Hay Are We Okay?

In this episode, Merle talks with Clara Coleman, founder of Real Farmer Care, about something most farmers are terrible at looking after: themselves. Coleman hit the wall with burnout, even on a well‑established family organic farm, and finally admitted that grit and long hours weren't enough.   To start, Coleman tried something simple. She crowdsourced donations and started handing farmers small amounts of no‑strings‑attached cash, for self-care. "Use this to take care of yourself," she'd say, mailing $100 gift cards to farmers across the continent. Those gift cards would pay for a massage, new boots, therapy, a hammock, date night, even a night off the farm.    While some of us still roll our eyes at the notion of 'self‑care', Coleman believes shame and stubbornness keep people grinding until they break. Real Farmer Care flips that mentality. It gives farmers clear permission to rest, which is critical if we want them to keep caring for the land. We love hearing your ideas, your comments, and your stories. Get in touch with Merle by sending your e-mail or audio message to [email protected]. I