October 2022: AgrAbility PA Project Highlights
The month of October brought beautiful weather, mild temperatures, and fall foliage across the state of Pennsylvania, but it was also a busy month for the AgrAbility PA team. Take a read through some of the project highlights:
Women in Ag
Staff members Linda Fetzer and Abbie Spackman and an AgrAbility PA farmer presented to the Penn State Extension Women Rooted in Ag group. The session will be available on the PSU Extension website. Attendees included farmers from Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region. The presentation focused on AgrAbility, farm safety, seeking support, and the farmer’s success story.
PA Farm Bureau & PA Farm Link
Staff member Abbie Spackman attended the Centre County PA Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. AgrAbility PA supporters introduced policy wording to help support farmers with disabilities and farmers facing health emergencies. The policies were approved by the county membership and will be moved on to the state level in November.
Abbie attended the PA Farm Link advisory board meeting held at Grow Pittsburgh’s Braddock Farms. Part of the meeting was spent touring the urban farm that thrives next to an operational steel mill and within view of Kennywood amusement park. The farm focuses on education and providing produce to the local community. Abbie learned about the garden tool lending library operated by Grow Pittsburgh to encourage and create access to community and home gardening.
NAP Interactions
AgrAbility PA staff participated in several NAP-related activities including the AgrAbility Virtual State Fair (VSF), National Training Workshop planning meeting, and the Zoom session: “AT Act Programs & AT Loan Libraries.”
AgrAbility PA Advisory Board
AgrAbility PA held its advisory board meeting in October. Familiar and new faces combined with fresh ideas and suggestions filled the day-long meeting. This board is crucial to the work carried out by the AgrAbility PA staff year-round – much gratitude and appreciation for the time and commitment of this group of individuals. Pictured is the AgrAbility PA Advisory Team.
Outreach & Marketing
Staff member Kendra Martin participated in several opportunities to highlight AgrAbility PA during National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October) including: posting on social media for the AgrAbility Virtual State Fair (VSF); exhibiting at the Harrisburg State Capitol for a disability service provider event organized by PA State Senator Tina Tartaglione and fellow legislators; and engaging on social media with Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture who posted and shared AgrAbility PA’s video of dairy farmer Chelsi Schultz with its more than 41k followers.
