Ontario Grain Farmer March 2021

In the early spring, as many of us were assessing this new virus and looking forward to moving beyond it by May or the end of June, we never thought in our wildest dreams we would be where we are today. And here we are. We’re still standing and when you think about it, who better to survive adversity than a group of individuals who know a thing or two about adversity. While most segments of our society deal with catastrophic events like hurricanes or stock market crashes once in a decade, farmers have far more experience facing a wide range of hardships, sometimes on an annual basis. Things like droughts and floods that threaten to change the course of our livelihoods and our lives. Ultimately, we know we’ll get through them and we always do one way or another. This resilience is something to be proud of and to gain strength from. Mental and Emotional Strains of the Pandemic That said, we now find ourselves facing the daunting prospect of living with COVID-19 much, much longer than we planned for. While we can regroup and figure out how to make a go of things to keep our operations going, it’s not quite that simple dealing with the mental and emotional aspects of this pandemic. It’s also not as easy to recognize that someone we know is going through a personal crisis. There was a time not long ago when there would be tell-tale signs that something was amiss. They would not show up for consecutive service club meetings. Their absence at hockey games or other community interactions would be noticeable. They may have been unusually quiet at family Sunday dinners. Because of social distancing, these once predictable gatherings are no longer at hand. We need to dig deeper to identify whether the people we care about are at risk. The fact is, mental health issues are on the rise in Ontario and this includes an increase in suicides in some rural areas of Ontario. Strategies for Dealing with the Stress There are things that we can do to alleviate stress. 1. Take a Break. Take as little as two minutes out of your work day to take a break. But make it a real break. If someone brings you a coffee, don’t just take sips with the combine engine running while surveying what needs to be done next. Turn the engine off, hop out and acknowledge the beauty of your surroundings. Take pride in what you’ve built. 2. Keep things in perspective. This includes keeping a positive attitude. If a piece of equipment breaks down at the worst possible time, give yourself a moment to express your frustration. But then focus your energy on a plan to move forward. Ask yourself what you need to do to get it back up and running and take action. 3. Support Network/Social Connections. While the old in-person standbys may not be available while we deal with COVID-19, there are more and more opportunities to make connections. This could be one on one via FaceTime as well as group get-togethers on Zoom or other such options. There are online groups of like-minded people to join to build new connections, using platforms like Instagram, which also present the opportunity to share in the experiences of others without any pressure to participate. For free resources related to managing stress on the farm: https://wsps.news/3m0zJ3h Call Customer Care to speak with a consultant. 1 877 494 WSPS (9777) customercare@wsps.ca LOOKING FORWARD: Building our capacity to survive and thrive Below are two online resources with valuable information relating to COVID-19 and mental health. WSPS COVID-19 Hub https://covid19.wsps.ca/ COVID-19 Mental Health Resources https://wsps.news/2z9MjK0