We on the Farm Coaching Team express heartfelt care and concern to all affected by chronic stress, mental health challenges, and compassion fatigue.\u00a0 We wanted to share this podcast<\/a> from the National Young Farmer\u2019s Coalition that tells the story of people coming together after a tragic loss in the farming community of Washington state.<\/p>\n Here are a few resources that farmers, farm partners, farmworkers and farm service providers might find helpful to share with others.<\/p>\n We strive to be part of a collective response of stress and mental health support in farming communities. Please consider reaching out to other farmers, farmworkers and others you know who may be struggling.<\/p>\n If the Farm Coaching<\/a> program can be of any support, please reach out. We have experienced farmers who are part of the team and who know the stresses of farming inside and out.<\/p>\n It is May and if the birds don\u2019t wake you before dawn, the circling thoughts of the undone projects probably do. Those onions that need to get in the ground, the broken axle, the wholesale account that fell through. The reality of what needs to be done can lead to uncomfortable feelings of overwhelm.<\/p>\n We all are familiar with it, some more than others. When that feeling lasts for more than a few hours or days, it may be helpful to parse out if what is happening is demoralization or depression. According to Dr. Kaethe Weingarten, there is a difference between being demoralized and depressed. \u201cDemoralization is a normal reaction to overwhelming circumstances when the way to solve the problem is unclear or difficult to do. What distinguishes demoralization from depression is that if the situation changes, and you are demoralized, you are going to feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n A lot of farmers can feel demoralized in spring time, through droughty times and certainly around financial issues. People have felt demoralized through the pandemic. You can watch Weingarten discuss this issue and the difference between \u201cnormal worry\u201d and \u201cexcessive worry\u201d in this video.<\/a> She gives concrete ideas for how to work with these distressing feelings.<\/p>\n It\u2019s okay to not be okay. The folks at Farm State of Mind<\/a>, the Heal Food Alliance<\/a>, the Northeast Farmers of Color Network<\/a>, and FarmAid<\/a> have different ways to connect and reach out for others to talk to. Connection can help you stay mentally and physically healthy. And reach out to trusted family and friends who can provide additional support.<\/p>\n The farm coaching team is available to talk with you<\/a> about stress you are experiencing.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget your own health and well-being, and find ways to build in routines to take care of yourself. If you are finding that you are overwhelmed, or having a hard time doing the things you usually do, please talk to someone else. Ask for help for the farm, adapt as needed, and consider reaching out to a counselor or phone hotline.<\/p>\n This video about social sustainability<\/a> includes ways to create equitable and fair systems for all farmers and why this is important for personal well being.<\/p>\n And this video focuses on stress<\/a> that farmers experience. Be aware of your own signals and connect with those around you in case others may be struggling and too proud or fearful to reach out.<\/p>\n Supports for mental health and well-being – Call the Strengthen ME support line (207-221-8198 , or The Maine Crisis Hotline or \u201c711\u201d for supports in Maine, and Farm Aid<\/a> has a hotline (1-800-FARM-AID) just for farmers who want to talk about stresses and how to find support.<\/p>\n The Farm Coaches can talk with you about changing up your routines, building in sustainable strategies for your farm, and talking about these issues with your staff. Reach out<\/a> and we can find a time to Zoom, talk by phone, or visit the farm.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A few weeks ago, I had a big project that was looming but I was not making time for it. I knew the deadline was coming right up and I was thinking about it a lot, so some mental preparation was happening, I just wasn\u2019t showing up for the actual work of putting the pieces together. The day before the deadline, I was avoiding doing the task so cleverly that I cleaned two whole dust covered and cluttered bookshelves, top to bottom. I laughed when I realized that I was using deep cleaning to avoid a task that I had committed to (and needed to finish!) Tax prep falls in this category every year around this time!<\/p>\n I will avoid doing the little things, too. Emptying the compost bucket only once it is literally overflowing is a signature move in my kitchen. I also avoid online shopping and ordering farm goods. Seed orders are particularly challenging.<\/p>\n I figure I am never going to love doing any of these little tasks that I avoid so expertly but I do need to notice when I am avoiding a task so that I can be accountable to my farm team members. They may be relying on my actions to make their next move or decision. Noticing and saying the behavior out loud. \u201cI am totally avoiding fixing the irrigation in hoophouse 3\u201d is where I start. Then I might get some nods and chuckles and I can use that accountability to propel me to action or I can ask for help. \u201cIs anyone else excited about this and want to take it over?