2010 AgrAbility
National Training
Workshop
October 11-14
Charleston, West Virginia
Presentations
| Times | Monday, October 11, 2010 | PowerPoint | Lead Presenters |
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| 1:00-4:00pm | Worksite Assessments for Assistive Technology Farmers often fabricate devices and processes to help them overcome their limitations but end up making modifications that may be more hazardous. It is important for AgrAbility professionals to assess the possibility of secondary injury on assistive technology (AT), to prevent or minimize further injuries. This team-led session will include a hands-on segment where all participants will be involved in evaluating the secondary injury potential of selected assistive technologies used in agricultural worksites. The goal will be to assist AgrAbility staff in identifying hazards and recommending solutions. The assessment tool will be reviewed, and the participants will then go through a practice assessment. |
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National AgrAbility Staff |
| 1:00-4:00pm | Therapeutic Gardening in an Urban Setting Gardening can make significant improvements in the physical and emotional well-being of those participating. With increasing demand for urban gardens, the West Virginia State University Extension Service has developed a therapeutic gardening program as a subset of its community garden/therapeutic gardening sites, including the Carroll Terrace Community Garden, located within a low income senior high-rise. This pre-conference session is limited to 15 participants and will include a trip to the community garden. |
National AgrAbility Staff |
| Times | Tuesday, October 12, 2010 | PowerPoint | Lead Presenters |
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| 10:30-11:15am | Assistive Technology on the Farm: From the Fenceline to the Kitchen and Everywhere In-Between This session will examine what assistive technology is and the impact it has on the farmer or family member that has a disability. Assistive technology devices including "low tech" to "high tech" items will be identified, highlighting how these items can be used in the field as well as in the home. Topics featured in this session include, aids to daily living (ADL), mobility aids, educational and vocational aids, environmental aids, farm accommodations, recreational aids, communication aids, seating/positioning aids, and transportation aids. Assistive technology funding sources will also be examined with information on how to access the required services. This session will also provide information on how the AgrAbility Projects can help facilitate this process. |
Dan Stores, Minnesota AgrAbility Carol Fury, EquipALife |
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| 11:15-12:00pm | Reducing Strains and Sprains with the Use of Ergonomic Solutions and Assistive Technology This session will focus on why it is important to complete a risk assessment or audit to determine how to counteract hazards by utilizing proactive solutions to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of injuries, specifically strains and sprains. Proper lifting techniques will be discussed. The session will also discuss how to use ergonomic solutions and assistive technology to reduce the risk of strains and sprains and demonstrate how using equipment and various other methods can alleviate the chance of primary or secondary injuries. |
Todd Rundle, West Virginia AgrAbility | |
| 10:30-11:15am | SARE and AgrAbility: Opportunities for Collaboration Since 1988 the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound, and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. Since 1991, the AgrAbility Program has provided vital education, assistance, and support to farmers and ranchers with disabilities and has built a network of allied professionals trained in the unique and diverse needs of farmers with disabilities. Given the common goals of helping farmers remain profitable, this session will provide background information about SARE and how its programs and grants might be added to the AgrAbility collection of potential assistance programs for farmers with disabilities. |
Kerri Ebert, Kansas AgrAbility Project David L. Holm, SARE Northeast Region |
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| 11:15-12:00pm | From Roots to Blooms: How Community Mini Grants Increase Arthritis and Disability Awareness Learn the nuts and bolts behind West Virginia AgrAbility and the WV Bureau for Public Health Osteoporosis & Arthritis Program's joint partnership, Green Thumbs, Healthy Joints. This partnership provides resources for organizations to make gardening accessible for West Virginians with arthritis and other disabilities. Through collaboratively administrating community mini grants, funded recipients have brought accessible gardening, related assistive technology, and subsequent health benefits to dozens of settings across the state, including senior high rise apartments, the State Fairgrounds, community centers, hospitals, and rehabilitation facilities. This presentation will explore the roots of the project's partnership, the branching of funded projects into public education spotlighting arthritis and disability awareness, and the blossoming of the partnership itself. The presentation will also cover how grants are administered, common technical assistance provided by staff to maximize accessibility of proposed projects, and general project reporting and evaluation. Past and current projects will be presented to illuminate how implementation of accessible gardening has grown from simple raised flower beds to accessible outdoor classrooms. |
