers across the state that suffer from back injuries and joint impairments. It is one of the more frequent disabilities or health conditions among the agricultural community.
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- Mr. Lifty
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- Unproper lifting form
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- Proper lifting form
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- One Word: Us! – If you missed Ag Progress Days this year, that means WE didn’t get a chance to talk with YOU to learn more about what you do…and most important how we can work with YOU! Our staff is committed to assisting farmers by linking them to potential resources and providing support to farmers with a disability or long-term health condition. Several staff members were present throughout the three days to talk with farmers: Abbie Spackman, project assistant; Dwight Heller, occupational therapist; Linda Fetzer, project associate; Dr. Connie Baggett, project director; and Kendra Martin, outreach coordinator.
Abbie Spackman, project assistant, with PA OVR Staff Member Jim Casey and Dwight Heller, occupational therapist
GOOD NEWS!! You can contact us anytime at (814) 867-5288 OR AgrAbility@psu.edu to find out more about what we can do and how we can help.
For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website. Twitter users can find information about the event by searching the hashtag #agprogressdays and Facebook users can find the event here.