Farming Blind with Duck

10/20/2026

😮 Wow! I got word today that I’m officially registered as an exhibitor at the 2026 expo at our local agricultural office on November 17! I’ll be there representing Tennessee AgrAbility!

Now it’s time to get my exhibit together! I plan to display several of the assistive technologies I use around the farm. While these tools help me work with vision loss, several can also benefit farmers with dexterity challenges, arthritis, hearing loss, or mobility limitations. Many are handy tools for fully sighted farmers, too!

Technology sure has come a long way! I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences, showing how these tools help me keep doing what I love, and hopefully helping another farmer along the way.

Make plans to join us on November 17. Come by, visit, and see what’s possible!

https://tiny.utk.edu/AgExpo2026

10/20/2026

Hay season is wrapped up, so it’s time to tidy up and get ready for winter!

Today, I’m cleaning out the hay storage barn—picking up busted bales, loose hay, and anything else that could become a tripping hazard. Being legally blind, those obstacles can be easy to miss, so I try to take care of the hazards I know are there.

And who benefits from barn cleanout day? The cattle! They’re always happy to help dispose of a little square-bale hay. 🤣🐄

Just another day here at Farming Blind with Duck, getting things done and enjoying a beautiful, clear fall day!

10/18/2026

When my vision loss journey began in 1998, I had no idea where life would take me. After being declared legally blind in 2009, losing Mom in 2018, and then Dad in 2020, I honestly thought my traveling days might be over.

Mom and Dad traveled to many places and often took me along. They also helped make sure I could get where I needed to go. Losing them left a huge hole in my life, and I couldn’t imagine the opportunities that were still ahead.

But somewhere along that journey, another door opened: I discovered Tennessee AgrAbility. And, as they say, the rest is history!

Instead of my traveling slowing down, it picked up! I’ve had opportunities to visit Madison, Wisconsin; Spokane, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia; and Las Cruces, New Mexico. I almost made it to Traverse City, Michigan, this year, too!

Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my story at the AgrAbility National Training Workshop. I thought that was pretty awesome!

But there was more to come. Earlier in 2026, I had the opportunity to speak at a Tennessee conference on behalf of Tennessee AgrAbility. Then, in August, I was invited to be a guest speaker at the National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee’s state convention in Nashville.

Every one of those opportunities has meant so much to me. Just when I think this journey couldn’t surprise me any more, something else comes along!

A couple of days ago, someone from the National Federation of the Blind in Massachusetts contacted me about talking and hearing more of my story. We’re still working out a time for a phone conversation, so I don’t know yet what may come of it.

But I will say this: I’ve never been to Massachusetts! 😉

And who knows? Maybe someday I’ll get to share my story at the National Federation of the Blind’s national convention! Who knows! 😉

So stay tuned! There’s really no telling where the Farming Blind with Duck journey might take me next.

Not too bad for a legally blind cattle farmer from Unionville, Tennessee! 😉

10/18/2026

Well, as of today, October 18, another milestone has been reached in 2026. I believe I’ve mowed the yard for the last time this year!

It’s definitely been a crazy year. Early in the summer, with all the rain, it seemed like I couldn’t mow often enough. Now, with the drought we’ve had, I’ve only mowed twice in the last two months! Even today, a lot of it didn’t need mowing, while other parts really did. But now it’s all evened up for the fall!

As my vision decreases, mowing the yard seems to get a little more difficult each year. Sure, I leave a skip here and there. When I notice one, I’ll usually go back and get it. But on the bright side, not many people can give a yard a pretty mohawk like I can! 🤣

I’m still doing something I enjoy, even if the results aren’t always perfect!

10/15/2026

Well, in the words of Jesus, “It is finished!”

The last bale of hay hit the ground today! Hay season 2026 is officially in the books!

All I lack now is unloading about three more loads of hay, and we can call it completely finished!

I believe our final tally will be somewhere around 8,000 square bales and approximately 100 round bales!

Even though we had a rainy start to the summer and extremely dry conditions during the latter part, all in all, I would say we had a pretty successful hay season!

Of course, I couldn’t have done it without some good help along the way! I want to give a special shout-out to my baling man, Gene Stinson, and my hay crew, Mighty Michael Lamb and Lucas Schlautter!

These guys have been a tremendous help, and I certainly appreciate all their hard work!

Another hay season behind us, and another year of doing what I’ve always loved. Farming certainly has its challenges, especially with my visual impairment, but with determination, a little assistive technology, and some dependable help, we continue getting the job done!

Hay season 2026 — that’s a wrap!

10/15/2026

When it comes to working livestock, especially giving vaccinations and performing routine maintenance, safety is always a top priority!