\u201d And if not, then I might try, \u201cWould anyone be willing to help me with it so that it gets done today?\u201d<\/p>\n I do value accountability, so admitting to my avoidance is often enough to change my cleaning binges and other stealthy behaviors around toward the critical task at hand. If you would like to read more about avoidance and the ways to change this pattern, this article<\/a> may be of interest to you.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to talk to a farm coach<\/a> about strategies for completing tasks and personal or teamwork, send us a message!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This past year certainly offered ample opportunity for us, as white farm owners, to reckon with the difference between our social justice intentions and the reality of our actions (and inaction) and their impacts. Racism, sexism, nativism, homophobia, colonialism and elitism were all subjects of conversation around our packshed all summer. How do we live up to our ideals? Should we move funds toward BIPOC owned businesses? Put a land acknowledgement on our website? What is authentic and right to do? How to beware of virtue signalling? How do we intend to keep up the efforts?<\/p>\n This winter, I have seen and participated in groups of farmers coming together in workshops offered through MOFGA<\/a>, Soul Fire Farm<\/a> and others to learn about the history of racism and colonialism in farming. These groups also train farmers in strategizing with other farmers about how to shift toward more equitable actions, agreements and practices. There is a lot for us white folks to learn. MOFGA has put together an incredible learning guide<\/a> that could be used on farms, in farmer groups and in the broader community to challenge and change some long-held, convenient and oppressive patterns. Food Systems New England is winding down the 7th year of the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge<\/a>, and it\u2019s not too late to tune in and join this opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth.<\/p>\n Looking for a space to reflect and do some inquiry about your farm and equity? The farm coaches<\/a> can help and refer you to opportunities in Maine and more.<\/p>\n As a parent to three children and a co-owner of a farm, a lot of people wonder how much our children are involved in the daily tasks and chores of the farm business. My answer is always, \u201conly as much as they have wanted to.\u201d\u00a0 But that was our answer. Every farmer-parent has to find their own right path through a demanding business and even more demanding parenting. With that said, here is a bit of what we figured out.<\/p>\n Early on, when the boys were young and in need of naps, fresh diapers and snacks very frequently, one of us would be \u201con\u201d with the boys and the other would be \u201con\u201d\u00a0 with the crew and farm details. We would often split by the half day or whole day, especially in summer, when getting the children to cool water seemed the most important task of the day.<\/p>\n As the boys got older and had bikes to ride and frogs to catch, we were both able to work on the farm at the same time. Then prioritizing field trips and off farm fun became important so that their needs were met and that they didn\u2019t experience their parents working \u201call the time.\u201d<\/p>\n We have always taken a day off per week for family activities. We have always had our children participate in all household tasks, especially cleaning toilets, showers, vacuuming, dishes, cooking, shoveling snow. We have never paid an allowance as we wanted our children to contribute to normal upkeep of a community space without any money attached.<\/p>\n When they work on the farm, however, they always get an age appropriate hourly wage with which they may have half as spending money and half as savings money. So far, our 17 year old has become a summer farm crew member for the last three years. The younger guys have an open invitation but they are still building stuff and biking and eating snacks in the shade all day, it seems. That is so fine with us. We want them to remember a childhood of fun. They will have their whole lives to work. If one or more of them decides they like farming, great, but we have no expectations that they will take on any of the weight of our jobs and our life choices.<\/p>\n How do you want to incorporate kids on the farm? There is no one right way, and if you\u2019d like to talk about it with others, the farm coaches<\/a> are available to discuss roles on the farm, incorporating family members, and shared work in general.<\/p>\n Want to up your game as a manager, boss or mentor to your farm crew? One place to start is by paying closer attention to the people around you. This sounds easy but actually requires a good deal of focus, intention, and patience. Attention is a form of appreciation, so really focusing on a co-worker\u2019s question or story, asking follow up questions, and using body language to show you are listening all carry the message of appreciation to others. Appreciation is good for everyone and good for our brains! This article<\/a> discusses the benefits of appreciation and gratitude in the workplace.