Mary Slabinski and Inetta Fluharty, West Virginia AgrAbility | |
| 10:30-11:15am | New McGill Quality of Life Results-A Five State Study The National AgrAbility Evaluation Committee will present their newest results with the McGill Quality of Life Tool on the impact of AgrAbility information, education, and services with clients. They will present empirical results from five states (CO, KS, VA, WI, and WV) on changes in quality of life and independent living & operating levels. A panel of state project staff will discuss their experiences using the McGill, what they learned, and how you too can determine if your AgrAbility Project works at enhancing clients' quality of life levels. |
Robert J. "Bob" Fetsch, Colorado AgrAbility Project Robert Aherin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Kirk Ballin, AgrAbility Virginia Sheila Simmons, Kansas AgrAbility Project |
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| 11:15-12:00pm | A presentation on the SF-36 Quality of Life Instrument This session will provide an update on the application of the SF-36 for the Mid-Atlantic AgrAbility Project. In addition to its effectiveness in this specific application, we will also discuss gauging enhancements in the quality of life for clients. |
Dr. Robert Wilson, University of Delaware | |
| 10:30-12:00pm | Taking Accessible Gardening to the Next Level This session will build on the gardening sessions from the 2009 NTW. It will expand ergonomic and accessible gardening to small plot gardening and the home garden to a larger commercial produce business for people with disabilities. People with disabilities have the highest rate of unemployment and have difficulty finding employment. In addition, statistics illustrate that gardening is one of the top two or three leisure activities for Americans over 55. American society is aging, and while age in itself is not a disability by any means, at some point our physical stamina begins to decrease, and some activity-limiting diseases may set in. Yet age need not be a barrier in the garden. One of the main goals with a disability or an older adult is to maintain independence in daily living for as long as possible. Therefore, this session is about independence-independence in taking gardening to the next level! Many equipment and accessibility issues will be explored. |
Karen Funkenbusch, Missouri AgrAbility Steve Swain, ATP, National AgrAbility Project |
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| 1:30-2:15pm | How AgrAbility Can Effectively Partner with the State's Assistive Technology Act Program Successful AgrAbility cases frequently result from meaningful collaboration with the state's Assistive Technology Act Program. This presentation will focus on one successful method for increased collaboration - the development and maintenance of an annual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU defines the purpose, current status, scope, roles and responsibilities needed to provide enhanced resources, knowledge, and skills regarding farmers and ranchers with disabilities who are either seeking or maintaining farm-related employment. |
Linda Jaco and Milissa Gofourth, Oklahoma AgrAbility | |
| 2:15-3:00pm | Survey of AgrAbility of Wisconsin Clients with a Prosthesis-A Pilot Study of Training Needs AgrAbility of Wisconsin (AAW) was asked by researchers with the UW School of Physical Therapy to sample and send a survey to current and former clients with amputations. Surveys were mailed in a one-time mailing to 74 clients. An accompanying set of surveys was sent to a largely urban population - this pilot study will focus on the results of the AgrAbility clients. Generally, the session will focus on the responses that describe such issues as the clients' amputation and prosthetic use, the results of a modified "DASH" (Disabilities of the Shoulder and Hand) survey for the population, the free responses to the question regarding what tasks are performed better with a prosthesis, how much training the farmer received when fitted with the prosthesis, and results of questions dealing with other quality of life issues, such as recreation, etc. |
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Richard Straub, AgrAbility of Wisconsin Paul Leverenz, FARM and Vocational Services, Easter Seals Wisconsin |
| 1:30-2:15pm | Social Networks: Reaching Your Clients in New Ways Social Networking is now recognized as a growing area of social marketing. Demographics suggest that the largest growing population using social network media is between the ages of 35 and 55, spending an average of 1 hour per day online. As more people search the internet for information, your program can be successfully marketed by taking advantage of free and open software. We will take a look at the growing demographic of who is online. Then we will break down the basics of two popular platforms: blogging and Facebook. We will use Farm Safe VT's blog as well as Facebook/farmsafevt as live examples of how social networking is being used in Vermont. Note: Participants are encouraged to bring laptop computers to this session, if available. |
Alexandra Jump, Vermont AgrAbility Emily Morehouse, USDA |
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| 2:15-3:00pm | Partnership Development We all know that without good partners, AgrAbility would not exist. What we sometimes don't know is how to develop strong partnerships that will eventually create sustainability for the program. The recognition and support that you provide to your partners is also important to help develop and grow the relationship. This session will include a panel of project leaders from other projects sharing their experiences, successes, and challenges. |
