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It’s Memorial Day, when we remember those men and women who have given their lives for our country. Memorial Day falls in the month of May, which means it is during Mental Health Awareness month.
I can’t help but think about these two ideas together—remembering those who have died in service and being aware of the importance of mental health. As I do this, in addition to the brave men and women in the military who have lost their lives, I also think about the men and women in farming we have lost to stress-related problems like heart attacks and injury and suicide.
So, this Memorial Day, in addition to honoring our fallen servicemen and women, I am remembering and honoring the farmers who work every day to feed us, and who live (and sometimes die) with the stress that this work brings.
I hope you each find ways to manage this stress and not let it become toxic. Read a few of the entries in this blog, or talk with a good friend, or watch a video like this one from Farm Monitor where Georgia farmer Matt Berry is talking about the importance of taking care of your mental health. Do what you need to do and take care of yourself.
And please remember, that in addition to the gratitude we feel for those in the military…while we don’t say it nearly enough, we are also grateful to our farmers, and we thank you for all you do!
