Everyone is exhausted by the pandemic and needs to recharge their emotional batteries, says Olds psychologist
Reading Time: 4 minutes Has burnout become your everyday reality during the pandemic? You’re not alone. More than 2,000 people recently took in a webinar on burnout and “compassion fatigue” by Jody Carrington, a child psychologist from Olds. “I don’t know if any of you are emotionally exhausted in the middle of a global pandemic, but I don’t know […] Read more
It’s been a long, hard slog, but there are ways to lessen your load
Everyone is exhausted by the pandemic and needs to recharge emotional batteries, Olds psychologist says
Report links business management, mental health of farmers
Farm women, young farmers report higher levels of stress, difficulties coping
Ottawa — A new report from Farm Management Canada (FMC) calls for action after determining 75 per cent of Canadian farmers reported being moderately to highly stressed about unpredictable interference, workload pressure and financial pressures. But how a farmer plans his or her business — and associated risks — can help lower that statistic. The […] Read more
Don’t try to tough it out if you’re stressed
Reading Time: < 1 minute Harvest is a particularly stressful time and it’s important that farm owners and family members know the signs and symptoms of fatigue, anxiety and depression. “When you begin to feel overwhelmed or burnt out, one of the best things you can do is call a timeout, step back and take a moment for yourself,” said […] Read more
Reach out if you need help
Reading Time: < 1 minute Farm Credit Canada has developed public service messages to encourage the conversation on mental health in agriculture. The PSAs, bearing the tag Rooted in Strength, encourage producers to “make sure your well-being is a priority” and to check out resources available at domore.ag, the website of the Do More Ag Foundation, a mental health advocacy […] Read more
The long wait: Delayed harvest wears you down
The stress isn’t just in the mind — and talking things out will lessen those physiological drivers
Reading Time: 5 minutes Fatigue when working long hours is a serious safety concern on farms — but another kind of exhaustion often sets in when farmers want to be out in the field, but are hampered by poor weather. “Even though we aren’t actually combining and it’s not physically taxing, the fatigue can still be there,” said Hannah […] Read more
Ag industry urged to ‘do more’ about mental health issues
New organization aims to destigmatize mental illness in the agriculture industry by getting people to talk more, ask more, and listen more
Reading Time: 5 minutes Sean Stanford thought he was going to die. It happened one week last winter, and started with a pain in his chest. A heart attack, he figured. A trip to the emergency room turned up nothing. There was nothing wrong with him. And then the pain started again, worse this time. Another trip to the […] Read more
Stressors pile up for Manitoba soybeans
Damaged patches of soybeans around Manitoba this year could be due to a combination of stresses, says Manitoba Agriculture plant pathologist Holly Derksen. “It’s a tricky year for diagnosing these problems,” Derksen said Wednesday during the Crop Talk Westman webinar. “When multiple stressors are present often the soybean plants may respond differently. Not all plants, […] Read more
In times of hardship, take time to consider all of your riches
The love of your children, support of family and friends, and faith are priceless treasures to be cherished
Reading Time: 3 minutes I am admiring the picture on the cover of Alexander McCall Smith’s book The Full Cupboard of Life. His fictitious stories from Botswana are an easy and humorous read. The cupboard referred to is typical; containing four plates and four cups, two bowls, a couple of pots, a little cooking oil, and a teapot. That’s […] Read more
Believe it or not — urban men are in better health than farmers
Stress and constantly working take their toll, but there’s a free and proven program that helps farmers enjoy healthier, better lives
Reading Time: 5 minutes You take good care of your land, your equipment, and your animals. But do you take the same care with your own health? Farmers tend not to think of themselves as a ‘tool’ that needs regular maintenance, says the program manager of Sustainable Farm Families Alberta. Combines, for instance, go into the shop before every […] Read more
Running on empty? It’s time to set goals for your farm
Working 100 hours a week is ‘a recipe for burnout,’ says American farmer and author who found salvation in scaling back
Reading Time: 3 minutes It takes guts to be a farmer these days. “Farming is an extremely complex business to run, and it takes remarkable courage,” said author Rebecca Thistlethwaite, who farms in Oregon. “It demands an incredible well of passion, a willingness to learn, and ‘stick-to-it-tiveness’ to make it work.” But more and more, farmers are finding that […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
