Working with AgrAbility PA and PA’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), Bob is able to work on his dairy farm despite health setbacks.

About the Farm:
• Located in Bedford County
• 85 dairy cows with young stock
• 500+ acres
• Corn, alfalfa, hay, wheat, and oats

About Bob: Bob Stanton and his family own and operate Manor Meadows. He grew up on a family farm. He bought the current farm in 1995 and revitalized it. He and his son are the primary full-time workers on the farm. The farm is their livelihood and their future.

In 2016, Bob’s health took a turn. It started with pain in his gluteal region and steadily progressed. He began losing his memory and the ability to move. He underwent surgery but the surgery was not successful. Upon further consultation with doctors, he was sent to UPMC in Pittsburgh for advanced medical treatment. He was unconscious for 7 days and has no memory of the 20 days that followed. He was diagnosed with a bacterial infection in his muscles -- an extremely rare condition. He underwent another surgery – his family was told he may not survive. He did and underwent 10 more surgeries and spent a total of 31 days in the hospital. He was given a grim outlook that suggested he may not walk again and that he would be hospitalized for many months to recover.

Bob knew he had to get back to work on the farm and he wanted to prove the doctors wrong. He started walking as much as he could every day and exceeded the doctor’s expectations. He returned home and miraculously began working on the farm.

His recovery went well, but he was not left without scars and functional limitations. During the surgeries, most of the muscle and tissue were removed from the left side of his leg. Some of the limitations Bob encounters are related to missing muscle and tissue — tight skin, limited balance, and chronic pain. He often gets “shocks” that come from the nerves trying to heal – experiencing extreme pain at night and increased fatigue.

How AgrAbility PA & OVR helped Bob: “When a farmer is backed into a corner, he comes out swinging,” said Bob, when asked how he has managed to continue farming. Bob learned about AgrAbility PA from another farmer
who worked with AgrAbility PA. He whole-heartedly credits AgrAbility PA, PA’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), and Dwight Heller, an occupational therapist that works with farmers, for the services and support he has received. Through this team’s overall assessment, consultation, and evaluation, a list of formal recommendations were prepared and shared with Bob in order to prevent secondary injuries and improve his health and success on the farm.

Assistive Technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, or system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities for someone with a disability or long-term health condition. Working with AgrAbility PA and OVR, Bob was able to receive modifi cations and equipment to assist his work on the farm.

Several modifications were made to the dairy parlor to reduce muscle fatigue and improve efficiency for Bob, including automated entry and exit gates and a crowd gate. Modifications were made to tractors, which include replacing worn seats and suspensions with air seats and air suspension. Ergonomic steps and handrails were added to enable safer tractor access while reducing the chances of secondary injury.

Bob also received Agri-Speed Hitches to conserve energy and reduce pain triggers. He produces large amounts of hay, crops, and feed. While harvesting, Bob often has to climb in and out of the tractor to hitch and unhitch wagons. That type of repetitive motion can trigger pain and increase fatigue. In addition, each time Bob transfers in and out of the tractor, there is an increased risk of falling due to his physical limitations.

With the Agri-Speed Hitches installed, Bob is able to hitch and unhitch wagons without climbing in and out of the tractor -- enabling him to independently harvest crops. Learn more about the Agri-Speed Hitch.

Despite setbacks, Bob continues to find his passion and purpose in farming. He recently referred to his health issue as a “blessing in disguise – because it taught me to be grateful for what I still have and how I am still able to farm.”