A "Sweet" Success Story

Upon meeting Shirley Daniels and seeing her accomplishments, it is difficult to fathom the health-related obstacles this woman has had to overcome.  She experiences chronic pain primarily caused by a connective tissue disorder and acute digestive disease.

Shirley, 43, is a lifelong resident of the small town of Albany nestled in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.  Having been raised on a family farm, Shirley is no stranger to hard work and the skills necessary to develop and sustain an agricultural enterprise.  Having graduated from the University of Vermont in 1978 with a B.S. in Physical Therapy, she was employed at North Country Hospital in Newport, Vermont for 16 years, until health issues forced her to resign.

Other than a dairy operation, long gone from the farm, Shirley has been engaged in other agricultural pursuits.  She has logged with both horses and tractors, cut and sold hay, raised dairy replacement heifers, and produced maple syrup, her favorite and most productive venture.

As health concerns increased, Shirley looked for ways to continue her sugaring operation in a more accommodating manner.  Enlisting help, she constructed a sugarhouse near her home, close to the roadside.  This replaced the old one that stood deep in the sugar woods, a long trip home even by tractor.  Continuing to gather sap in buckets, Shirley found the process too labor intensive, as well as costly to hire help, so she gradually converted to using pipeline.

Shirley applied for services with University of Vermont Extension's Rural & Agricultural VocRehab Program (RAVR) on September 13, 2000.  A plan of services was developed, helping towards funding sugaring equipment including:  pipeline, taps, and a vacuum pump.  Now once her trees are tapped, Shirley can sugar with minimal assistance.  A tractor seat, which provided much needed relief, was also provided.  Shirley's case with the program was officially closed on April 29, 2002.  Shirley continues to successfully operate her maple business.

Phil Wolf
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor