Uncategorized
-
“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…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
I was talking a good friend the other day, and she started telling me about her neighbor Caleb, who grows peaches. As well all know, the Georgia peach crop is in trouble this year, due to a warm winter followed by several days of freezing temperatures. “I’m really worried about Caleb,” she said. “He just…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
I just discovered this commentary from Bob Kemerait, Professor and Extension Specialist in the UGA Dept. of Plant Pathology. Titled “When being ‘tough’ may be too much”, he eloquently talks about how tough and stoic farmers are, and how sometimes that gets in the way of asking for help when you really need it. As…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
I was recently talking with the wife of a Georgia grower, about the stresses her husband is under and how he won’t take time to go to the doctor or take care of himself. In frustration she said “I just wish he would take care of himself as well as he takes care of his…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
May has been Mental Health Awareness Month but isn’t every day a good day to take a minute or ten to take care of yourself? Mental Health Awareness month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. The purpose of recognizing this work is to educate the public, help to reduce stigma,…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
Did you know that happiness isn’t just a warm fuzzy feeling? Happiness has actually been linked to good health. People often think of health as the absence of illness or depression or anxiety. But it’s much more–it also includes all those positive feelings, both physical and emotional, that we enjoy. If you’re happy and you…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
I read somewhere that farming is a profession of hope, and it seems to me that planting is a perfect example of that. I’ve been talking with Extension agents, and all of them are intently focus on planting right now, as I’m sure many of you are too. It’s planting season—it’s hoping season. We hope…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
Now that April (Stress Awareness Month) has come to a close and May (Mental Health Awareness Month) is starting, I thought it would be a good time to talk about the difference between good stress and bad stress and how they affect your mental health. Good Stress Some stress can be good – it…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
Last post I wrote a little about grief on top of stress, telling you about what I was learning through the experience of both my parents dying two days apart. Well, I’m still learning, and I thought I’d pass along what I’m finding. It’s humbling—I’m learning that I may know about handling stress, but actually…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
For this post, I wanted to offer a few thoughts about something that’s a little more personal, but that many of you may have or may also experience at some point in your lives—loss on top of chronic stress. Sometimes in life you’re going along, managing your stress OK and keeping it all in balance,…
Posted in: Uncategorized