Cumberland beef farmer to have 10th surgery after losing right hand in baler accident

OTTAWA — Cumberland beef farmer Justin Birch, a volunteer firefighter and military veteran, returned home Oct. 12 after nine surgeries at Ottawa Civic Hospital following a horrific accident on Sept. 20. He fell from a baler and his right hand got caught in the machinery. His right hand and wrist were later amputated. He was right-handed.

He had a 10th surgery scheduled for the first week of November.
Birch told Farmers Forum that he was doing “a little bit of supervising” when he got back to the farm. He works full-time as a heavy equipment operator for the city of Ottawa.

An online GoFundMe page set an initial goal of $5,000 to help pay for rehabilitation. It had raised $113,436 by Oct. 27.

Birch, 30, had said from his hospital bed that he was looking forward to getting back to work.

The farm operation has been helped by local volunteer firefighters, family, friends and strangers. A local restaurant, Lorenzo’s Pizza, created a “Birch Special” and donated 30 per cent of proceeds to help with expenses.