Ron Jester, Mid-Atlantic AgrAbility Project | |
| 1:30-2:15pm | Quality of Life: A Comparison Study This session will outline an MS research project at the Pennsylvania State University that measured the quality of life between AgrAbility clients in PA and a wait list comparison group. In addition to the MQOL results, additional comparisons will be presented concerning demographics, continuation of farm production, and use of AgrAbility services. |
Linda Fetzer, AgrAbility for Pennsylvanians | |
| 2:15-3:00pm | Understanding the Vocational Rehabilitation Process VR is a state agency which adheres to rules but has flexibility unlike other agencies. This session will outline the VR process from the perspective of VR personnel. Understanding eligibility and services from the VR perspective will help AgrAbility personnel be better equipped when they interact with VR. Presenters will also share ways to keep the customers focused so that services can continue and bring the case to successful completion. This is important since AgrAbility is an intermediate agency that interacts with both farmers and the funding agency, VR. |
Samuel Mathew, National AgrAbility Project Steve Etheridge, Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
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| 1:30-2:15pm | From a Log to a Dog: The P.H.A.R.M.SM Dog Pilot Project This session will give an overview of how the PHARM (Pets Helping Agriculture in Rural Missouri) Dog Project came to be - from passing a log with the word "PHARM" carved in it to placing our first Border Collie with a farmer to help him with his daily chores after a PTO accident. This session will discuss how the project started, where it is heading, and how we as AgrAbility states can work together to make this happen in other states besides Missouri. |
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Jackie Allenbrand, Missouri AgrAbility Dennis Schmitz, Farmer and PHARM Dog Recipient Beverly Maltsberger, University of Missouri Extension |
| 2:15-3:00pm | National Data on Disability: Helpful for the Farm Population? Determining the extent of disabilities affecting farmers is a difficult task. There is no single survey that specifically asks farmers to classify whether they have an injury or health condition that prohibits them from working at their fullest capacity. This presentation attempts to answer the following questions: what does the national survey data convey about disabilities? How do the various surveys classify a disability? Are those individuals surveyed who are employed in agriculture reporting more, less, or the same amount of disabilities as the general population? |
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Cristina Miller, University of Illinois |
| 3:30-5:00pm | AT Suppliers Show-and-Tell This session will be a show-and-tell with various suppliers of assistive technologies applicable to farmers and ranchers with disabilities. AT Suppliers currently scheduled for this session include:
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Gail Deboy, National AgrAbility Project | |
| 3:30-5:00pm | PI Session USDA Program Leader Brad Rein and Program Specialist Emily Morehouse will meet with SRAP principal investigators for questions, answers, and discussion. |
Brad Rein and Emily Morehouse, USDA | |
| 3:30-4:15pm | Mental Health Issues in Farm Families Living with Chronic Physical Disabilities: Hearing the Stories Little is known about the mental health needs and coping skills of farmers with disabilities and their families. Rural areas of the US are underserved in quantity and quality of healthcare services that assess and treat mental health problems, or promote mental health and wellbeing. This lack of mental health treatment or delayed access to care in rural areas can result in coping difficulties such as severe anxiety, depression, or increased risk for suicide. The purpose of this study was to identify the mental health needs and positive coping skills of farmers who are living with chronic health conditions or disabilities that require rehabilitation or assistive technology to continue working. Focus groups and interviews were used to gather stories and knowledge about the stressors, coping styles, and mental health needs of farmers with disabilities and their spouses/caregivers in a rural Midwestern state. In this presentation themes from the stories of the farmers and their wives will be shared. |
Roberta Schweitzer, Ph.D., RN, Purdue University Gail Deboy, National AgrAbility Project |
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| 4:15-5:00pm | Learning and Practicing Basic Therapeutic Mental Health Communication Skills for Supporting Caregivers and Farmers with Disabilities This experiential session will involve learning and practicing skills that are appropriate for working with farmers with disabilities and their caregivers and supporting them through difficult or upsetting times. The focus will be on use of basic therapeutic mental health communication skills that are helpful to AgrAbility personnel in dealing with crises or ongoing difficult situations. |
Roberta Schweitzer, Ph.D., RN, Purdue University Gail Deboy, National AgrAbility Project |
