What is Young Agrarians? 

“Young Agrarians (YA) is the largest educational resource network for new and young ecological farmers in Canada. YA offers farmer-to-farmer programming to grow the next generation of food growers. YA programs work to create access to education, training, land, business mentorship, and resources. The long-term goal of YA is to increase the number of viable and ecological farmers in Canada.”

Why was Young Agrarians created?

“Of the 1.7% of the Canadian population that farm, just 9% are 35 and younger, making up less than 25,000 farm operators (Stats Canada 2016). Cost of land and production are the biggest barriers to entering the sector. Since YA began in January 2012, the network of participating farmers and collaborating organizations has grown at the grassroots level coast-to-coast through farmers organizing and building community, representing over 13,000 participants at 300+ educational events. In 2020 we worked with approximately 1400 farmers at all different stages of their journey info farming and starting farms. Currently, YA programs are focused on Western Canada from B.C. to Manitoba: YA’s Grow-a-Farmer strategy in B.C. engages new, young and potential farmers through resources and opportunities online, brings them together to network and learn together on and off farms year-round, and when ready to start farms, supports them to access land and receive business supports and mentorship from a seasoned farmer. In the Prairies, the program has grown online and through events, as well as an on-farm Apprenticeship Program in Regenerative Agriculture.”

What connection have you noticed between agriculture and mental health? 

“Farmers work really hard. Young Agrarians hears about these challenges from farmers all the time – there is a huge burden on farmers to be superheroes! We know how much loving care farmers put into their crops and animals, but it can be hard to find the time to care for themselves too. Many farmers live in rural areas, which can feel isolating and comes with its own suite of challenges. Young Agrarians appreciates the wonderful resources provided by Rural Mental Wellness, and disseminates them to support farmers to look after their mental health.”

What programs and services do you offer to your members?

“YA operates both online and offline programming to build the food and farm community: 

Business Bootcamp – an online, community-based program to give new and prospective farmers the space and skills to write a stellar business plan to launch the farm of their dreams.

B.C. Land Matching Program – provides land matching and business support services to new farmers looking for land to farm, and landowners interested in finding someone to farm their land. Offers support developing leases and other land agreements.

B.C. Business Mentorship Network that pairs new farms in start-up with experienced mentors. 

Prairies Apprenticeship Program – advanced, hands-on apprenticeships in regenerative agriculture in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

Event series – regular year-round events ranging from farm tours, webinars, potlucks, and small-scale farming workshops to two-day mixers and more.

Online Resources:

Farmer blog – our website features job and apprenticeship postings, farmer profiles, prospective land to farm, funding opportunities, and more.
U-MAP – a self-serve, crowd-sourced map that aggregates farm resources across Canada.
Online tools – business resources and downloadable tools, such as land lease and license templates and a BC Land Access Guide.

Social media channels

– buzzing networks that share opportunities, experiences, and connect our network across the country. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Hashtag #youngagrarians and grow the network with us!” 

“The B.C. Land Matching Program is funded by the Province of British Columbia, with support from Columbia Basin Trust, Bullitt Foundation, Cowichan Valley Regional District, and Patagonia.

Gratitude to all of our amazing funders, sponsors, and donors for making the work we do possible.

All photos by Sara Dent”

Visit the Young Agrarians Website: https://youngagrarians.org/

Starting a small business in a rural community can come with its fair share of challenges. A small business is defined as a firm that has fewer than 100 employees. These small businesses can come in many forms, serve the diverse needs of populations, carry different products and encompass many forms of work. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the backbone of rural and agricultural communities. Small businesses dominate the industries that keep rural communities viable, such as forestry, fishing, hunting, etc. However, owning and operating a small business in a rural community can pose some unique challenges to entrepreneurs. 

Some of the key challenges that rural entrepreneurs face include:

1. Low population density/remoteness
2. Depressed access to markets, capital, and labor 
3. Lack of necessary infrastructure 
4. Geographic isolation from support networks 
5. Infrastructure gaps, including reliable internet and telephone service 

Women entrepreneurs who own small businesses in rural and agricultural communities face even more unique challenges to keeping their business up and running. One of the main challenges female entrepreneurs face in these communities compared to the urban dwelling counterparts is higher poverty rates. This can create issues for securing capital needed to get a business up and running, and also for maintaining the business if times get hard. Once women in these communities have successfully started their small businesses, other challenges have been cited. According to the Rural Women Entrepreneurs Report, challenges with training programs, personal support systems, identifying financing, and finding qualified employees have been noted by women who run small businesses in rural communities.  

