ARE YOU A FARMER OR A FIGHTER? By Marcia Smith – Whorl Ag
This is one of the first questions I ask farmers to ponder, often followed up with an explanation of what I mean. I see a ‘farmer’ as someone who spends their time, energy, and resources on growing, nurturing, enriching, and building in harmony with natural systems and landscapes. Whereas a ‘fighter’ is one who defends, battles, kills, controls, and fights nature in some way every day.
I have spent time with both and have great respect for farmers regardless of how or what they farm. However, throughout the last decade I have spoken with many battle-weary fighter farmers who say ‘we can’t keep doing this’, they are mentally and physically tired, their wellbeing is being compromised, they are smart, resourceful, and love what they do, but are not sure how to get off the treadmill that is highly input dependant with outputs at the mercy of commodity markets and the weather.
Comfort in the known, fear of failure and the unknown, worry about finances, family, & what the neighbours will think, and a feeling of being on their own, are a few of the ‘reasons’ why farmers are cautious about changing how they farm. These thoughts tend to put the farmer into a defensive mindset which further hinders change. By building relationships and connecting communities this downward spiral of degradation can be reversed into an upward whorl of generation.
It does take courage to reflect, accept and to then change. Change requires a holistic approach, starts with the mind, and should not be done alone. Once a fighter farmer takes the first step away from fighting, they begin to receive positive feedback from their farm which encourages further exploration of the possibilities that farming with the natural system can bring.
Spend time with a farmer who farms with nature on their farm, you soon realise they are not battle weary; both the land and farmer have positive energy and are thriving. They still work hard long hours; things don’t always go as planned and outcomes can be different to what they thought, but they are generally happy and describe farming as ‘fun’.
How you farm is a reflection of your ag culture, which like farming is complex and constantly changes. Whorl Ag coaches people so they are able to give up fighting their farm and help them navigate their farming with nature journey.
Focus on what you want, by default what you don’t want will fade away.
