Capstone Project Gives Brown Peace of Mind

“It is so amazing I can’t even believe I have it,” says Caleb Brown of his remote-controlled gate opener that keeps his cattle securely contained in his yard.

The 37-year-old father of two is from Fowlerville. Besides his small herd of beef cattle, Brown was a garbage truck driver for thirteen years when he was hit by a truck while working in 2013. The impact caused a brain injury, mobility issues, blurred vision, and audio impairments.

His small herd of cattle kept him motivated, giving him something positive to focus on and look forward to. But wear and tear took its toll on the fence, and his limitations kept him from making real headway on repairs. His cattle got out regularly and it was causing tension with neighbors. His personal stress was high not knowing if or when his cattle would be roaming the neighborhood or roads. Ready to give up and sell his beloved herd, he stumbled upon Michigan AgrAbility, who was able to step in with resources.

Because Caleb’s herd was viewed as more hobby than income producing, he didn’t qualify for state funded services. But because of strong partnerships with Michigan State University’s ag bio-research program, funding partners like Alpha Gamma Rho and Sigma Alpha at MSU, and volunteers like the Alto Achievers 4H Club, Caleb can let go of the anxiety, knowing his herd is securely fenced in.

First, the Alto Achievers 4H Club along with a volunteer from Alpha Gamma Rho repaired and put up new perimeter fencing using materials Caleb already had, a few donated and borrowed items, and some elbow grease by a young and inexperienced group of 4H’ers. Their lack of experience did not cloud their enthusiasm; by day’s end they had finished refencing ten acres and were proficient in their newly acquired fence building skills.

MSU’s Mechanical Engineering 481 Capstone class designed a system to use a garage door opener so Caleb can automatically open and close the gate without leaving his house or vehicle. The horizontally mounted garage door opener swings the sixteen-foot gate open and closed across the drive, where it remains automatically secured. The entire system cost less than $300 through box store purchases. Easterseals Michigan covered the cost through donations from fundraising projects like Alpha Gamma Rho’s winter beef preview show and Sigma Alpha’s 5K spring race.

The project design was simply so good, the team earned the Thomas Alva Edison Best Technical Design Award for the semester. The project is being produced into plans that will be available for anyone to use through MSU Extension.

“It is so amazing; I can’t even believe I have it!” Caleb said. “The engineering students were so nice; they came to my house---a farmer who got hit by a truck---it just amazes me. One guy was from India, one from Venezuela and the other two were city guys. This whole project just gives me hope!”

It’s not only the project that has given Caleb hope through help, but the people behind it that have touched Caleb’s heart. His gratefulness has spilled over into paying it forward to others in need in ways that he can offer, donating some of the beef they harvest each year to a family in need.

Brown calls all the volunteers amazing. “They really touched my heart.”