Farming Ability

Where would we be without the farming community? Their hard work supplies the produce we need to get the necessary nutrients to live. We rely on them in a big way, and our country would be in big trouble without farmers and their commitment to making things grow.

To do any job well, one must have the necessary equipment. Most of you know this gig wouldn’t work for me if I didn’t have my specialty laptop with assistive technology. Thankfully, my employer valued me enough to acquire the unique tools I need to continue to be Blogger-in-Chief for “Make Things Happen!”.

Just like I need a laptop with assistive technology to do my job, some farmers with disabilities need assistive technology to do theirs. Before you ask - yes there are farmers with disabilities. As I always say, there is nothing that people with disabilities can’t do with the right support and technology! The Ohio AgrAbility Program is helping farmers do just that.

The Ohio AgrAbility Program is sponsored by The Ohio State University Extension Program which partners Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities and Easterseals of Redwood. Their mission is to help connect farmers with disabilities to assistive technology services so they can continue doing what they love and keep crops going strong.

Just when I think technology couldn’t get any cooler, I find out there is lift that can power up to a 10-foot machine allowing a farmer who needs assistance get into it. How awesome! I’m a big fan of the Transformers movies saga with cool automobiles that transform into warrior robots, but I have yet to see one that has a lift. How cool would that be?

As I think about the children with disabilities in school today who are thinking about what they want to be when they grow up, the opportunities are endless. Now, becoming a farmer who can operate their own farm is a whole new option. There are many more possibilities today that didn’t exist when I attended school. But as the saying goes, “better late than never”! I’m so proud of my state as it keeps upping the ante on career opportunities for our community! Good job, OH-IO! Learn more about the AgrAbility Program here.