Katie - Farmer, farrier and peer support advocate, Pangee NSW
My picture of the struggle in farmer mental health is:
When conversations start to stop and we withdraw from community. Often, if seen in public the common answer when asked ‘are you doing ok’ is the line “I’m fine, but so and so down the road might need some help.” I quote myself and many other farmers with this line – deflecting attention away from ourselves is what we do best, even if it’s us who need the help.
Some of the glimmer/joyful moments that reflect farmer mental health for me:
Peer support is everything. I have found by sharing my own life experiences through my “Check Your Mates, Open the Gates” personal blog it has resonated with my fellow farmers, by keeping it real and having an easy platform for them to reach out on. Knowing that someone believes in you is a huge boost to one’s confidence and tends to be a very valuable tool to those struggling.
A little more about Katie:
I am a beef cattle farmer with my husband and two sons. We operate Santolina Santa Gertrudis Stud and I have been a Farrier for 25 years. I believe peer support is what keeps farmers and communities healthy. Without connection and conversation mental health is compromised. Too many fall through the cracks in agriculture and it’s my mission to help stop this from happening and why I’m happy to join in this great campaign.
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