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| Differently-abled Indiana farmer Ed Bell will offer an inspirational message at the new Accessibility Center at the 2013 Empire Farm Days Wednesday, August 7 at 10:30am. |
On Wednesday, August 7 at 10:30am, Bell, a differently-abled farmer from Hagerstown, IN, will present Living and Learning, One Hat at a Time, at the new Empire Farm Days Accessibility Center sponsored by Country Folks Newspapers.
Empire Farm Days Manager Melanie Wickham says, ‘Ed Bell shares life lessons on how to balance work, family and play inspite of all challenges. Ed uses humor and a bag of old farm hats to illustrate powerful tools plus the little things that can help keep you going in the face of challenging times.’
Ed Bell grew up on a family farm and has been farming since he graduated from Purdue University in 1981. In 1982, at age 21, Ed was the victim of a violent criminal attack and sustained a gunshot wound that left him permanently paralyzed but fiercely determined to continue his passion for farming.
Named the 2006 Indiana Farm Family of the Year, Ed, his wife Debbie and their daughter Nellie Bell presently grow black raspberries, asparagus, blackberries, and strawberries on their Hagerstown farm.
‘A gifted communicator, powerful motivator, poignant humorist, eternal optimist, and lifelong farmer, Ed Bell has endured the fiery trials of life that could have left him broken but instead have made him stronger. We are pleased to bring Ed to Empire Farm Days to inspire anyone who is facing any kind of challenge in their life,’ said Richard Barrett, Country Folks Newspapers Account Manager.
In additional to farming and motivational speaking, Ed has served more than 10 years as a consultant to the Purdue University Breaking New Ground project that assists farmers and rural people with disabilities nationwide. A former Executive Director of the Independent Living Center of Eastern Indiana, Ed is an account executive for the Standing Wheelchair Company, and serves as an appointee to the Indiana Governor’s Planning Council for People with Disabilities.
‘Despite the hardships of life, Ed continues to till the soil and cultivate the hearts of people, sharing his insights and indomitable spirit with groups across the nation,’ Barrett adds.
Empire Farm Days, the largest outdoor agricultural trade show in the Northeastern US, is held at Rodman Lott and Sons Farms south of the village of Seneca Falls. Admission is free; parking is $10. The event features exhibits and activities by more than 600 agricultural industry representatives and organizations. Find schedules and information at www.empirefarmdays.com or contact Melanie Wickham at 877-697-7837.
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