AgrAbility Congratulates Keith Posselt for His Recognition as Easter Seals Wisconsin’s 2014 Outstanding Volunteer
This award goes against everything that I was taught in life. This now shows me that you can get noticed in a positive way while sitting around all day long.
I work in an occupation where you go work and do your job and you never expect to be recognized for what you do. That is what makes this award and this night special to me.
It is a privilege and an honor to be a part of a program that helps people keep doing the job they love.
Looking back and meeting a lot of spectacular people doing a lot of amazing things, one of the many memories I have are of volunteering for a youth safety day. On this day we were teaching multiple groups of kids about assistive technology. We would ask the kids if they know of any types of assistive technology. Some would say eye glasses, hearing aids, canes, etc. Others would say light switches, remote controls, cars, tractors. As our presentation would progress, we would try to get them to see that whether you are able or disabled,we all use technology to help us make our lives easier. Me personally, I don’t see myself as disabled, but physically challenged. In case some ofyou didn’t know this about me one of the physical challenges I face in life is going up stairs. Going down them is pretty quick, but going up is tough.
In my mind, being disabled is focusing on the negative part of life, while being physically challenged sounds more positive, gives hope, and is something that I can find ways to overcome. I do find ways to get u p stairs with elevators, ramps, a lift from family and friends, and always lots of people offering a good old fashioned swift kick.
There are so many people out there who have been given challenges in life and have gone on to do things that would amaze us all. To me, it was very special to be a part of a program that not only does all that it does for farmers, but also teach es the next generation that no matter who you are, or what you do, we all have challenges, we are all equal, and we all need a little help from time to time. Whether that help comes from family, friends, or great programs like Easter Seals and AgrAbility.
I am proud to be a farmer and I regret very few days that I get to do the job I love. It is my hope that with the continued support of my family, friends and each and every one of you here tonight, doing your part to keep this great organization going, I can continue to do the job I love for years to come.
Thank you and may God bless you all!
Agricultural Equipment Exchange
Farm program
AgrAbility of Wisconsin has been serving Wisconsin farmers for 23 years. As farmers adapt to changes implemented through AgrAbility, their needs may change. AgrAbility welcomes clients to come back to the program as needed, to accommodate these changes. One option that AgrAbility offers for these situations is the Agricultural Equipment Exchange site.
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Years after working with AgrAbility, farmers who have changed their operations no longer need or use equipment received through the program. As a way of paying it forward for the equipment that had once been of great use to them, the Agricultural Equiment Exchange site allows farmers to pass on that equipment to make another farmer’s work easier and to make it possible for others to continue to do the work that they love. The Agricultural Equipment Exchange site has existed for many years, but it has recently been re-designed so that it is easier for farmers to post equipment they wish to exchange. Because a farmer’s resources might be affected by a chronic health condition or disability, the hope is that these items can be made available at little or no cost. That decision is made by the farmer offering the equipment.
These items are offered by farmers “as is,” with no warranty or other guarantee. If you are interested in an item, please contact the farmer who posted the item. If you have posted equipmentto the site and it has been placed with another farmer, please let Easter Seals know so it can be removed from the list, and the list can be kept up to date.
The Easter Seals Team is always looking for items to be added to the exchange website. Equipment can be posted at http:/ /farm.eastersealswisconsin. com/ content/agriculture-reutilization-resource. If you have an item you wish to exchange, and have questions on how to post it, please contact Bruce Whitmore at 920-675-0579 or whitmore@ eastersealswisconsin.com.
Welcome to the Team
Brian Luck was hired at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Biological Systems Engineering Department in January of 2014. He will do research in the area of machinery systems and precision agriculture. Brian is from Hanson, KY, where his family farms 800 acres of corn and soybeans and ran a small beef cattle operation.
Brian received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and his Ph.D from Mississippi State University. He is excited to be working with AgrAbility as the project’s co-director.
Meet our New Outreach Specialist
Hannah Gerbitz is now AgrAbility’s Outreach Specialist. Formerly, she served as the AgrAbility Program Assistant/Intern.
