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  • 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,…

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  • Farming can be lonesome work. Long hours in the field or on a tractor by yourself can be stressful, giving you lots of time to sit and think about all the things that are causing you stress. Research has shown that stress-related hormones are actually higher in people who are lonely and have low social…

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  • One of the things I have learned in my conversations with farmers and their families is that time is one of the most precious commodities on a farm. There is never enough time to get everything done—the actual farm work, the paperwork for the government, the day-to-day record keeping, equipment repairs, spending time with your…

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  • Most of us consider thinking a good thing, something we do to solve problems or recollect fond memories.  But sometimes, our thinking can be counterproductive. You know the times…something goes wrong and you think “this is all my fault” or “I should have seen this coming.”  In a little while that voice in your head…

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  • From healthcare providers and nonprofits to county officials and faith leaders, the 2023 Spring Farm Stress Summit welcomes all who want to further their efforts in combating farm stress within our communities. The goal of this event is to learn from each other, connect communities with existing resources, and further establish partnerships across organizations.  Key target audiences for this FREE event include medical providers,…

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  • Disclaimer: Before I start, I want you to know that I’m going to talk about something serious and painful this time—stress and suicide. It happened again. Someone I know lost a loved one on the farm to suicide. It happens more frequently than you would think; according to some studies farmers have among the highest…

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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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  • If you read anything about stress management, you are likely to find information about exercise. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise can decrease tension, raise your mood, improve your sleep, increase your focus, and help you feel better overall.  Exercise can also help prevent injuries on the farm by reducing your risk of muscle…

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  • What Me, Worry?

    In one of my recent blogs I talked about the importance of sleep, and some things you can do to promote getting a restful night’s sleep. But what happens when you can’t sleep because you can’t turn your brain off, and your worries and stresses keep repeating over and over in your head? Or when…

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  • farmer drinking water from a bottle outdoors

    Everybody in farming knows that water is essential in agricultural production. We watch the weather forecasts, pray for rain during dry spells, and worry when too much rain waterlogs the fields.  But did you know that water is a weapon in fighting stress? When you are under stress, your heart rate is up and you’re…

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