Recent Articles
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Welcome to my blog, Thriving on the Farm! We all know farming is important and rewarding, but also demanding and stressful. Too much stress can be toxic—it can raise your blood pressure, give you headaches, make you anxious and depressed, get in the way of being a good parent, spouse, or friend, and cloud your…
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My mind has been wandering this week, thinking about decisions and feeling like I need to have all the answers. I started wondering–What could be more stressful than not knowing the answer to an important question or issue? I decided that even worse than the anxiety of not knowing something is not knowing and feeling…
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When I’m under a lot of stress I often forget to eat—usually because I’m busy and feel like I have to keep working and can’t stop. Then, when I get home, I swing in the other direction and stress eat, snacking on foods that comfort in the moment but make me feel tired and even…
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Now, I’m not at all a gambler, but occasionally I think it is interesting to read about poker players and how they “read” people during a game. One of the ideas I find really interesting is that of a “tell”—a change in how a player behaves or looks that gives a clue to their hand.…
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“What a pain in the neck!” is a common phrase we all use when something (or someone!) is a real bother. But literal neck pain can be a sign of stress. Of course, if you have neck pain that doesn’t go away or limits your motion, you should talk with your doctor. But minor neck…
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Whenever I talk with producers about stress, the conversation inevitably turns to money. Finances on the farm are some of the biggest stressors for producers—the uncertainty of input costs, commodity prices, farm loan rates, labor costs—it can feel like juggling blindfolded. I’ve been talking a lot about how to manage farm stress, and all the…
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March 18-25 is Georgia Ag week, when we celebrate Georgia’s largest industy. This week, remember to thank a farmer for all they do (though we should do this every week!) If you are a producer, take a moment and think about all you contribute to Georgia. Take a deep breath, and celebrate all that you…
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Friday was International Women’s Day, a day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Women are central to agriculture, and I’d like to take a minute to think about and celebrate all of the women in agriculture and everything they do. Globally, women make up half of the agricultural workforce. A third…
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In farming, and in lots of occupations, being able to make clear-headed decisions is crucial. We all need to make smart decisions about our actions, our time management, our finances. But sometimes, it is really hard to make good, swift, effective decisions, because we get lost in brain fog. Brain fog goes by many names–fogginess,…
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It’s hard to believe it’s already mid-February. As I was driving to the grocery store yesterday I noticed banks of blooming daffodils, sprouting shrubs, and budding leaves. Yep, Spring is on the way. I know that in February there’s still always the risk of a cold snap, but my guess is that we’re all thinking…
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