Written By: Leah Chester-Davis
It’s no secret that farming is a dangerous occupation, so much so that Carolina Farm Credit believes farm safety merits attention on a regular basis.
With many of our employees involved in farming in some capacity or who work on a daily basis with others who are, we understand how easy it is for accidents to happen. If we don’t know someone personally, we’ve all seen or heard news reports of a tragic accident in the farming community.
Awareness of what can cause accidents is key. Several factors can come into play: long hours, stress, heavy machinery, and being in a hurry. We share the stories of three farmers in the Carolina Farm Credit community who have experienced major accidents that involved farm equipment. But each farmer shares that it was being in a hurry that led to their accidents.
The farmers: Corey Lutz, of Lincoln County, Sampson Parker of Cabarrus County, and Lewis Phipps of Alleghany County experienced tremendous trauma and are willing to share their stories. Their experiences impressed upon them the importance of safety and they preach that message as an important reminder to anyone who works on a farm.
We feature each of these men in this series on Farm Safety. Each story is unique and Corey, Sampson, and Lewis share their experiences in hopes of helping someone else. While it has been several years since they had their accidents, they each continue to be involved in farming today.
Their stories include harrowing details. They elicit wonder at how anyone could survive. In some cases, they are difficult to read, yet each offers hope and inspiration along with cautionary words to help you be more mindful and take measures that will help keep you, your family, and your employees safe. Their stories also demonstrate the strength, determination, and resilience of these individuals and how they were determined to survive and move forward for themselves and their families, recognizing every day is a gift and is meant to be enjoyed.
We hope you’ll read their stories and we hope their stories will help you pause and be more mindful about the importance of safety any time you are out and about on the farm.