With any luck… : Stories of a Changing Landscape, a Farmer's Perspective (4)

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With any luck…

Today there’s a great deal of joy on the Olivers’ farm but it hasn’t always been that way; between life-threatening accidents and struggles with poor mental health, it’s been an unexpected full family effort to keep the farm alive.

The untimely death of his brother took away Andrew’s farming partner and the plans they’d made together. With a young family and massive financial pressure, the life Andrew had always wanted was draining him and compounding his depression, leaving him isolated and considering suicide.

Encouraged to talk by his wife Emma, Andrew sought help through medical support and opening up, and as his mental wellbeing improved, so did life on the farm. Struggling herself with the weight of supporting Andrew and her growing family, Emma too has battled through an anxiety disorder and depression. New to farming when they married, she took on more and more of the workload, and she and Andrew now farm together as a team.

The journey with their farm’s relationship to their mental health is far from over, but with things improving, they now advocate for farmers speaking openly about their experiences and encourage others to seek the support they need.

“People need to know what it’s like for us and it’s our own fault that they don’t - we don’t talk enough about what we’re going through.”