Agriculture Opening Up to Mental Health Discussion

WRITTEN BY REBECCA COLNAR PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CUTTING FENCES FOUNDATION

Being a parent living on a farm or ranch has unique challenges. Your home is not only where you live, but also your workplace and your passion. Farming and ranching often means living in remote areas, being at the mercy of the weather and at the whim of the markets, intense daily physical labor and large financial outlays. Those stressors can be the cause of mental health issues for many farmers and ranchers.

“I can pull myself through, alone, no matter what,” has long been the mantra of those in agriculture, leading to a lifestyle that research shows has a higher likelihood of developing a major depressive disorder than any other occupational group.

Fortunately, that mindset is changing. Leaders in agriculture, extension agents and the agricultural producers themselves are beginning to prioritize and value mental health. Increasing the conversations around ag mental health has also begun to decrease the stigma around it. More agriculturalists are talking about suicide and stress among themselves and are slowly becoming more willing to seek help in overcoming mental health issues.

Kendra Lewis, founder of the Cutting Fences Foundation, serves the agricultural and veteran populations. She has developed podcasts for people to gain inspiration and resilience by listening to the stories of others.

She noted that being an example of the humility that comes from struggling with mental health and the courage of asking for help and finding healing are essential. “We really need to start modeling how we are going to eliminate stigma,” Kendra said. “We need to be open about what causes stress and mental health concerns. Kids are very observant, so if we can be open about dealing with stress and mental health issues, they will follow in our footsteps by learning to be comfortable discussing mental health and finding the resilience to move forward.”

Farmers and ranchers who have been in accidents are featured on the Cutting Fences podcasts, addressing how they overcame their injuries to lead successful and productive lives. “You can find healing through neighbors, and through other people who have been through something similar. It’s important to find someone you can connect with and who can empathize with you,” Kendra advised.

On one Cutting Fences podcast, mom Kaila Anderson talked about her program, LandLogic, which addresses how people in agriculture develop an innate connection to the land and how that can create healing. “She uses the aerial map of their land to tailor a client-centered therapeutic tool. She has them draw that map and find places on their land where they are most at peace, and understand why that particular area brings them peace,” said Kendra. “There is something to be said about the land and being out in nature and how grounding that can be. Of course, possibly the hardest part about agriculture is what brings the most peace may also be the thing that causes the most stress.”

Being out on farm and ranch land, and even going for nature walks, not only helps make everyone more mindful, but gets kids away from the computer, iPad and cell phone screens.

Youth in agriculture develop a sense of working toward a goal. “Doing tasks on your land with your children means it’s more than just a day’s work, it’s part of a legacy being passed down; it is a sense of purpose,” said Kendra. “Children learn that when you’re tending land and livestock, it’s a process that takes time, it’s not something done in an instant—and that can be exceedingly positive for mental health.“

“I think it’s important for parents to give kids real-life examples when they’ve struggled with something on the ranch or in life and show how they worked through it,” she said. “Let your children know it’s OK to struggle and have those open conversations so that when kids are struggling, they know they’re supported and not alone.”

To listen to the Cutting Fences Podcasts, visit cuttingfencesfoundation.net.

Note: Kendra had a mom donate her son’s power wheelchair to the Cutting Fences Foundation. Kendra is hoping to find a home for it. Contact Kendra at cuttingfencesfoundation@gmail.com.

Rebecca Colnar is Director of Public Relations for Montana Farm Bureau and a freelance writer from Custer, Montana.