Kale Riley of Mountain Bounty Farm

The 397th recipient is Kale Riley of Mountain Bounty Farm in Nevada City, CA. Kale writes:

What self-care and well-being mean to me as a farmer: “Repetitive motion and lifting of heavy weight is a major part of the work I do. When I was younger, I had no idea how much this kind of physical labor would impact me but over the years have become intimately acquainted with the ways the body reacts to wear and tear. Self-care and well being requires preventative action, and I'm still dealing with the repercussions of missing out on some of that early work. Now, I stretch, wear sunscreen, wear protective gear, work on strength building off-farm, and slow down to lift and move with the correct posture.”

How I might use this $100 self-care award: “I would put the $100 award towards sun protection that I desperately need (UV sunglasses, a couple sun hoods) and a chiropractic session to help align my spine and creaky hip/shoulder complex (from carrying a crate on my hip while harvesting).”

Most important self-care needs that contribute to my well-being as a farmer: "I feel that it is of utmost importance for farmers to have access to substantial time off and sick days. The nature of this work is that it will take everything you give it, and the emotional weight of that fact can completely destroy the quality of your life. I feel that farming only became a sustainable career path for me once time away became an option.”

#realfarmercare