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 my new knee,” he said. “I was scared that I messed my new knee up.”

The 49-year-old farmer was 10 days post-surgery on his second knee replacement. It was a risk to drive a tractor, but certain farm tasks needed his attention that day. As he lay there, he knew his fall was a warning sign.

“The doctor said he doesn’t know how I didn’t mess something up. After that I called AgrAbility,” he said.

Schaffer is a recent beneficiary of the program that helps Pennsylvania farmers with injuries and disabilities so they can continue farming. He received funding for implement assistive technologies that make his farm environment more accessible.

READ MORE about Garvin’s work with AgrAbility PA featured on the front page of Lancaster Farming on July 23: Read More

---

The month of July continued on with farm visits and behind-the-scene preparations for one of the hallmark agricultural events in Pennsylvania – Penn State University’s Ag Progress Days! The three-day event runs August 10-12 and will be in-person this year with several online interactions. The AgrAbility PA team looks forward to sharing more about this exciting event. Learn more: https://agsci.psu.edu/apd