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| 3:30-4:15pm | Degenerative Back Disease and Osteoarthritis as Disabling Conditions in Agricultural Occupations The Arthritis Foundation is leading the way in improving lives of those in the agricultural industry through the prevention, control, and cure of arthritis and related diseases. The purpose of this presentation is to increase awareness of arthritis prevalence in agricultural industries, identify activities that may escalate the effects of arthritis, and to promote methods of prevention and control. In addition, information will be given on degenerative back disease and its similarities to arthritis, as well as methods of control. |
Amber Wolfe, National AgrAbility Project, Arthritis Foundation-Indiana Chapter | |
| 4:15-5:00pm | Applying Ergonomic Principles to an Aquaculture Operation This session will discuss the results of a project completed by a group of University of Delaware students. The farmer had back and knee problems and was struggling with harvest. The students redesigned the harvesting operation so the AgrAbility client could continue to successfully manage and operate the business. |
Dr. Jim Glancey, University of Delaware |
| Times | Wednesday, October 13, 2010 | PowerPoint | Lead Presenters |
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| 8:30-10:00am | Unconferencing Session The Unconference Principle says that at a typical conference, the sum of the expertise of the people in the audience is greater than the sum of expertise of the people on stage. Unconferencing is a way to tap everyone's expertise so that each person receives the maximum benefit. Sometimes the best information exchange at conferences occurs in the hallway or during meal conversations. Think of the Unconference as a way to bring those conversations into the meeting room. Join one or more of the following Unconferencing discussions. Participants will have the opportunity to switch groups after 45 minutes, if desired: |
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| 8:30–10:00am | Professional Liability: Facts and Fears AgrAbility professionals sometimes make recommendations that have potential risks to their customers. It is important to reflect on our obligation to provide responsible advice and on how to limit liability risks for ourselves. Come and discuss such issues as:
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| 8:30–10:00am | Tips and Tricks for Public Awareness Getting the word out about AgrAbility can be challenging but also rewarding and potentially enjoyable. There are multitudes of ways to reach the public. Share your experiences on topics like:
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| 8:30–10:00am | Peer Support: Myth or Reality? Most people agree that peer support has great potential for serving AgrAbility customers, but sustaining a successful peer support program can be challenging and costly. The ad hoc Peer Support Community of Interest will lead a discussion that includes:
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| 8:30–10:00am | My Experience with VR Is... State vocational rehabilitation programs provide essential funding to many AgrAbility customers. However, experiences with VR vary widely between SRAPs. Share your thoughts concerning:
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| 8:30–10:00am | AgrAbility in Cyberspace: The Final Frontier The Internet has revolutionized communication and has the potential to make much greater contributions to AgrAbility. With so many options (websites, Facebook, Twitter) and so little time (you're an AgrAbility staff member, right?), how do we address such issues as:
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| 10:30-12:00pm | National and State Resources and Best Practices for Reutilized Assistive Technology for AgrAbility Programs This session will provide an in-depth exploration of assistive technology resources and tools available to AgrAbility programs. The presenters will explore the Pass It On Center website and its tools and information, and will offer participants an opportunity for interaction and problem solving as we look at needs they identify for reutilized AT and strategies to increase collaboration at the national and state level concerning mutual goals and needs. We hope to close with an action plan with steps to fully engage our groups in work that increases access to and acquisition of assistive technology AgrAbility participants need. |
Joy Kniskern, Georgia Department of Labor and State Assistive Technology Act Program of Georgia Carolyn Phillips, ATP, Pass It On Center and Tools for Life |
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| 10:30-11:15am | AgrAbility in an International Context This session will discuss efforts to spread the AgrAbility mission in such countries as Canada, Ukraine, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It will also look at relevant material from a recent international conference in Sicily, Italy and discuss potential efforts for international impact, such as a proposed AgrAbility-related project in India. Bill Thibodeau, of Saskatchewan Farmers with Disabilities, will also speak about his organization. |
Bill Field, National AgrAbility Project, Bill Thibodeau, Saskatchewan Farmers with Disabilities |
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| 11:15-12:00pm | Working with Veterans The U.S. has been at war for nearly a decade, and many rural veterans with disabilities have returned home during that time. In addition, veterans from previous wars struggle with disabling conditions caused by their service and/or by aging. This session will provide an overview for AgrAbility staff members who are interested in working with veterans but would like some tips on how to start or expand their efforts. AgrAbility staff members will share the structure of relevant Veterans Administration programs and strategies for networking with VA. Other outreach avenues will be explored, such as participation at conferences and fairs, working with other veterans' groups, like the Farmer Veteran Coalition, and tapping into veteran-to-veteran outreach. |
