AgrAbility of Wisconsin

Plowing Ahead

Promoting Success in Agriculture for People with Disabilities and Their Families

Auburndale Farmer  Meets Challenges with Success

    For Darrel Jones, the four-generational, Auburndale dairy farm is his life.  "It just kind of gets into your blood," Jones explained about farming.  Twenty-one years ago, Jones' family increased their diary herd from 25 to 50 head of cattle.  At the same time, Jones was involved in an ATV accident that paralyzed him from the chest down.

    After the accident, family and friends helped with the farm work and Jones' brother took over the milking.  Three months later, his brother was unfortunately killed in an automobile accident and Jones' wife, Kathy, started milking the herd.  Even though she grew up on a farm, Mrs. Jones explained that it was a learning experience for her because she had never been fully involved in the milking process.  As Jones recovered and increased his daily activities on the farm, he started making his own modifications to the equipment, such as adding hand controls on his tractors, and turning cow mats into "steps" to maneuver the skid steer into the heifer shed.

The hand-controlled skid-steer allows him to scrape
out the heifer shed once a week, instead of taking
one-half hour each day to complete the task by hand

    Jones first read about AgrAbility of Wisconsin in a newspaper article.  After speaking with another farmer who was familiar with  the program, he decided to contact AgrAbility of Wisconsin.  Following his conversations with AgrAbility staff, Jones contacted the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), who aided in funding the modifications and purchases of necessary equipment on the farm.

    When Carlene Volbrecht, Rural Rehabilitation Specialist from Easter Seals Wisconsin's FARM Program, first visited the farm; she suggested several different types of modifications and additions that would aid Jones in his daily farm activities.  Ramps were suggested for the free stall building, however "the barn was set-up, it was a level  entrance, so that wasn't a big thing," Jones explained.

    Since mobility was an issue for Jones, Volbrecht suggested several pieces of equipment that were later purchased by DVR.  These suggestions included a four-wheel-drive Polaris Ranger with an enclosed cab, a power dump box and hand control modifications.  "The biggest thing was getting the Ranger," said Jones.  he is now able to easily access all areas of his farm, including the uneven terrain of the pasture.

 The Ranger allows Jones to easily access all areas of his
farm, including the uneven terrain of the pasture.

Other equipment purchased by DVR included a hand-controlled skid-steer.  The skid-steer allows him to scrape out the heifer shed once a week, instead of taking one-half hour each day to complete the task by hand.  The skid-steer has an engine located in the back, permitting Jones to access it easily.  This is important since Jones repairs his own equipment right on the farm in a heated shop.  Included with the skid-steer were pallet forks that let Jones pick up and transport items around the farm.

    The purchase of an electric feed cart eliminated the need for the wheelbarrow while creating ease and convenience in the daily feeding.  "You tie up one person standing there watching the feed, where here I can keep an eye  on it.  I can drive the feed cart to where I need to put in feed and it will pull me right along," Jones explained.

    In the near future, Jones plans to install concrete ramps to the entrance of the heifer shed and side of the building.  This will permit access for the skid-steer.  Jones will possibly purchase a tractor lift in the future, but he's still researching the various lifts until he finds one that meets his requirements.

    Even though he has no plans to expand the farm any further, Jones plans to continue farming long into the future.  He is grateful to everyone who helped with the farm while he was recovering from the accident, "Without friends and family, I wouldn't still have the farm," said Jones.

 

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