A few years ago, I made one of the best improvements to my farming operation by installing a corral system, complete with a sweep tub and alleyway.

This setup allows me to safely guide my cattle into the alleyway, keep them moving in the right direction, and prevent them from backing out on me.

Being legally blind, I’m always looking for ways to make working with livestock safer, easier, and more efficient. This system has certainly made a tremendous difference!

Sometimes, the right equipment can make all the difference, especially when you’re farming with a visual impairment!

10/13/2026

Taking a few moments this morning to give all the mamas a little bite of feed! 🐄

Not only does this give them a little treat, but it also gives us a great opportunity to look the mama cows over and check on all their babies!

Over the years, I’ve had several people ask me, “Why don’t you make more videos of your baby calves?”

Well, here you go! 😁

Calving season has been in full swing here on the Barber farm, and we’ve had quite a few new additions over the past six weeks or so!

In this video, you’ll get to see most of our newest little arrivals, along with their mamas!

Just another day here on the farm, doing what I love, and finding ways to keep farming despite my vision loss!

Hope y’all enjoy seeing the babies! 🐮❤️

10/13/2026

When you’re legally blind, obviously driving a regular vehicle isn’t an option. So, you learn to adapt and find other ways to get around!

For me, that’s my Honda Foreman four-wheeler! It’s my primary mode of transportation, getting me around home, around the farm, and even back and forth between the two. It’s definitely an important part of maintaining my independence!

Well, today, my extremely dependable Honda decided to leave me stranded! And unfortunately, I haven’t figured out what the problem is just yet.

It’s a pretty disappointing feeling when the one machine you depend on for getting around suddenly decides it doesn’t want to cooperate!

Hopefully, it’s nothing major, and I can get it back up and running soon. When you’re visually impaired, something like this is more than just a mechanical inconvenience. It’s losing a big part of your independence, even if only temporarily.

So, here’s my question! Anybody out there familiar with Honda Foreman four-wheelers? Or know somebody who’s really good at troubleshooting these machines? I’d certainly appreciate any suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

10/13/2026

Calving season is in full swing here on the farm! And with new additions arriving regularly, I’m always looking for ways to make managing the livestock a little easier.

Rather than having cattle scattered all over the farm, I try to keep the herd on the front third of the property. This makes them much more accessible, especially when I need to check for newborn calves.

Recently, I decided to do a little rearranging! I moved 14 mama cows and their 14 calves into another pasture, giving them a little more room to roam and graze. Then I moved a smaller group of cattle over to the south side of the farm, where I can easily check on them every time I come down to see if we have any new additions!

As a farmer, I’m always looking for ways to make the operation run as efficiently as possible. But being legally blind adds another consideration. I have to think about where my livestock are located, how easily I can access them, and how safely I can keep an eye on everything.

Sometimes, adapting to vision loss doesn’t necessarily mean using fancy technology. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of changing the way you do things!

It’s all about working smarter, making adjustments, and finding ways to keep doing what I love!

Farming Blind with Duck!

10/12/2026

Just my luck here on the farm! 😠🚜

For the last several years, I’ve been using a combination of two-way radios and headsets to improve communication around the farm. Whether it’s communicating from one side of the farm to the other, from one tractor to another, or between someone loading a trailer and the tractor operator, these radios have become a valuable part of our farming operation.

Years ago, when Dad was still here, we experimented with some inexpensive CB radios and headsets. They accomplished what we needed, but the quality wasn’t the greatest.

Eventually, I invested in some better radios and good-quality headsets. What a difference! They’ve worked great and have become another valuable piece of assistive technology that helps me continue farming despite my vision loss.

But here’s where the story takes a turn!

Normally, I keep all the radios and headsets stored in a plastic tote. When we finished up hay the other day, I left that tote in the back of my side-by-side, which was parked safely inside the barn.

No problem, right? WRONG! 😂

What I didn’t realize was that the barn roof had developed a leak. And wouldn’t you know it, that leak was DIRECTLY ABOVE my tote full of radios and headsets!

Thanks to the recent hurricane and all that rain, when I arrived at the barn yesterday, I discovered about TWO INCHES OF WATER standing in the bottom of that tote!

And guess what was sitting in that water? Yep! My radios and headsets! 😠

Thankfully, I’m hoping I managed to salvage the headsets and possibly a couple of the radios. So maybe it won’t be a total loss. Fortunately, the radios themselves aren’t terribly expensive, but only time will tell what survived.

You know, when you’re farming with vision loss, you learn to depend on certain tools and technology to help make the job easier and safer. These radios have certainly been one of those tools for me.

But apparently, I need to add a waterproof storage container to my list of assistive technology! 😂

Just another day in the life of Farming Blind with Duck!