Esmeralda Mandujano, CalAgrAbility Sheila Simmons, Kansas AgrAbility Emily Morehouse, USDA |
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| 10:30-11:15am | Prevention of Osteoarthritis in Rural Youth This session will showcase tasks and situations in farming that can aggravate joint stress and pain, and will discuss ways to prevent the onset of arthritis in the next generation of farm workers. Hands-on activities will be used to demonstrate correct and incorrect methods of work. |
Amber Wolfe, Arthritis Foundation-Indiana Chapter | |
| 11:15-12:00pm | Creating a Standard Operating Procedure Increases Successful Outcomes Establishing and utilizing a standard operating procedure ensures consistent and comprehensive application of case management services for all AgrAbility clientele. This presentation will focus on the essential components of the SOP and define why utilizing such a structural process will increase successful clientele outcome(s) as well as timely case management services for AgrAbility personnel and other entities who are partnering with AgrAbility to assist with cases, such as Department of Rehabilitation Services, etc. |
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Linda Jaco and Milissa Gofourth, Oklahoma AgrAbility Melinda Fruendt, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services |
| 10:30-11:15am | Business Planning Basics The cornerstone of the American economy is small business. One of the growing trends for people with disabilities is to start their own business. Self employment provides the flexibility that is sometimes needed by a person with a disability to earn an income and remain employed. When exploring self employment, a business plan is very highly recommended and sometimes required by a lending institution or Vocational Rehabilitation Services. This workshop will present the basics of a business plan; provide some resources for information required in a business plan; and show templates to start writing a business plan. This will be a hands-on workshop where the participants will start their own business plan. |
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Steve Swain, ATP, National AgrAbility Project |
| 11:15-12:00pm | Farmstead Energy Management The session will help attendees learn how to monitor their energy use, implement strategies to conserve energy, and develop alternative energy sources to perform everyday, essential tasks. The workshop curriculum includes using alternative energy sources for water pumping, temperature control for tunnels and coolers, and many others. |
Matt Sherald, PIMBY | |
| 2:00-2:45pm | Assistive Technology Kits This presentation will show the kit that the Mid-Atlantic AgrAbility Project developed with the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative for its staff and outreach workers. The kit can be a training aid for staff and partners and also an outreach tool as you educate the public about the program. Ways to use the kit and evaluate its effectiveness will be discussed. |
Dan Fendler, Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative | |
| 2:45-3:30pm | We're not Spring Chickens Anymore: Dealing with Aging and Disability on the Farm This session will explore some of the barriers that age presents to someone with a disability on the farm. Suggestions and modifications to better accommodate age will be examined and discussed. Ed Bell has been farming with a spinal cord injury for 28 years. He will share his experience and input from other farmers with disabilities in regard to aging on the farm. |
Ed Bell, National AgrAbility Project | |
| 2:00-2:45pm | The JAN Experience, A Practical View Learn the practical aspects you need to know when implementing accommodations. Work through JAN's accommodation process and discuss agricultural-related situations and solutions from a JAN perspective. |
Beth Loy, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) | |
| 2:45-3:30pm | Client Evaluation of AgrAbility-Vocational Rehabilitation Assistance This survey has been administered to clients three months after a worksite assessment is completed. These clients have qualified for and received services from Wisconsin Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Completed surveys have been received from 240 clients with a sixty-one percent response rate. The clients indicate the plans are meeting their needs and their chores are easier to complete, and affirm that AgrAbility of Wisconsin staff does understand clients' disability issues and are good listeners. In general clients have some control of their plan development and in purchasing decisions. |
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Richard Straub, AgrAbility of Wisconsin Paul Leverenz, FARM and Vocational Services |
| 2:00-3:30pm | Traumatic Brain Injury The participants will learn of the different healthcare issues of TBI Survivors in Rural areas of WV, by being provided information concerning the types of TBI accidents, the type of mechanisms of injuries and the process to obtain TBI services in the state. Participants will gain knowledge of brain anatomy, cause of brain injury, brain injury consequences including behavior and physiological effects on the individual, and strategies of care for individual with TBI. A brief description of what makes a TBI diagnosis will be provided as well as the types of healthcare providers available to provide services in rural areas. Also, what resources are available for these survivors. |