<\/p>\n Gratitude has many forms. Sometimes it is the tried and true \u201cThank you so much\u201d that does the trick. Sometimes we show appreciation by offering to do a task for someone who normally does that task. Think dinner, dishes, animal chores, morning coffee. Gifts are a recognized language of appreciation, so chocolate bars, pizza or homemade cookies can carry a clear message of\u00a0 appreciation. So can a raise, of course.<\/p>\n How can you bring more of your gratitude and acknowledgement to those around you? Starting small and repeating often is what helps a new habit stick. Small gestures of kindness, attention and gratitude will feel good to you and your team and bring everyone closer together.<\/p>\n Farm coaching<\/a> is a place to practice appreciation and gratitude. Every time we meet, that\u2019s part of the conversation.<\/p>\n What happens in a Farm Coaching session?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Farm Coaching is farmer-centric. Farm coaches follow the leads and needs of the farm team. The farm team\u2019s goals and stuck spots rule the agenda. Coaches take notes, ask clarifying questions. Coaches work to help teams notice, articulate and investigate values, priorities and patterns.<\/p>\n Here are a few things farm teams have done in the Farm Coaching program:<\/p>\n -develop a labor tracking form to better account for crew hours<\/p>\n -develop an agenda and activities for an all farm staff meeting to announce management changes<\/p>\n -discuss roles and responsibilities of different leaders in the business<\/p>\n -develop a communication plan that maps out daily, weekly, seasonal and annual meetings<\/p>\n -engage in facilitated discussions with multiple generations of stakeholders<\/p>\n -engage in facilitated conversations around long term goals and develop action plans to move toward them<\/p>\n Farm Coaching is a place where farm teams can come together to learn something new and gain new skills and tools to go forward together. Farm Coaching helps teams grow stronger and smarter and kinder, together. Call the farm coaches<\/a> to see what can work for you.<\/p>\n When our family milk cow died of milk fever 19 years ago, I was alone on the farm for the weekend. I\u2019d been checking on her and her heifer calf all day and evening. All was well. When I entered the barn early the next morning and found her on her side, stiff and barely alive, I nearly passed out. I called a neighbor dairy farmer and he came over to help. As we walked down to the barn to assess, he said, \u201cWhen you have livestock, you have deadstock.\u201d<\/p>\n This simple truth was good for me to hear and it speaks to the basic truth of our own mortal existence as humans, as well. We will all lose loved ones through life. The COVID-19 pandemic brought loss and grief into so many lives, all over our country and world. Ongoing systemic oppression causes whole communities to grieve the loss of freedom, opportunity and sometimes life.<\/p>\n How we choose to tend to these losses is called grieving or bereavement. Some people choose to keep their grief to themselves and may not want to burden others with their \u201cheavy\u201d feelings. Others reach out to talk to family, friends and\/or professionals. The important thing is that you are able to access the resources of time and space and connection\/solitude that you need. Only you know what feels best.<\/p>\n Loss or bereavement groups are a way to be in community with others like you who are suffering a loss. Most communities have groups that meet for 4-8 weeks to discuss loss and healing. Local churches and hospice organizations often host bereavement groups online and in \u201cnormal\u201d times, in person. There are some wonderful resources on the importance and many faces of grief online. Here<\/a> is one video that is short and sweet but you can search through TED talks for lots more thoughtful offerings that might help you navigate through a big loss.<\/p>\n This morning I enjoyed the rare experience of focus. Generally I develop my weekly computer \u201cto-do\u201d list on Sundays when my partner and I compare our calendars. This week I had two days without off-farm obligations- yahoo! How did I ensure I\u2019d actually complete the tasks I wanted?<\/p>\n First, I made a big list of things I\u2019d like to get done this week (both big and small). I grouped them by what I needed the internet to do, versus no internet. Then, I prioritized each by how good it would feel to get it done. I separated big tasks and noted how much time to allocate. I put one big task per day based on what I know are my prime productivity windows. Then, I grouped together similar tasks, such as emails. These could be done in the evening as they don\u2019t require me to be \u201cat my prime.\u201d Finally, I broke the big tasks into components such as, \u201cwhat needed to be done before I even turned on my wifi hotspot?\u201d I also thought about any preparation (research or web cruising) that could be done at another time (think non-prime hours!) Before I knew it, I had a detailed plan of online tasks, things to research and deadlines to do them.