Meet Paul Geer

Paul is a life-long farmer at Kent County’s Frozen Creek Farms. In 2012, a car accident broke fusions in his back from a previous injury, resulting in constant pain. He also has severe arthritis in his hip and hearing loss. Paul reached out to Michigan AgrAbility for solutions on how he could continue farming. Michigan AgrAbility’s Ned Stoller made several suggestions that helped Paul to farm easier and to continue selling his local produce at farmer’s markets in urban Grand Rapids.

Over the past 4 years, Paul has sold $137,000 worth of produce each year. Last year Paul had to spend $15,000 in 2015 to hire workers to do tasks that were normally his own because of his disability. The increasing cost of hired labor and his inability to access his farm land is reducing crop yields and business opportunities. Without assistance, Paul will be forced to close his farm business. Social security disability would then pay him $15,000 per year to sit on the couch in a HUD apartment. However, with just $11,000 of assistive technology, Paul will be able to continue his economic activity selling locally grown fruits and vegetables in Grand Rapids. This is a bargain for the state, both in tax revenue and decreased expenditures. This would also be a blessing for Paul, because he can continue working instead of leading a dormant and unhealthy lifestyle.

Paul is one of the original freeze-dry flower vendors int he nation and has decades of experience in the farm market industry. He has recently constructed two high-tunnel greenhouses which are better suited for his physical abilities and they are carefully managed to produce early vegetables for market. Frozen Creek Farm is a well-equipped farm in a prime location and should be viable in the future if Paul’s work site can be accommodated for his disability.