What can self-care look like in the field?

TW: Mentions of suicide.

Farming is physically demanding, emotionally taxing, and often deeply isolating. Add in extreme weather, market fluctuations, labor shortages, and the stress of running a small business, and you get one of the most high-pressure jobs out there. Studies show farmer suicide rates are two to five times higher than the national average, and mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and burnout are common, especially among BIPOC farmers who also face systemic barriers to land and capital.

That’s why community-centered efforts like Real Farmer Care are so critical in moments of national transition and change. With a focus on supporting the mental health and well-being, especially for BIPOC and historically underserved farmers, Real Farmer Care provides small but meaningful self-care awards to help farmers prioritize rest and restoration. American Farmland Trust is a fiscal supporter of Real Farmer Care grants as part of its national grantmaking efforts.

Two grant recipients reflect on what self-care looks like in the field.

Charissa Ruth, Syggelekokle Farm, Pennsylvania

Charissa Ruth farms on her own in Pennsylvania while also working full-time as a nursing assistant. For her, self-care isn’t about spa days or extended vacations. She says, “it’s about [the] little things I can do on a regular basis that will nourish me.”

That includes therapy twice a month and a commitment to slowing down when possible. “I work almost every day of the week year-round because I have livestock,” she says. “I want to build in time to rest and relax so that I don’t burnout or come to resent either of my jobs.”

Charissa used her Real Farmer Care award to cover therapy costs and treat herself and her part-time employee to a nice meal — something rare and celebratory. “A dinner out feels like a real moment of joy and appreciation,” she says.

Johanna Burdet, Moodytown Gardens, Maine

In Maine, Johanna Burdet of Moodytown Gardens has come to view self-care as anything that allows her to show up as a whole person, both on and off the farm.

“Self-care to me as a farmer is doing anything that is taking time for your own self and replenishes you,” Johanna says. “In the season that can look like taking a day off to clean your house or leaving the field to go for a swim with your kids. Anything that is for you and not just about your farming operation.”

Therapy has been especially vital. “Therapy is the most important thing for me as a farmer but also for all farmers,” she says. “Especially if you are farming with a partner and if you and your partner have kids. This puts so much stress on a relationship that many times they fail. To have a thriving small farm economy, we need to support those relationships so farms can survive and be handed to the next generation.”

The Bigger Picture: Prioritizing Farmer Wellness

In a profession where rest is rarely built into the schedule and where financial instability is often the norm, making space for mental and physical well-being can feel like a radical act.

But as Johanna and Charissa show us, caring for the self is not selfish. It’s one of the most meaningful ways a farmer can care for the land and the people around them. When farmers tend to their mental health, prioritize moments of pause, or carve out time to prioritize their own needs, they are actively building a more sustainable food system.

None of us can, or should, do this alone. Whether it’s through mutual aid, sharing a tough conversation over a meal, or speaking openly about burnout and stress, being real with each other is part of this work. Building these networks of care is essential.

Want to be part of this work?

This article, originally published here, was funded by and published on AGDAILY on behalf of American Farmland Trust.