<\/p>\n Time blocking, as I just described can be a big help in avoiding distraction. Who distracts me most? ME!<\/p>\n This article in Fast Company<\/a> really drove home that point by introducing the phrase, \u201cself-distracting.\u201d This is the phenomenon whereby my internet loads a mite slow and so I just pick up my phone\u2026.. five minutes later, it can be challenging to remember what exactly I was doing, let alone get back into the task. In fact, it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to the task at hand. More examples of how to avoid interruptions in my next small bite.<\/p>\n Need help in figuring out how to prioritize what\u2019s important to you & how to get it done? The Farm Coaching<\/a> team can help!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This article in Fast Company<\/a> discusses the impact of getting distracted and it introduced me to the idea of self-distracting by highlighting a behavior I simply thought of as a pet peeve. I, as many of you, make many decisions with my partner. This means we need to have fairly frequent conversations to check-in, follow-up and ensure we actually made a decision.<\/p>\n One of my least favorite things is when I\u2019m in the middle of something and it seems to be an opportune time to have such a conversation. Reading this article made me realize, that\u2019s because I know how difficult it will be to get back on task!<\/p>\n With this knowledge, I\u2019m better able to plan for decision making on a weekly basis and identify good times (for us it\u2019s lunch) when we can ask the following; What decisions are hanging out? Which do I need to be involved in (or not)? How involved does my partner want to be in a particular decision, or can I just move ahead with their blessing? Asking these questions has streamlined our farm meetings, clarified our roles, and made me much happier!<\/p>\n Need help in figuring out a weekly schedule so you can find ease in decision making? The Farm Coaching<\/a> team can help!<\/strong><\/p>\n Farmers have different ways to cope with daily and long term stress. If you are feeling like you have to handle it alone, please don\u2019t. Stress and anxiety often walk hand in hand and can make you feel like it\u2019s impossible to do what \u201cshould be normal and easy.\u201d<\/p>\n Stress and anxiety can get tough to handle alone. Telling others that you are stressed to an uncomfortable level is a good first step. Tell a friend or family member that times are tough. Make a time to connect by phone or in person. Or reach out to someone not in your circle who is there to listen. Reaching out can be hard and awkward if you are not used to sharing your struggles but it is worth it! When stress builds so high you are suffering, asking for help can ease the load. No one needs to suffer alone.<\/p>\n There is a Warm Line in Maine available 24\/7 to call and talk to someone (1-866-771-9276 or 1-866-771-WARM). If you want to reach out to something agriculture-specific, you can also contact Farm Aid\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0helpline for crisis support. Consider posting the hotline number: 1-800-327-6243 in your workplace for all of your co-workers.<\/p>\n We may be hard-working and tough as nails farmers but we can also talk about and attend to our mental health challenges, like we do our physical challenges. We are all in a larger community that cares how we are doing. You matter. Tu Importas. <\/b>There is no shame in struggling in a stressful profession and in a stressful world. This excellent tip sheet<\/a> in English and Spanish has more information about signs of stress and tips for coping.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to think about ways to support your farm team in creating a community that can share about stress and ask for help, the <\/b>farm coaching team<\/b><\/a> can provide resources and help in this area.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Hiring a manager for the first time can be a boon for your farm and work-life balance. Bringing others into management capacity with added responsibilities requires a lot of clarity and shared understanding. Clarity begins with an ample job description. Be very descriptive about your expectations around quality control, food safety, efficiency, communication, managing others, workplace culture, and accuracy, to name a few.<\/p>\n Management needs to act as a team. Weekly managers meetings are a must so that everyone is informed and no one is left out of the information sharing. We meet with our managers for a few minutes before the crew arrives each morning so we have a plan that is unified. How much decision making authority will your new manager have? How much input does the team provide and how does the manager weigh how to make decisions? Only you can know what makes sense for you and your operation but you will want to let your manager know what and when they have the leeway to act\/decide independently of your or another manager\u2019s input.<\/p>\n No surprise here. Clarity and communication are the key concepts, once again. So much time and energy are saved when the lines of communication are clear and good.