Anna, Are You a Witch?

“Anna, are you a witch?”  The question took me by surprise. I was at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Growers conference talking about farm stress, and one of the growers asked me this at our booth.

“Excuse me?” I replied, feeling really puzzled and a tiny bit offended.

He continued “Because unless you’re a witch and can control the weather, you can’t do anything about my stress.”

Oh—right. In farming there are so many things outside of a producer’s control—weather, input costs, commodity prices, regulations, labor—how can anybody possibly manage stress with all these unpredictable stressors?

There are things under our control

It’s true that there are lots of things that can’t be controlled. BUT there are lots of things that can be. We just need to remember two things.

First, no one has to do this alone. As the stressors come, consult with Extension agents to get the latest science on what to do during times of drought, disease, or pests. Talk with other producers you trust to problem-solve and think through current conditions. Scientific knowledge and experiential wisdom are there for you.

Second, remember that while you can’t control stressors, you can control what stress does to your body and your mind, and manage stress so that it doesn’t kill you. Heart attacks, depression and suicide, stroke, broken relationships, high blood pressure—stress can cause all of these. Fight stress just as hard as you fight weeds, southern corn rust, root knot nematodes, or avian influenza. Farmers are fighters. Fight stress.

Fight stress and stay SAFER

It just takes a couple of minutes to make sure you fight stress and protect your physical and mental health. Think about staying SAFER:

Get enough Sleep—it will help you stay clear-headed if you can get 7-8 hours a night;

Be Aware of your stress level—sometimes stress becomes so common you don’t even notice it—how can you fight it if you don’t notice it’s there?

Focus on the things to be grateful for—remember the good things you have, like family, friends, faith

Eat well and drink enough water—fresh food and 64 ounces of water a day make a big difference

Reach out and talk to people you trust—don’t suffer with stress in silence

Sadly, there are no witches or magicians to control stress. But reminding yourself to be SAFER could be the magic spell you need to fight stress and thrive on the farm.