Hannah graduated last December from the University of Wisconsin- Madison with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dairy Science and Life Sciences Communication. Before coming back to AgrAbility, she worked as a Sales Associate for a DuPont Pioneer sales agency. She also served internships with Helena Chemical Company, Crave Brothers Cheese, and the Diary Forage Research Center. In college, she was active in Collegiate Farm Bureau, Badger Dairy club, and the Association of Women in Agriculture.
Hannah grew
up on a dairy farm and brings knowledge, experience, and passion to the AgrAbility team. “AgrAbility is certainly an amazing program, and I am thrilled to be back. I can’t wait to see what opportunities lie ahead, and I’m always looking for new, creative ideas to spread the word about the program,” said Hannah.
She lives in Lake Mills, Wisconsin and is active in Rock County Farm Bureau, where she is a chair of the county You Farmer and Agriculturalist program.
Look for her throughout the year at trade shows and events.
Partner Feature: Wisconsin Farm Center
The Wisconsin Farm Center works one-on-one with Wisconsin farmers and their families during all phases of the challenging farm life cycle including start-up, growth, change, generational succession and retirement. Staff can help with farm transitions, farm finances, herd health, legal matters, energy issues and more. These services are available for new farmers, for families that have been farming for many years and for minority farm families.
Financial services are available for farms in financial trouble as well as for those that simply want to make financial improvements. Services include cash flow projections, feasibility analysis, enterprise analysis, debt analysis and business planning. Other staff members are available to help with farm mediation and arbitration. Trained mediators can help with conflict resolution regarding credit issues, government program disputes, environmental conflicts or family/ neighbor conflicts. Resources also are available for herd-based diagnostic exams and energy/electrical issues.
The Wisconsin Farm Center provides assistance to underserved farmers including immigrant, women and beginning farmers. Workshops and individual assistance are available. Staff can help farmers and their families access counseling services or provide assistance with job searching.
Learn more online at http:/fdatcp.wi.gov/Farms/ Wisconsin _Farm_Center, by calling 1-800-942-2474 or by calling 1-800-942-2474.
The Wisconsin Farm Center is located within the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s Division of Agricultural Development. This division provides services to Wisconsin Farmers, food processors and other agribusinesses in order to help them work profitably and efficiently. Services are available for businesses that want to grow into local, regional or international markets. Support is available for many people who are growing, processing or selling many agricultural products including organics, specialty meats, cheeses, lumber, milk, specialty crops and more. Learn more at http:// datcp.wi.gov/Businessf.
Neighbor-to-Neighbor
The fall Neighbor-to-Neighbor meeting was held Thursday, September 25 at Gary Stankowski’s farm in Mosinee, Wisconsin. During this informal gathering, farmers shared ideas and experiences with their peers and viewed accommodations on the Stankowski farm. Individuals who were new to the program had a chance to meet with farmers nearing completion of the program and to discuss the process of the working with AgrAbility, Easter Seals, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Gary hosted the meeting as a recent client of the AgrAbility program. He had reached out to AgrAbility following a serious tractor accident a few years ago. The program helped him to continue farming by recommending accommodations such as an automated feed cart, a small skid loader, a round bale chopper, and rubber floor mats for the parlor. The highlight of the meeting was the round bale carrier system (pictured). This is a device that includes a tracking system that holds one round bale, allowing it to be easily moved and distributed around the manger of the barn. Gary’s round bale feeder was the first to ever be installed in Wisconsin.
AgrAbility coordinates Neighbor-to-Neighbor meetings all around the state several times a year. Watch for a meeting coming to your area and take advantage of this opportunity to network with fellow farmers and learn more about the program. The AgrAbility staff thanks Gary and his family for hosting the most recent Neighbor-to-Neighbor event.
This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S.Department of Agriculture, under special project number 2010-41590-20793. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA.If you need this material in another format,please contact AgrAbility of Wisconsin at (608) 262-9336 or aaw@mailplus.wisc.edu.
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This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under special project number 2014-41590-22330. UW-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA. If you need this material in another format, please contact AgrAbility of Wisconsin at (608) 262-9336. |
Plowing Ahead