<\/p>\n Looking for sample job descriptions and planning documents to include a new person in the management structure? Reach out to the <\/b>Farm Coaching program<\/b><\/a>!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n What can I do in February to bring peace of mind and lower my stress level in May, June and beyond? When the busy days of spring and summer arrive, I feel great comfort in looking at a checklist as a reminder of what tasks need to be done on a regular schedule in different areas of our farm. Developing new checklists and logs is an annual winter activity. Activity logs that track cleaning, watering and temperatures let me know that protocols have been attended to.<\/p>\n I am more able to delegate details when I have a checklist to refer to before and after the task.<\/p>\n Most farmers have logs for pesticide applications and animal mortality, as required by law and different certifiers. Might there be other activities and events that you would like to capture?<\/p>\n Placement of Logs<\/b><\/p>\n For us, the key to logs seems to be placement. Having a fertilization log hanging by the hose shutoff in the greenhouse makes sense.<\/p>\n Data is a Balancing Act<\/b><\/p>\n To have value and provide value data over time, logs be kept up, so make sure that entering into logs is part of the various job descriptions and daily expectations you communicate to your employees. Needless to say, there is such a thing as too much tracking, so make sure you don\u2019t overtax your workplace with data collection that isn\u2019t useful and\/or necessary.<\/p>\n Checklists and logs are quick and easy ways to get lots of information to and from co-workers. They can be a key management tool in improving communication in your farm business.<\/p>\n Looking for ideas for what to track and where to keep your logs? Farm coaching<\/a> can help you set up a plan for this season.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the time of year when I spend hours per day with spreadsheets. Spreadsheets are an indispensable analysis and planning tool. Planning for labor needs for the upcoming season lets us foresee times when labor is short or flush, and helps us plan accordingly. Analysis begins with adding the past year\u2019s labor actuals to an existing labor planning spreadsheet. I bring over two or three years worth of monthly labor totals (in hours and dollars) to this document (to compare 2019 to 2020, for example).<\/p>\n The spreadsheet is organized by month so that I can look at August labor actuals and predict August\u2019s labor needs for 2021. The columns contain: Employee names (Column A), Actual 2019 monthly hours worked (B), Actual monthly 2020 hours worked (C), 2021 projected hours per week (D), 2021 projected hours per month (E), Hourly wage (F), Projected total wages per month (G), Projected withholding taxes per month (H).<\/p>\n In this one spreadsheet I am able to look at the past and plan for the future both in hours and dollars. The financial pieces move over to a cash flow projection document. But the projected hours per week that our employees are intending to work really tell us if we are going to hit our labor needs per week\/per month throughout the whole season.<\/p>\n Developing recordkeeping systems that yield useful data is a great way to improve your quality of life, clarity on your team, and a better bottom line.<\/p>\n Reach out to the <\/b>Farm Coaching program<\/b><\/a> if you would like to talk through record keeping systems that can improve role and financial clarity.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Setting up a farm and keeping track of the financial details can be a stress on interpersonal relationships and personal finances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of focusing on how much income the farm might generate to support just the business and reinvestments, it may be helpful to identify the ways the farm will create income to support personal or family needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For many of us, the farm produces a quality of life that is at times unparalleled. I recently read an evocative social media post describing the joy of biting into a perfectly ripe cantaloupe. Yes, that is often the type of payment we might most enjoy, but unless your town is ok with paying your property taxes in cantaloupe it may not be enough. <\/span> So, where to begin?<\/b> At our farm, each year we sort through our saved grocery receipts to get a sense of several big picture numbers. How much did we spend on groceries (coffee, canned goods, pasta)? How much did we spend on household supplies (dish washing and laundry soap, dog food) and what do our monthly expenses looking like (i.e. car payments, tax club)? Then, we look at ways to bulk buy some of those grocery items to reduce costs. We\u2019ve also begun having some of those household supplies (ie the elusive toilet paper) delivered right to our door. This saves us some money, but more importantly time headed to a different store to procure that one item, which inevitably leads to impulse purchases. We then put these numbers into a simple spreadsheet with the same categories as what is listed above, total the columns and review our monthly household budget. We then take that and add in savings goals (i.e. retirement, vacation, take-out). This is done on a monthly basis that reflects when the bill might come due or when we want to take that time away from the farm. If there is a deficit we\u2019re able to identify it now, adjust our owners’ draw for the farm\u2019s lean months rather than skip paying ourselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Want more ideas to keep track of finances? <\/b>Farm coaching<\/b><\/a> might be for you!