Trevor Donovan of The Living Farm

The 404th recipient is Trevor Donovan of The Living Farm in Paonia, CO. Trevor writes:

What self-care and well-being mean to me as a farmer: “To me, self care and well-being is all about managing the various mental and physical stress loads I face in order to bring my best self to the plants, mushrooms, animals, and people that I interact with on and off the farm each day. Because it is a such a seasonal gig, with different seasons testing me in different ways, I need to remain flexible on what my self-care routine looks like on a daily/weekly basis, but it primarily consists of doing acts of service for myself without worrying about how my absence from working will negatively affect the farm. To sum it up, self-care means giving grace to one's self.”

How I might use this $100 self-care award: “I would plan to purchase a 10-class pass at a local yoga studio, and book out my sessions to take place during my busiest season (April-June). This would force me to get off the farm, socialize with others who are trying to take care of their own needs, and fully  focus on my breath and mind-body-spirit connection for at least an hour each week while not needing to think about ‘the right way’ to do something.”

Most important self-care needs that contribute to my well-being as a farmer: "My most important self-care needs as a farmer have all been related to anxiety. Anxiety around whether the crops will grow, whether I'll be able to find the right customers and employees, anxiety around whether I'll have to give up farming and go get a better-compensated job. The ways that I try to address those needs are through physical and mental rest, and by zooming out to focus on the bigger picture without getting too anxious about any one or two particular problems.”

#realfarmercare