Over the last four years, 15,000 farmers have reported an improvement in their wellbeing after participating in the Farmstrong programme. We catch up with the team at Farmstrong to find out how the nationwide rural wellbeing initiative helps farmers and their families cope with the ups and downs of farming.

It’s all about sharing the things farmers can do to look after themselves and the people in their business, so they perform well, live well and farm well.

Farmstrong offers practical tools and resources through its website, workshops and events inviting farmers to find out what works for them and 'lock it in'.

Your ‘Wellbeing Bank Account’

Farmstrong Ambassador Sam Whitelock says, “I know from having grown up on a farm that farmers are great at looking after their stock and pasture but sometimes not so good at looking after themselves.

“A good way to think about building your resilience is to imagine it’s a bank account. What you ‘invest’ now will benefit you later. If you invest in your wellbeing account when times are good, you’ll be able to make the ‘withdrawals’ you need when times are tough.

“You can build up your account and stay well by learning a few simple habits. I call them the ‘Big 5’. They are very practical things. If you do them regularly, they’ll become habits that help you to keep things in perspective when the going gets tough."

1. Stay connected with mates
2. Keep active
3. Take notice of the small things in life
4. Be curious and learn new things on or off the farm
5. Give back to the community

“Whether you’re a rugby player or a farmer there are always going to be things you can’t control. In rugby it might be the ref, in farming it’s the weather and prices. That’s why investing in your wellbeing on a regular basis is so important. I can personally vouch that the five ways to wellbeing make a huge difference.”

To find out what else could work for you, check out our farmer- to-farmer videos, stories and tips at www.farmstrong.co.nz.