<\/b><\/p>\n A colleague of mine had a handwritten sign above his desk that read, \u201cAll Good Ideas Lead to Hard Work.\u201d In my younger days, I thought this was perhaps the most cynical sign I had read. I wondered, \u2018Well where\u2019s the optimism in that?\u2019 With a few more years under my belt and a lot more \u2018good ideas\u2019 I realize there\u2019s certainly some truth in this phrase! It\u2019s not so much the idea, as much as the implementation that counts.<\/p>\n So, how do you implement a good idea without having the result simply feel like a lot of hard work? One way is to use an action planning tool that can break down the components of this grand vision into workable steps. If you (like me) are the Chief Idea Generator on your farm, this tool can be deployed by the Chief Reality Officer (aka the bubble burster) who may often bring your lofty goals down to earth. Rather than pit your ideas against their reality, the action planning tool can identify who does what (and by when) in an objective way. Having the tool set the parameters of your conversation, instead of your farm partner may allow everyone a bit more room to brainstorm without feeling like all the work will come back to them.<\/p>\n To get a copy of the action planning tool, <\/b>reach out to the farm coaching team<\/b><\/a>! <\/b><\/p>\n In a previous \u201cSmall Bites\u201d article, we introduced the Four Gs<\/strong> activity as a way to take the temperature of a team and discover key \u201cGives, Gains, Groans, and Guidelines<\/em>\u201d important to progressing toward a shared goal.<\/p>\n You might want to try this out at your next family meeting, as well. Maybe the goal you are working toward is a harmonious weekend. Or a clean house. Or making Nana her birthday cards and gifts. Kids of all ages love markers and a large sheet of paper. Draw the grid then take turns telling\u00a0 your Four G\u2019s to the designated note taker. When everyone takes turns contributing, you have the chance to slow things down with questions, reflections and appreciations for each participant. You can also build connections on your \u201cfamily team\u201d by linking different people\u2019s contributions to others\u2019. \u201cLooks like a few of us have the same groans going on! Sally and Abby share a give. That is really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n For extra entertainment and humor, try illustrating some of the contributions as the grids get populated. Nothing wrong with a little fun.<\/p>\n Reach out today if your farm team could use some new tools for communication and planning. The <\/b>Farm Coaching<\/b><\/a> program is a free service supported by a grant that works with farmers state-wide from Northeast Extension Risk Management Education.\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n 2020 asked a lot of us. Or perhaps the better word is demanded! As farm managers, we needed to pivot and adapt to a health threat that affected our farm crews, our markets, and our communities. While this kind of adaptability was necessary, change brings with it uncertainty that can feel very uncomfortable to our farm teams.<\/p>\n We heard from our farm crew that clarity was even more important in times of shift and change. One particular situation that came up a few times was when farm crew members were \u201ca little under the weather.\u201d Should they be asked to stay home? Or should they be allowed to work on the farm but on a project by themselves? In all honesty, we wavered and waffled on this issue through the season. We wanted to provide our workers with the hours and wages that they needed but we certainly didn\u2019t want to unwittingly expose anyone to illness.<\/p>\n Our farm crew told us loud and clear that they needed clarity and most importantly, that that clarity felt good and important. It felt like care.<\/p>\n Want a sounding board to think and communicate with clarity? The farm coaching<\/a> team can meet with you to get clear about fuzzy areas of communication and decision making.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n As the New Year approaches, put yourself into winter planning! As you tee up your spreadsheets and seed catalogs and dig into the predictable planning and analysis after the farm season, consider making a learning plan for yourself. Actually, two lists might be in order: one for farm related learning and research, and another that feeds some of your interests other than farming.<\/p>\n The farm list should reflect some of your struggles in the last year. Pests, varieties, staffing issues. Or an area that you want to grow into. A lot of farmers in Maine are looking to learn more about de-colonization and racial justice. You could start a book group over Zoom with some of your farmer colleagues, or sign up for a workshop. We are missing each other in so many ways.