It was a rainy day in April, but farmers and farm workers braved the drizzle to join FairShare and UW Extension at Squashington Farm for a training on ergonomics, safety, and well-being. The attendees were diverse, but they all shared a common goal: to find ways to keep their bodies healthy while working the land they love.
During the workshop, participants learned practical advice on how to modify tools and how to "lift with their butts" to reduce the chance of injury. Everyone practiced a quick warm-up to prime their bodies for field work, and learned techniques for self-massage. These learnings were all built into a larger conversation around farm safety culture, and farmers were able to have discussions with their peers around successful ways to address the physical and environmental challenges they face.
Field days like the one at Squashington are important spaces for farmers to get support. They not only get tangible, real-life suggestions to improve their farm life (like "lifting with your butt") but also get to connect with other farmers and have meaningful discussions. These are more than just workshops - they are places where farmers can build community and support one another in the lived experiences they all face.
Farming is a physically demanding job that can wear not only on farmers' bodies but also their mental and emotional wellbeing - especially when aches turn into chronic pain. Throughout the month of July, FairShare and UW Extension, in partnership with the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network (MVEG) and Farm Labor Dashboard, are hosting a series of workshops throughout Wisconsin, focused on ergonomics and body mechanics. Groups in these trainings are intentionally small, so all participants can have their specific questions answered about modifications for their body and their personal history of injuries and discomfort.
I personally am very excited to be continuing the work of increasing field days and programming for the greater Milwaukee area as I started as the Diversified Vegetable Educator in this region in January. I hope to support and grow the work of FairShare and UW Extension by expanding the growers we are reaching and serving, and I think an important piece of that puzzle is outreach to the diverse growers in the Milwaukee metro area.
~ Emilee Gaulke
Diversified Vegetable Educator
You can support peer connections between farmers, and the workshops that help them build resilience, at fairshare.kindful.com.
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