A very interesting area of growth and success for female entrepreneurs has been in the area of agriculture-related business endeavours. According to The Center for Women in Business’ report, over the past three decades, the share of U.S. farms operated by women nearly tripled to comprise 14% of all U.S. farms. In this typically male dominated space, women are getting more involved and are becoming increasingly successful. However, being a woman in a male dominated field can pose challenges. Women might feel as though they have to do more in order to stay competitive with their male counterparts. Regardless of these challenges, the above statistic makes it evident that women are getting involved in the agricultural business in a big way. 

For female entrepreneurs in rural communities, the unique hurdles and successes they face can make them feel isolated and alone. Finding community in rural areas can be a challenge in and of itself, but for women who own a small business in these geographic regions, finding that community can be even more of a challenge. This is where Peer Support Facilitator Training for Rural Women Entrepreneurs comes in. Women entrepreneurs in rural communities do not need to face their hurdles or experience their successes alone. With this peer support training, they can find a community of women who can understand and support them in profound ways. 

In this training, Rural Women Entrepreneurs will gain an understanding of peer support fundamentals and learn how to apply them effectively when supporting their peers facing similar challenges. They will also learn how to effectively communicate and share personal experiences to enhance interactions as a peer supporter and support group facilitator. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of self-care and how to apply this practice in their lives. 

Finally and most importantly, individuals will learn how to become great peer support facilitators! This work is extremely rewarding and can lead to so many amazing opportunities for trainees. Individuals who participate in this training will be able to apply the skills they learn to do work that is nourishing and steeped with care and empathy. Participants don’t need to have experienced/be experiencing mental health challenges to participate. All are welcome to join! 

The Peer Support Facilitator Training for Rural Women Entrepreneurs will be a 2-day virtual course taking place on July 21st and 28th 2021, from 9AM PST – 5PM PST (with breaks). 

Registration is by donation to the Stigma-Free Society. 

To register for this remarkable program, or a future training, please click HERE to visit our peer support landing page.

Sources:

U.S. House of Representatives, Small Business Committee

 

We interviewed 6 farmers to tell us about their perception of mental health and the challenges faced by farming and agricultural communities. Their answers were truly eye-opening. Below are excerpts from our interviews with Brendan Byrne, Nathan Brown, Carey Portell, Kristen Kelderman, Louise Virostok, and Sandi Knight.

What does mental health mean to you?

Interviewees acknowledged that mental health is complex, intertwined with other aspects of our lives, and looks different for everyone. They emphasized the importance of self-awareness, consistent care and nurturing of one’s own needs.

“Mental health to me means taking care of myself as in self care physically and mentally in order to take care of my family and be a good friend.” – Louise Virostok

“Mental health is our emotional well-being; our state of mind. Like physical health, it is an important part of our overall well-being. The two are intertwined; the health of one often impacts the other. Both require on-going care, attention and nurturing as we age and deal with life experiences.” – Sandi Knight

What did you learn about mental health growing up? Did you ever talk about it?

For all of our interviewees, mental health was not something that was discussed when they were younger.

“Absolutely nothing. You didn’t speak of it or it was a sign of weakness.” – Carey Portell

“It wasn’t until much later in life that I began to understand that how we act, think and feel impacts our overall well being. That it can be as important as physical health. This opened up a whole new world to me.” – Kristen Kelderman

Why do you think mental health is an important issue in agriculture and rural areas? 

All of the interviewees expressed that there are unique mental health challenges that rural dwelling individuals face, such as isolation, as well as access to and affordability of resources. They also highlighted that many individuals do not talk about mental health and fail to prioritize self-care.

“Most rural people and aggies have grown up just the way I did, having no idea that what they feel/think is normal and that it is beneficial and not weak to seek guidance.” – Carey Portell

“In agriculture we are taught that we can fix anything and do anything and that you do not quit until that task is complete. We often use and abuse our bodies to accomplish those tasks, and self-care often is not something that any of us consider as part of our existence. There are always animals to tend, crops to be sown, or equipment to be fixed. Self-care is usually the last thing anyone thinks about in their daily lives on a farm. Often access to services are often harder to receive and the stigma that surrounds mental health only amplifies the issue.” – Nathan Brown

“I believe that many people were coached that pride meant that you don’t ask for help, you don’t admit defeat, you just put your head down and get the work done no matter what. We can do better than this. We must do better for our people in agriculture. Creating safe and helpful spaces to discuss and support each other.” – Kristen Kelderman

Do you have personal experience with mental health challenges?

All of the individuals interviewed have either suffered from mental health challenges themselves or witnessed a loved one struggling from mental illness.

