Things don't always go the way you expect in life. On the farm even more so. So much is always going on and so many literal and metaphoric moving parts. Machinery, markets, input costs and other variables like the weather and dealing with people like suppliers, grain companies or even other farmers can add to the stress on the farm.
Machinery breaking down is always stressful for me. It usually happens when you need them the most. It doesn't break down when it's sitting in the yard all cleaned up when you have all sorts of free time to fix. It will happen in the middle of seeding or harvest when you are truly testing the capabilities of the machine. We can do regular maintenance and go through a piece of equipment with a fine tooth comb but the fact is breakdowns happen and we have no control over it! It seems to happen in multiples and compounds the stress. I have times when it gets to me. You try your best and things still don't work out. During harvest one breakdown after another can start to build and every time your cell phone rings or the combine stops out in the field you get a pit in your stomach. Or during seeding when a big rain is in the forecast and you want to get done the field and you watch the clouds building overhead and feel so helpless. Add this on top of regular everyday stress and things can explode.
"Sometimes the wheels just fall off and we can't do anything about it!"
Weather is a huge contributor to stress on the farm. Farmers have always been at the mercy of mother nature and we have absolutely no control over how much it rains and at what time of the year. During the growing season we require about 6-8" of rain to grow a crop in my area. This needs to be timely as well, otherwise it doesn't help as much. Too much early on and then a long dry spell like in 2002 will be catastrophic for our yields and all your hard work can be for nothing. Too hot during flowering of the crop can be bad as well and all the rain in the world can't reverse the damage. All crops flower even wheat and barley it's just they aren't as visual as something like the yellow flowers of canola. During this period the plant can set a huge portion of it's yield and the longer the flowering the larger the crop normally. Late season rain can be very bad as well. In 2016 towards the end of September the rain started, then it turned to snow and more sporadic rain throughout October and pretty soon we lost a whole month to 5 weeks of a crucial part of harvest. It looked very bleak and many thought we were done till spring but luckily we had a break in early November and many were able to get the harvest completed. Hail storms, floods, droughts and other weather events like wind can all cost us money. But once again we have no control over the weather!
How do you deal with stress?
So how do I personally try to help myself to not get "stressed out"?
Balance:
The importance of the farm can become all consuming. It is our livelihood and a lot hinges on its success. So we put a huge amount of weight on how things are going with our work. That's OK if managed properly because to succeed you need to be invested. But what about the other things in your life? Take some of that focus away from the farm and put it towards something else. I take solace in things like family and friendships. Take some time to do something else you love to do, TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF! I golf or even like to take time to write down my thoughts once in a while :) Find your escape and enjoy it.
Humor:
When things are getting to you it's hard to look at the humor in it. But sometimes just take a step back and try. It doesn't work for everything but a good laugh for me goes a long ways. I'm of course talking minor stuff but the fact is at the time they may seem quite major until you step back and re-evaluate!
So take a moment today to appreciate those around you and the good things in your life. Have a good laugh. Take the focus away from any challenges and be thankful for what you have!
I hope you could take something away from this. At the least I hope you laughed. I joke about farm stress because it's the way I get through it but it is real and we face it daily. I've made many friends across Canada and throughout the world thanks to Social Media who are involved in agriculture. I see the challenges they all face and just want them to know that they are not alone in this.
If you find yourself not able to handle it there is no shame in asking for help and thanks to many caring people the resources are out there. These are just my local ones but many areas across the world have resources for farmers and more are being added daily thanks to a growing awareness.
Alberta Mental health help line
Some friends of mine started a foundation that recognizes the stresses we face in Agriculture. Here is their website and access to some great resources.
Do more Ag foundation
Thanks for reading and keep laughing!
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