Many people think living on a farm or ranch sounds romantic but there are stresses that are unique to the farming and ranching lifestyle that families commonly struggle with.
I have always been a Val Farmer fan because he specializes in rural mental health issues that families in agriculture commonly experience. He shares his insights and information in his column and books on a wide range of topics geared toward people working in agriculture.
Agricultural occupations are highly demanding on families and are jobs that require constant attention. Most of the pressures stem from being at the mercy of things that are out of a farmer’s or rancher’s control such as weather and markets and can cause tension and constant worry that affects everyone involved.
He’s the only professional I’m familiar with whose work is geared specifically toward rural families in the farming and ranching industry. His columns appear in an agriculture newspaper we receive and I look forward to reading about the topics he covers.
I am grateful for Dr. Val Farmer’s contributions and dedication to rural families’ mental health. He has a good understanding of what the needs of the farm or ranch family unit are. His columns have always been informative, interesting, and helpful. Just knowing that there’s a professional dedicated to our mental health needs who understands the struggles we deal with and the kinds of pressures it can put on a families’ relationships puts me at ease.
Farming and ranching is important to our society and when the people involved know how to better understand and manage their job stress, agriculture benefits from it.
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