Ben Grimes of Dawnbreaker Farms

The 569th recipient is Ben Grimes of Dawnbreaker Farms in Hurdle Mills, NC. Ben writes:

What self-care and well-being mean to me as a farmer: “Burn out is a real thing for farmers! I've experienced it myself first hand. Your farm can easily suck you in and it becomes everything. While this can be invigorating and at times, necessary, over long periods of time it is draining. The best solution that I have found is to have clear boundaries with the farm. Some of the things that I have found best is clearly defined production goals and seasons that revolve around my personal and family life, not answering emails over the weekend, volunteering at my daughters school despite farm pressures and generally prioritize family moments over endless farm work.”

How I might use this $250 self-care award: ”Here in central North Carolina our summers can get really hot and sticky. After weeks of relentless heat one's body and mind starts to break down. One easy solution for us to make a quick trip to the mountains to cool off. Our favorite weekend activity is to attend a folk music show at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, VA, about 2.5 hours from the farm. We will leave on Saturday, attend the show, spend the night and the next day in the mountains and then head back Sunday evening in time for school the next morning. Just 36 hours in the mountains is an incredible way to reset, cool off and get focused for the coming work week. All in for a weekend in the mountains including the show, food, gas and an Airbnb is about $400.” 

Most important self-care needs that contribute to my well-being as a farmer: "The most important self-care for me as a farmer is a regular reminder to put myself and my family first. The farm can be a source of never-ending work! But by putting boundaries on my "on" hours, weekend time and making sure to be present for any important events in my family are key. I also think having a strongly defined off season is critical. For me, that means winter is totally off from livestock production. All winter long we sell off of our previous warm season's production. This allows us to rest our muscles, reflect on the previous season and plan for the future. Mixed with physical and mental hardship farming can also be economically difficult. Despite this, I think taking time to do things that cost money like eating out and taking trips is essential! Funds like this are great to give farmers the freedom to do so!”

#realfarmercare