<\/p>\n Beware of the rabbit-hole effect that watching YouTube videos can lead to! Make a list. Make it reasonable with just 3 key ideas or interests you would like to explore and then tack it up for yourself. It is so fun to be a student.<\/p>\n With podcasts and web-based learning opportunities sprouting faster than galinsoga in May, there are so many free and low-priced webinars, live web events and videos to take in. Throw in a book for good measure, of course, and have a great time getting smarter, kinder, more resilient. And Happy New Year~<\/p>\n Looking for new ideas for personal and professional development? The farm coaches<\/a> can send you ideas based on your interests and goals.<\/strong><\/p>\n As the days get shorter, there is more time in the evening to begin the process of reflection and planning. I\u2019m not feeling particularly motivated to do this type of work until I think of what I\u2019d like to avoid<\/i> in the next farming season! Examples include scheduling poultry processing on days without an employee or ordering feeders for broilers before we need them, rather than<\/i> a week after it\u2019s impacting their growth.<\/p>\n For each of us, the motivation for planning will be different. This article<\/a> with 7 steps to get you started from the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension helps you think through what\u2019s important now. This activity can be done with your farm team or with the assistance of a farm coach<\/a>.<\/p>\n How will you ensure that 2021 will build on what you learned in 2020 and where you found success and challenge? <\/b>\u00a0Schedule an appointment<\/b><\/a> with a farm coach today!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n The Four Gs<\/strong> is an activity included in the book, People & Permaculture<\/a> written by Looby Macnamara in 2012. The concept is simple and the activity is powerful! What does it do? In a group it is helpful to understand the motivations, concerns and parameters of others. Anybody else experience collaboration fatigue? Did you think everyone was on the same page about project goals?<\/p>\n To use the tool, take a sheet of paper and divide into four sections by folding or by drawing a grid. Working clockwise, write a heading in each quadrant – Gives, Gains, Groans and Guidelines. <\/b><\/b><\/p>\n The 4Gs can be used at the start of the project, at seasonal shifts on your farm, or when you need an open way to hear from collaborators about how a project may be going.<\/p>\n Want help to implement the 4Gs on your farm? <\/b>Reach out to the farm coaching team<\/b><\/a> to set-up a free consultation and a step-by-step setup of your own 4Gs activity.<\/b><\/p>\n In this week when settler-colonist culture celebrates Thanksgiving, the idea of gratitude is circling about. Gratitude has two precursors, noticing and acknowledging. We must first slow down enough to notice that for which we are grateful. We can notice with our memory, our senses, our attention. Once we have noticed, we can acknowledge that this entity, person, place or concept is a blessing, a gift, a privilege is the second step before gratitude can really bloom.<\/p>\n What might you notice that you haven\u2019t before? How might you acknowledge this person, place or entity as a unique gift? How might you show or express gratitude for this entity?<\/p>\n Now is a good time in the farming season to create space for this type of reflection. This could take the form as a prompt in your farm team meeting, \u201cWhat\u2019s been a blessing this season?\u201d Or a letter to your team, thanking them collectively and\/or personally for their contributions,\u00a0 and unique gifts of steadfastness, care, grit, creativity, honesty, etc.<\/p>\n Perhaps you are drawn to showing your gratitude for the land on which you farm and\/or the people who tended it before you. Leah Penniman, co-founder of SoulFire Farm gave a keynote address at the 2020 Common Ground Fair, a great resource that shares the history of land and human labor acquisition and exploitation in North America.<\/p>\n As you reflect and pause for gratitude, <\/b>farm coaches<\/b><\/a> are available to support your vision and aspirations moving forward.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Cross training is not just for fitness buffs. On the farm, cross-training is a good management practice that can increase efficiencies and help with coverage in times of need. Cross-training members of your team so that more than one person holds the know-how for a particular task is just plain smart.<\/p>\n On a friend\u2019s livestock farm, the whole crew, farmers included, switched jobs — for a week!! The milkers took the deliveries, the egg-washers fed pigs, the hay-makers fed the calves. (I wonder what the cows thought!) Having to do a job start to finish is a great way to learn a job, so this grand switcheroo was actually a great cross-training event.<\/p>\n It is good to have multiple people prepared to do each job. Some farms have very detailed and complete Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). These step by step instructions, often with photos, get the critical steps, variables and quality considerations on any crop or task on paper. In thinking about what a grand switcheroo on your farm might look like, what would others need to know? How would you communicate that? Is that information captured elsewhere or could you include it in your existing SOPs? Or do you need to create new SOPs to capture all the crops and tasks?