Experiences in the Classrooms!

     We had a great couple of days in the classrooms this week! The students had so many great ideas and drawings! Here are a couple of pictures of Relani and I with the students.

(Premission of pictures from the Potsdam High School)

First we had the students do some hazard mapping of a layout of a farm. We wanted to students the get ideas of the different types of hazards on a farm. From there we had them pick one of the hazards that they felt was the most important to portray on the mural. Once they had picked a hazard we wanted them to come up with a solution to preventing it from happening on a farm. With the solution they picked, we wanted them to visualize how they could see it portrayed on the mural.

Relani and I explaining what to do with the harzard mapping of the farm.



Helping out groups with hazard mapping.







Potsdam Arts Teacher helping a group to come up with ideas.





Here are some photos of how some of the students would portray their ideas on a mural. This is what some of the groups had come up with.

There are more to come!

Let us know what you think of the ideas so far at Occupational Health. We want ideas from the community! Any input of your ideas would be great. Feel free to leave a comment or email us!!

Farm Safety Videos

Here is an awesome video that talks about Plan. Farm. Safety. It is an award winning Safety video made by the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association. It helps put to perspective why we need safety plans on farms. Take a look, you might learn something!

Farm and Safety Video

This video is called "A Farm Accident Could Happen to Anyone!". It has five personal stories telling us what happened and how each incident could have been prevented. One mistake could cost you your life, if you do not take the extra minute to make sure everyone is safe. Take the time to look at this video, it is worth your time even if you think that an accident couldn't happen to you.

This week!

This is the week we start to go into the schools for our Community Mural Project! Stay tuned for posting of pictures and experiences with the students in classrooms.

There will be three murals for the community to paint at the Local Living Festival on April 27. Each one a little different but with the same concept. Marion Bradish, a local painter, will be creating all three murals with the help of a local student. Before she can create the murals, we need the students perspectives on Farmer Health and Safety.

The links:
NYCAMH: is New York Center for Agriculture Medicine and Health. Their mission is to:
"Enhance agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injury and illness" (NYCAMH, 2013). Click on the link above to find out more.

NOFA: is the Northeast Organic Farming Association. "Founded in 1983, NOFA-NY is a statewide organization leading a growing movement of farmers, consumers, gardeners, and businesses committed to promoting sustainable, local, organic food and farming that's good for the people and the planet" (NOFA, 2013). Click the link above to find our more.

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing: Talks about the fatalities of Occupational Injuries and Fatal Occupational Injuries in AgFF, or Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. Click the link above to find out more information.



If you are intrested in contributing your ideas to our project feel free to email me at:
ohccnc@gmail.com
Or leave a comment below. We would love to hear what you have to say!

The Healthy Farms Community Mural Painting Project

Whether large or small; Amish or English; organic or non-organic; and no matter what kinds of foods or other agricultural products are produced – farms are dangerous places.  In fact, farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation, which is why we, at the Occupational Health Clinical Center of the North Country (OHCCNC), are sponsoring The Healthy Farms Community Mural Painting Project.

This community-based program is designed to highlight the importance of health and safety on farms and to gain much needed fresh perspectives on how to meet safety and prevention needs for these workers as well as ensure their access to adequate clinical services.

How to get involved?

Register
Interested group leaders arrange for a visit with OHCCNC submitting the Registration Form at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aX3xJG5F2wTQWgn6QwQCSHHZBMzXEFrEHHNYBYc8wyE/viewform
by March 25^th with contact information and possible meeting times.


Group “Think Tank”

OHCCNC representatives will meet with you and facilitate group “think tank” activities to exchange knowledge and experiences and to generate ideas for healthier and safer farms.


Design
Marion Bradish, a celebrated community artist, will create a mural design with all of the ideas we gather from various community groups.

Paint
The community members will be invited to join in the process of painting the design onto a large canvas. Details TBD.


Enjoy!
The finished mural will be presented at the Local Living Festival, Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Learning Farm, in Canton, as a symbol of our commitment to and vision for supporting Healthy Farms!

Sponsored by The Occupational Health Clinical Center of the North Country

39 West Main St|Ste #2|Canton, NY 13617|(315) 714-2049 |www.upstate.edu/cnyohcc

National Agriculture Week

Happy National Agriculture Week!!

    Tomorrow March 19th, is National Agriculture Day! http://agday.org/ Help out by buying a local farmer's produce or volunteering for a couple of hours.


Make sure to check out the blog about National Agriculture Day
             http://agdayblog.blogspot.com/
 

What have you done today to support your local farmer?

Share your stories!

     "Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries" (CDC, 2012). The Occupational Health Clinical Center in Canton, New York is getting the word out about hazards at occupations. This year we have decided to honor Farmers in our area and the hard work they do every day. By honoring them we will have a mural painting presented at the Local Living Festival on April 27.

     We plan to go into schools to get feedback from students about farmer health and safety. The activity will be focusing on farming hazards, prevention of farm dangers, special issues in farming, and ways that can improve health and safety for farmers. It will be an interactive activity to get the students engaged in discussions with their peers about what dangers they see farmers encounter. We want to get their feedback of what we could do to make farming safer and healthier for them.

     With this activity we are getting the students to think outside of the box. We would like to invite the students to be a part of a mural painting by contributing their ideas about celebrating the work done by the farmers. With this blog we plan to update of how our project is going until the Local Living Festival.