Cyndi's Two Cents

Enjoy a safe and abundant harvest

The doctor who took the stiches out told me it might take a year to get all of the feeling back in my finger.  It could have been much worse.  There were no broken bones.  The cut was deep, thus the nerve damage, but I was able to stop the bleeding in short order and I didn’t have to drive myself to the Emergency Room.

Four stitches on one side, surgical glue on the other, a gauze contraption that drew an inordinate amount of attention to that finger, and a tetanus shot and I was back in business.  Sort of.  I’m one of those people who is handicapped without the use of my right hand.  A smart-aleck resident physician told me it would be a good exercise for my brain to use my left hand for a change.  I asked him if he wanted to see me back in the ER.

Shutting the middle finger on my right hand in a car door was painful and inconvenient for a few days, but my timing was impeccable, as it has become customary for me to write a bit about the importance of accident prevention and farm safety just prior to National Farm Safety and Health Week, which officially begins Sunday, September 21.

One of the key educational messages and reminders we offer our listeners on the radio network is to stay alert.  Pay attention to detail.  Do not become complacent and lose the edge needed to stay safe during harvest season.  Be prepared just in case something does go wrong.

I won’t lie; I was not paying attention when the car door slipped from my grasp and my hand was in the wrong place.  I was running late for an appointment and in my haste, became careless.

As a young farm broadcaster covering local ag events in the mid-80′s, it was impossible not to notice that so many of the hands I was shaking were missing thumbs and fingers, and in some cases entire arms were gone. Gone are the corn pickers that mangled so many of those limbs, but we still have PTO shafts, power tools, and vehicle doors.

A farm can be a dangerous place to live and work year-round.  When under the great pressure that comes with harvest season, chores on the farm can become even more perilous.  Even with safety at the top of mind, accidents do happen, so it is in everyone’s best interest to be proactive and make sure that someone on your farm or at your business knows basic first aid and CPR.  Be sure you have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher readily available, just in case, and post important emergency phone numbers in an easily accessible location for all who live and work with you.

Get sleep and take short breaks to refresh your mind and body.  Eat right and drink plenty of water.  Don’t get in a mad rush.  Don’t cut corners.

I hope you enjoy a safe and abundant harvest!