"Many handicapped farmers never get a chance to swap experiences with others who have similar problems," says Bill Field, Purdue University ag engineer who's bringing disabled farmers together, along with engineers, companies and others interested in keeping handicapped farmers "down on the farm".

Field recently organized the first-ever conference for handicapped farmers. For two days, right at 100 farmers from across the U.S. and Canada -- most of them in wheel chairs or using crutches or canes -- discussed specialized equipment, such as lifts to get in and out of tractor and combine cabs, and listened to speakers discuss problems they all face. Several non-handicapped farmers brought their handicapped wives to the conference.

Field says the group decided at the meeting to publish a newsletter and form an organization, tentatively called "Disabled Farmers of North America". Since the conference, more than 1,600 farm families have requested more information.

If you'd like a free copy of the Disabled Farmers Newsletter, which Field will publish initially, or more information on the new Disabled Farmers' organization.