“Aside from the usual stresses of planting and harvesting, I personally don’t have specific mental health challenges.  I go through the usual ups and downs of life but have been able to navigate those waters okay. But I understand the issues more than most as my wife has been diagnosed in the last few years with a mental illness and that process has brought me to a deeper level of compassion and understanding.” – Brendan Byrne

“I struggle day to day with anxiety most recently after COVID came through and the stressful events that have been drawn out long term. Without the social aspect of my lifestyle, my ‘balance wheel’ is out of balance and causing more challenges.” – Louise Virostok

“I am a survivor of childhood abuse. It’s not something that I openly talk about a lot, but it’s a trauma I’ve lived with my entire life. More recently, a few years ago a friend took her life to suicide. These two events have been dark times in my life that have caused a lot of shame and grief.” – Kristen Kelderman

Do you observe stigma in your community around mental health? What does that look like?

Most of the interviewees have observed stigma surrounding mental health in their communities, which manifests in a lack of acknowledgment of mental health issues. Mental illness is viewed as a weakness and is highly stigmatized, as they are taught that farmers should be stoic and strong.

“I know in the agricultural community at times asking for help isn’t easy.  I remember when we first started talking about mental health I had a farmer ask me why we were wasting so much time on mental health?  My response was that I didn’t want others to have to learn about it the hard way when it affects someone that they love. I didn’t want them to have to lose someone close to them to start to understand that people are struggling. I’ve lost a friend to suicide and I don’t want others to feel that helpless or to have to go through that aftermath.” – Brendan Byrne

“Stigma around mental health is everywhere in our rural communities if you know what you are looking for or sometimes not looking at. I have friends that won’t talk about the troubled life they have led, and that drugs and alcohol is what they turn to in order to ease their pain. I have successful friends that allow thoughts of failure to enter their minds and let their operations slip to the point they are about to lose everything because they are afraid to talk to someone about their feelings and receive the help they so desperately need. I have friends that have lost a loved one in a tragic event and because they are viewed as the leader of the family have been told that it is not okay to grieve, it’s not okay to feel pain, it’s not okay to show emotion because they must be strong for the family. Is there stigma? Yes. Can we break it down, yes by loving each other and recognizing we all hurt sometimes and need a helping hand.”– Nathan Brown

One exception to this was Sandi Knight, who explained that she is fortunate to be involved in a variety of groups and organizations where mental health is openly discussed.

“For me, they are safe places to share stories and resources. Speakers have been brought in to meetings, agriculture events and conferences on the subject of mental health. This opens up conversations and creates an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their story.”     – Sandi Knight

The experiences our interviewees exemplify the need for a changing discourse surrounding mental health in agricultural communities. Additionally, these stories make it evident that there need to be more avenues for support made available to farmers.

 

Coping with stress and mental health challenges

Farm supermoms. This name is fitting because the various roles and responsibilities these women take on require them to possess superhero-like qualities. Being a farm mom can be extremely taxing and often involves these women wearing many hats throughout the day. Being a mom in and of itself is a full-time job, irrespective of farming responsibilities. Farm moms often spend their days being the chef for the entire family, running around bringing their children to various sporting activities, as well as volunteering, grocery shopping, housekeeping and some working part-time jobs on top of everything. Not to mention helping out with farming tasks. We asked 5 farm supermoms to explain their diverse roles and how they cope with stress and mental health challenges. This is what they said…

Lizanne
Lizanne is a full-time mom, as well as a chef to about a dozen people; ensuring the shack is always filled with snacks, drinks, and baked goods, making coffee for the day, as well as feeding everyone a hot dinner. Lizanne also has taken on othe

r roles such as volunteering, grocery shopping, housekeeping, and working part-time.
Lizanne copes with the stress of everyday living by reaching out to her ‘gang of Supermoms’. She gives herself a couple of hours some mornings to go for a coffee with the other moms, where they have the opportunity to vent and destress. She explains that this is a great way to recharge her batteries and realize she is not alone in her struggles. Lizanne’s mother-in-

law and husband are also amazing supporters. She described how thankful she is for the help and support of her mother-in-law, but also admits that asking for help is a challenge for her. Her husband is a huge help around the house and with the kids during most of the year. However when farming season hits, she feels like she becomes a single mother. Although this is challenging, she copes by reminding herself that harvest season does not last forever and that it is important to just take life day by day.

Krista
Krista’s roles have varied throughout the years. There were times where she was at the barn non-stop and other times where she didn’t go to the barn for days or weeks. She and her husband have three older kids (13, 10 & 8) as well as two younger kids (3 & 1). Krista’s roles as a supermom not only include barn work, she also spends time driving the kids around, cooking, cleaning and changing dirty diapers. Since her last pregnancy, Krista stepped back from barn work and  directed her focus to her mom duties and homeschooling her three oldest kids.
Krista has experienced postpartum depression (PPD) after the birth of her first, third and fourth child. The first time Krista experienced this, she had no idea what was happening to her and wasn’t aware of the fact that PPD is very common. She felt ashamed and ultimately suffered in silence. By the fourth child, Krista felt more equipped to deal with it.

