Subject: Building resilience, social sustainability and connections among farmers

Description: Farmers face stress and uncertainty in many aspects of their businesses and livelihoods. Yet with animals to feed, crops to tend and products to sell, it can be hard to rest, to set aside time to invest in one’s own well-being and cultivate supportive relationships within a community. This attentiveness toward personal resilience is important, as the entire system is dependent on the vitality of the farmers and farm employees.

The Be Well Farming Project creates reflective spaces for farmers to connect meaningfully and explore strategies that can ameliorate challenges and bolster farmers’ quality of life. This listserv will function to facilitate conversations with farmers across the northeast focused on wellness, fairness and connection to community. We encourage participants to share common themes based on the collective stories that emerge and work together to design support systems for farmers to enjoy respite and fellowship around the highs and hardships of the farming way of life.