Fields of Resilience

By Louis Cabana September 5, 2025

Gary’s Story

On his porch in Keymar, Maryland, 70’s rock drifts from the speakers as Gary works the land. His story is a living example of life after amputation farming, where grit and adaptation keep the fields alive. Birds sing in the trees as light rain taps the roof. The sound carries across the open fields where a herd of cattle grazes. This is the rhythm of Gary’s life: farmer, engineer, historian, and survivor.

A Love for History and the Land

Gary manages more than 100 acres and a herd of cattle with one hand and a body powered prosthesis. Every task requires adjustment. When the prosthesis malfunctions in the field, he repairs it. When a tool does not fit, he reshapes it. For Gary, ingenuity is not optional.

During a tour of his home, Gary spoke of the settlers who first lived on his land in the 1700s. Parts of his house still stand from that original structure. His love of history shows everywhere. In the second floor foyer, design elements feature floorboards once laid in Dwight D. Eisenhower’s barn near Gettysburg. Around them, Gary has displayed old farm tools and implements as artwork. Together, they tell the story of labor and endurance. With six decades of agricultural experience and a Penn State degree, Gary has cared for each acre himself.

 

The Day Everything Changed

Not every day on the farm has been kind. A new, bulkier glove changed Gary’s life. While working in the fields, the machine caught the glove on his right arm. It pulled him into the roller of a corn picker.

For more than ninety minutes, Gary fought to free himself. Inch by inch, he twisted and pulled until the last bones of his hand were gone. The glove meant to protect him had become the very thing that betrayed him. Bloodied but unbroken, Gary steadied himself. He shut down the equipment and called for help. That day began a new chapter, defined not by loss but by endurance.

 

Adaptive Farming with Prosthetics

Today, Gary continues to do what he loves most: farming. His prosthesis allows him to handle chainsaws, adapt tools, and care for his herd. Much of his success, though, comes from grit and experience.

On the farm, reliability matters. That is why body powered upper extremity devices often provide clear benefits over myoelectric ones in heavy-duty work. Body powered prostheses are built with fewer electronic components, so they hold up better against dust, mud, rain, and the daily grind of agricultural labor. The cable-driven system also delivers a stronger, more consistent grip for tools, ropes, or machinery — exactly what farmers need when operating equipment or working with livestock.

Unlike myoelectric devices, which depend on batteries and sensors that can be disrupted by sweat or debris, body powered devices require less maintenance and can be quickly adjusted in the field. Just as important, they provide immediate, mechanical feedback, giving farmers a direct sense of control when using saws, shovels, or tractors.

While myoelectric prostheses excel at fine motor tasks in controlled environments, body powered systems give farmers like Gary the confidence to keep working through long days and tough conditions.

Life as a farmer with limb loss is far from simple. Resources for farmers with disabilities remain scarce, especially in rural places like Keymar. Gary works to build partnerships with engineers and organizations that push adaptive farming technology forward. Even when the road is steep, he does not waver.

One Hand Less, Never Less Than Whole

Every morning the music plays. The birds sing. The cattle call. Rain falls soft on the porch roof.

Life goes on, and so does Gary. He steps into his fields one hand less but never less than whole.

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At MCOP, we are honored to support farmers like Gary, who show us that true strength is not only survival but the will to move forward with purpose.