Giving Farmers $100 to Feel Better
It’s no great revelation, but farmers take care of a lot. Along with tending crops and livestock, they also tend to the needs of their families — caring for children, supporting aging relatives, and often working off the farm to make ends meet. With so many competing demands, taking care of themselves can fall low on the to-do list. Clara Coleman knows the consequences of that firsthand.
For 15 years, she lived in Colorado’s mountainous landscape, where she built a four-season farm inspired by the organic systems she’d grown up with — while also raising two sons with her partner.
“All along, I was desperately exhausted as a mother,” Coleman said. “I felt like I was supposed to have this all figured out and be incredibly successful at it, but meanwhile, I was struggling emotionally and mentally.”
Today, Coleman is the founder of Real Farmer Care, an organization that awards $100 self-care microgrants to farmers. Since its launch six years ago, nearly 600 farmers from 45 states have received these grants, which they can use for anything that promotes well-being — think therapy or acupuncture, a stress-relieving massage, a pair of sturdy work boots, or just a dinner outing with friends. The grants are small, but can potentially have a big impact.