Alyssa
Alyssa and her husband have two children (2 ½ & 13). She reports that she will “do anything that is needed or asked of me. I will hold a gate, sort cattle, make lunches, run for parts, keep the bookwork, or feed the animals”. Alyssa also enjoys gardening and plans to expand her garden this spring. She started a social media page @raisingkidsandcrops as a creative outlet for herself. She has realized the need to share her family’s farming story with people outside of agriculture.
Alyssa personally struggles with her mental health, it is a daily battle to keep her anxiety under control. Alyssa does several things to help her cope with the anxiety she experiences, such as exercise, daily anxiety medication and CBD supplements. Her advice to those looking for ways to cope with their mental health issues is to find something that works for you, because what works for one person may not work for another.

Tiffany
Tiffany and her husband have three children. Her third child, Natalie, was born with a genetic mutation, which resulted in a diagnosis of Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. Tiffany is the primary caregiver of Natalie, which leaves little time for hobbies. Natalie requires multiple medications a day and needs constant supervision because her epilepsy is drug resistant and is not completely controlled. She has multiple types of seizures and she has at least one type of seizure everyday. Tiffany brings Natalie along for sheep chores daily and she picks up jobs that allows Natalie to tag along. Tiffany explains that most of what she does revolves around the needs of her daughter. However, she loves advocating for the agricultural industry and often does this in her spare time though her Instagram @prairiepretty or her blog www.prairiepretty.com.
Tiffany has been reaching out for help for a while now. She expresses concerns with our government-run mental health system, as it takes a long time to process needs and requests. When she applied for respite, it took Community Services Living a year and a half to finish processing her application and begin the interview process. This is an issue Tiffany is passionate about. It is important to bring public awareness to this issue and ensure those in rural areas get the support they require.

Katie
Katie has two young boys, ages 6 and 8. She explains that being a mom is the most important role she has at the moment and notes that her and her husband are “raising the next generation and there is no job more important in the world.” Along with working hard, they want their children to know it’s ok to take a break, a vacation, or some down time in whatever capacity you can. She explained that their career and lifestyle doesn’t always make doing that easy, but it’s necessary. Along with being a mom, Katie also helps in nearly all aspects of the farm, from operating equipment to quality control and so much in between. She also manages their website, social media, and some record keeping.
Katie finds that one of her biggest challenges is the pressure she puts on herself to do it all and to ask for help when she needs it. She explains that moms are programmed to believe and accept that they should be able to do it all, but the reality is it can leave them feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed.

An important message to take away from these farm supermoms is that asking for help can be tough, but when you do, you’ll realize that there are so many people behind you that are more than happy to lend a hand. From being full-time moms, to taking care of their farms, these women have truly earned their super-status.

 

Listen to article here!

You might be looking at the title of this article and thinking to yourself, “hilarious pun, but what is goat yoga?” Well, goat yoga is exactly what it sounds like: yoga with goats. While this might seem like a hokey fad, there is actually quite a bit of evidence to support the benefits of goat yoga for your mental health and overall wellness. 

So let’s break it down. For most of us, spending time with animals is a super easy and quick boost of serotonin. According to GoatYoga.net, these are some of the mental health benefits of animal assisted therapy:

• Just petting animals releases a relaxation response
  • Humans interacting with animals have found that petting the animal promoted the release of serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin- all hormones that can play a part in elevating moods
• Lowers anxiety and helps people relax
• Provides comfort
• Reduces loneliness
• Increases mental stimulation
  • Can provide an escape or happy distraction
• Can act as catalysts in the therapy process
  • May help break the ice
  • May reduce anxiety

Combine this with the known physical and mental health benefits of yoga, such as stretching, mindfulness, cardiovascular health, reduced back pain, relaxation and meditation, and you have a sure-fire recipe for feeling great. 

Now you might be thinking to yourself “what exactly happens during goat yoga? Am I doing yoga, or are the goats?” Another great question. Seeing as it would be hard to explain the concept of yoga to a goat, it is you who practices the yoga. The goats simply roam around the room, sometimes jumping on the backs of unsuspecting yogis, while they enhance the overall yoga experience and provide a great deal of entertainment. This video gives you the inside scoop about what a goat yoga session looks like and can provide you with more information about this unique form of yoga practice. 

Whether you’re new to yoga or an experienced yoga practitioner, goat yoga is a fun way to move your body while interacting with some adorable barnyard animals. Goat out there and try it out for yourself!