Nailah Garard of Succotash Gardens

The 590th recipient is Nailah Garard of Succotash Gardens in Dix Hills, NY. Nailah writes:

What self-care and well-being mean to me as a farmer: “Self-care and well-being in the context of farming means doing my best to manage my time, move efficiently and intentionally, nourish and hydrate my body, and find rest with breaks during a workday. I have struggled to take care of these basic needs while I am in the process of building a nascent community food forest with a predominantly black and brown community of working-class and poor folks, and it has contributed to a sense of burnout too early on in the season.”

How I might use this $100 self-care award: ”I will use the $100 award to help me plan a winter retreat dedicated to rest, study, art making, and body care. I have been yearning to create paintings, write poetry, and connect with artists in community. I also have been overlooking physical and mental health needs that I continue to put on the back burner, including brain health concerns, pinched nerves, eye twitching, and jaw pain, all of which might be interconnected. I will be investigating some of these physical ailments and doing my best to integrate holistic measures during this retreat and beyond. I will find a location where I can access a community of artists, farms or gardens to visit, natural bodies of water to swim, mountains to hike, and health professionals to visit for care if needed. The award can supplement the finances required for the costs of transportation, food and supplies.” 

Most important self-care needs that contribute to my well-being as a farmer: "The most important self-care need for me right now is eating nourishing foods and medicines as well as hydrating more than enough each day. I have a bad habit of neglecting to eat and drink enough water during the day. I want to have more of a practice of experimenting with recipes and medicine-making with what I am growing to feel more deeply connected. I will do my best to prepare meals for the week to save time, make sure to keep an extra gallon of water in my work truck for me or others, and pack hydrating foods like cucumbers and melons to snack on throughout the day. I recently learned that I should drink even more than what I think is enough because I am so accustomed to being dehydrated.”

#realfarmercare