ST. JEAN BAPTISTE, Man. – Julien Brais didn’t have time to despair about how he would farm after losing much of his right arm.
One day after the farm accident, as he and his wife sat in the hospital wondering what would happen to their life, he received a visit from the head of Manitoba Farmers With Disabilities.
“They showed me that life is not over,” said Brais, a cheery man who was representing the organization at St. Jean Farm Days.”Since then I haven’t skipped a beat.”
Read Also
Stock dogs show off herding skills at Ag in Motion
Stock dogs draw a crowd at Ag in Motion. Border collies and other herding breeds are well known for the work they do on the farm.
As Brais sat there feeling the after-effects of surgery, Neil Enns rolled up his shirt sleeve, took off his own prosthesis, and showed him how it worked. Brais remembers being particularly impressed that Enns could even undo buttons on his shirt, something that made him think he wouldn’t have to drop any of his farming activities.
Brais is a busy farmer. He grows wheat, barley, oats, pulse crops, soybeans and canola. He also has a herd of 50 cows.
And he visits a number of farm shows like this to spread the word about farm safety, and about farming after an accident. He was at his first farm show only a few months after his own injury.
“They were there to help me,” said Brais about why he’s willing to travel and talk about his injury for free every year.
“If I can be there to help someone else, it’s a plus, it’s a bonus. Even if it’s just to make farmers think.”
One thing he’s learned from being at farm shows is that many farmers have come close to losing an arm, a leg or their life. If all farmers had heard as many scary stories as he’s been told, they would probably be more careful. That’s the message he tries to spread.
“Accidents happen. They happen so quickly. If you can just stop and think a little bit, if someone can avoid losing a finger by hesitating because of something he’s heard at a farm show, I’ve done my job,” said Brais.
