Kaitlyn Kimball of Sunset Farm

The 570th recipient is Kaitlyn Kimball of Sunset Farm in Naugatuck, CT. Kaitlyn writes:

What self-care and well-being mean to me as a farmer: “Self-care and well-being involve activities that will help you maintain a positive attitude during stressful times of the farming season. To me, self care is committing to one activity per week that is off the farm and supporting my mental health, like a hike in the park, getting a coffee at a cafe, or even scheduling a doctor's appointment or going to the dentist. It is so easy to get caught up in the stresses and daily tasks of farming that you neglect your basic needs. As we continue to farm we are realizing the importance of this and are working to incorporate one off day into our schedule for the summer to be able to rest and rejuvenate both physically and mentally.”

How I might use this $250 self-care award: ”This $250 award would be spent to help my husband and I recover physically and mentally from the stresses of the last year, including severe weather and funding disruptions. We would spend this funding on a once monthly yoga class to assist us in stretching and repairing our bodies from farm work, but also helping us with mental relaxation and improving our mental health. We find that quiet moments like a yoga class help recenter us and allow us to relax, making our week at the farm more calm and helping us feel more resilient.” 

Most important self-care needs that contribute to my well-being as a farmer: "I think being able to afford and maintain our basic needs as farmers, such as buying groceries, affording healthcare, and spending time with our families outside of a 12-hour work day are the most important needs. There are smaller more regular things we can do like going to a yoga class, having an off farm day, listening to music, etc., but the overall infrastructure needed to support farmers needs to change to better match our needs.”

#realfarmercare