Delena A. Arthur and Anita Bock, TBI Services at the Center for Excellence in Disabilities, West Virginia University | |
| 2:00-2:45pm | Market Share and Farmer Share: Marketing and Value Adding to Increase Profits and Extend the Marketing Season This session presents some new and some tried-and-true marketing pathways to help you sell what you raise. Included are examples of cooperatives, CSA's, farmers markets, farm to cafeteria, in-store farmers markets, and wholesale contracts for marketing what you grow. Those attending will learn the concepts involved with taking a raw product and enhancing their value by processing, freezing, storing, or just delivering it to a different location to market for a higher price or for a longer season to balance cash flow. Some strategies for adding value to grains and pulses will be shared. |
Carrie See, Small Farm Center | |
| 2:45-3:00pm | Understanding Your Local Food Shed Prepare to be amazed at the facts about West Virginia's statistics and familiarize yourself with the different software tools "out there" to help you learn more about your state. What do we/you import and export? You will learn what we can substitute for the "imported" food and how we make those ever so minute changes to claim more of the local demand with our products. This session will definitely help you appreciate the potential that even the most rural and lightly populated trade areas possess for locally grown food. Could this session inspire you to delve deeper and change your local food shed? |
Tom McConnell | |
| 4:00-5:30pm | Assistive Technology: Usability Workshop Assistive Technology (AT) is often designed to meet the needs of one person - an approach known as 'ergonomics for one.' However, due to the nature of agricultural work, the role of AT designers, and the highly variable demographics of the workforce, such an approach may inadvertently compromise the health and safety of people who use modified equipment (AT). This interactive/participatory workshop will explore how AT usability can be increased, and risk of harm reduced, by the application of an 'inclusive design' approach, when appropriate. |
Rob Stuthridge, National AgrAbility Project | |
| 4:00-4:45 | Opportunities for Training and Collaboration with State DVR Staff This session will provide an overview of the recently funded NIDRR grant to Easter Seals Wisconsin. The grant is a partnership of five different organizations that will be working together to develop both online and in-person curriculum to be used for training DVR counselors on ways to more effectively work with farmers and ranchers with disabilities. The role of each project partner will be discussed and the goals of the grant will be presented to participants. Opportunities for state AgrAbility projects to collaborate on this project to increase VR services for state AgrAbility participants will be presented. |
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| 4:45-5:30pm | AgrAbility Winter Workshops in Colorado This workshop will include a description of the outline, content, and process used in the Colorado AgrAbility Project's winter workshops. It will provide an overview of the process used to partner with Extension agents and others in promoting AgrAbility to families who can utilize AgrAbility. Copies of the two surveys used to assess immediate and follow-up changes in workshop participants will be provided. Results of an 11-year program evaluation study will be reported. Finally, the presenters will answer questions how other SRAP's might also increase their numbers of AgrAbility clients via local winter workshops. |
Robert Fetsch and Jill Sump, Colorado AgrAbility | |
| 4:00-5:30pm | The Power of a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy: Moving Beyond Isolated Tactics and Understanding Marketing in 2010 This highly interactive session will help participants navigate through expanding their marketing scope from individual, one-off efforts to understand the benefit and potential of strategically interconnecting efforts. How can you stretch resources to do more with less? How do you determine what is worth the expense and effort? What are the hidden costs and the true benefits of marketing techniques? In this session, the presenter will go into specific detail of some of today's most popular marketing efforts, introduce some that participants may not yet know and, together with participants, tap into the group's experience to help lay out the start of a multi-year strategy. |
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Ryan Kuhn, Good Will Industries International |
| 4:00-4:45 | Small Farm Risk, Tax, and Business Management An informational session to help you understand your basic taxes, crop insurance, and risk management. Learn how and why you should use the IRS Code to help your family. You will learn about choosing and assembling your financial and legal team. Bring all those "small farm as a business" questions here! |
Tom McConnell | |
| 4:45-5:30 | Season Extension, Irrigation, and Weed Control A worthwhile way to add to your bottom line is to get involved with horticulture. There is more demand for locally grown food than supply. This workshop will help participants develop a strategy for entering this exciting market and then thriving as they learn to extend the season with tunnels, ensure production with irrigation, and control weeds with plastic. |
Gary Rapking, Upshur Co. Extension Agent |
Last updated: 29-Mar-2011 7:03 PM