Alberta Farmer Turns Disability into Asset

An Alberta farmer and internet blogger is demonstrating how a challenge can be turned into an asset. "If I Can" was the keynote address on day one of Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium 2025 last week in Saskatoon. Chris Koch (Cook), a Nanton, Alberta farmer, internet blogger and marathoner, has turned a disability into an asset.

Quote-Chris Koch-ifican.ca:

Simply put, I was born missing arms and legs. To give you a visual, my arms would be about elbow length and then as far as the legs, the left side is no leg at all and on the right side there's a partially developed leg with a partially developed foot. I can hop around on that one leg or I use a long board or skateboard to get around so I'll sit on the board and push that forward with the right leg.

Necessity is the mother of invention. First of all, I have a lot of people tell me, “If I was in your situation, I'd never be able to do that." I beg to differ.

I think we're all capable of overcoming some pretty incredible stuff.If you've ever broken a leg or an arm or what ever and had to learn to write with the other or navigate with crutches, you're kind of a bumbling fool for the first few days and you get a little bit better and, by the end of it, you're getting pretty proficient. I just figured out how to do things the way that I do them and, even though I was born missing arms and legs, it hasn't held me back from anything.

I grew up farming and it's been part of my life as far back as I can remember.If my mom and dad and grandparents and aunts and uncles treated me like that poor disabled boy, I would have grown up acting that way, where as I was just Chris.

When you have that kind of support and grow up around that mentality, you don't start questioning yourself or your abilities.You know that you can do it.
You know that it might not be easy. You know that you might have to get creative and figure out your way of doing it but you know you can do it.

Koch guarantees he's having more fun and more success without arms and legs than if he had been born with them and he encourages others to think about what's been holding them back and just get out there and do. His web site is located at ifican.ca.