<\/p>\n COVID-19 has made a lot of farmers consider contingency planning. Hedging against illness or injury or absence, cross-training employees is one option you might consider to make your farm more resilient.<\/p>\n Want help to identify areas where cross-training might help your farm? Schedule an appointment<\/a> with a farm coach today!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s that time of year! Blaze orange clothing becomes the norm. Frosty mornings, big root harvests for vegetable farmers and lots and lots of fall cleanup. If you have employees working with you, this also may be a time of saying \u201cgoodbye \u2018til spring\u201d to many of your staff members.<\/p>\n Have you ever done an end of season meeting with each employee? Do you have an end of season party? Give out a bonus in cash? Saying goodbye and thank you to an individual or whole farm crew can tie up a great or a rough season with just a bit of levity, especially if you want to retain crew members for next year.<\/p>\n On our farm, there is a \u201clast day\u201d when we do a final big project together. We often serve lunch to the farm crew that day. One fun-loving employee made a \u201cBest of 2018\u201d survey a few years ago where he collected \u201cBest crop, Cutest Critter, Biggest Villain, Moment I wish I could Forget\u201d and etc. from the crew and then read them aloud to capture a bunch of laughs and memories from folks.<\/p>\n With an eye toward next spring, you may be thinking about which employees might take on more responsibility and which might not get offered a position. Be honest and forthright now with your thoughts so that your employees will have the benefit of your thinking for the long winter ahead.<\/p>\n If it would be helpful to think about a plan for employees for next spring and you\u2019d like someone to bounce ideas off, reach out to the farm coaches<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n This Small Bite shares a 3-minute video about stress. When you get to know yourself well, you can recognize what makes you stressed, how you react to stress, and how to find healthy ways to buffer your stress.<\/p>\n\n
\nSmall Bites – Demoralized? Depressed? How much worry is too much worry?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nSmall Bites – Social Sustainability and Well-Being<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Leslie Forstadt<\/h5>\n
\nSmall Bites -How to Stop Stalling and Get the Tasks Done<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nSmall Bites – Reflections of a White Farmer<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nDeciding on Kids\u2019 Role(s) on the Farm<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nA Strong Foundation is Built on Gratitude and Appreciation\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nIs Farm Coaching for Me?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nCoping with Grief in Times of Loss<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nThe true cost of getting distracted & ways to avoid it!\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Abby Sadauckas<\/h5>\n
\nPlanned Decision Making Reduces Frustration (and Increases Happiness!)\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Abby Sadauckas<\/h5>\n
\nStress Adds Up and You Don\u2019t Have to Feel Alone\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nWhen Hiring a Manager, Clarity is Key<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nActivity Logs Help with Planning <\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka
\n<\/b><\/h5>\n
\nUsing Data to Plan for Labor for Next Season<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nCan a Household Budget Clarify your Farm Goals?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Abby Sadauckas<\/h5>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\nGood Ideas Without the Hard Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Abby Sadauckas<\/h5>\n
\nSmall Bites – The Four Gs: A Tool for Family Meetings, Too<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nIs 2021 Your Year for Farm Coaching? Clarity Shows Care<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nWelcome the New Year and Learn Something for You<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nSmall Bites – What\u2019s Important Now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Abby Sadauckas<\/a><\/h5>\n
\nThe Four Gs – A tool for collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Abby Sadauckas<\/h5>\n
Sitting down with this tool can help identify, in a non-confrontational manner where differences of opinion or approach are, either before you get started or once things go off track.<\/h3>\n
\n
\nGratitude<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nHow Cross Training can Benefit the Efficiency of the Farm<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nSmall Bites – End of Season\u00a0 – Goodbye till Spring?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Polly Shyka<\/h5>\n
\nStress<\/b><\/h2>\n
Authored by Coach Leslie Forstadt<\/h5>\n