It was four degrees and raining. What better setting for a chat about ‘the winter slog’? Farmstrong ambassador Sam Whitelock and dairy farmer Paul Walker share their thoughts.   

Sam Whitelock: What do you enjoy about farming, Paul? 

Paul Walker: I farm because I love nature and I love animals. It’s also a great place to bring up a family. 

Sam: Tell me about your farm. 

Paul: I farm 300 cows on 110 hectares in Pongakawa, just south of Te Puke, in the Bay of Plenty. Pongakawa can get very wet in winter. We’re a sea level farm, so that poses some big challenges when it’s wet. In the last calendar year, we had double our annual rainfall and obviously that comes with big consequences.  

Sam: I grew up in the Manawatu and I know what it’s like when there is too much rain, especially around calving time. So, what are your strategies to deal with those challenges? Paul: When you’re in an extreme situation like flooding, you really have to pare things back and operate on a day-to-day basis. You also have to change your thought process. It’s very easy to rush round like a blue-arsed fly and not get much done. What we’ve done this year is we’ve stopped, looked around and sucked in a few deep breaths before we attack the day.  

Sam: Time to think? 

Paul: Exactly. It gives you a chance to properly evaluate things and reset mentally. To focus on what you can control and realistically achieve. It also provides perspective. You’re telling yourself, ‘yes, it’s wet, but I can’t help that, so I’ll just do what I can’. By taking a few steps back before you charge into the day, you can make the whole day go a lot easier.  

Sam: That’s a great approach. It was the same for me on the rugby scene when the pressure came on. Stop, take a physical step back and then take two forward. It just gives you that time to reassess what is actually the most important thing to do next. Then you’re in the right headspace to go out there and do it. What else helps you get through? Paul: My other main strategy is just getting off farm when I can. We do that in our community by getting together at a gym on someone’s farm that’s been set up down the road. The reminder message goes out on the phone – ‘hey, who can make it to gym tonight?’ and we all get together and thrash the body for 40 minutes and chew the fat at the end of it and maybe a quick drink. And that just releases so much pressure before you go back and hit the tough stuff.  

Sam: Yeah, that downtime is critical. Most farmers look out the window and see a long list of jobs that need to be done. Getting off farm can really help, because it’s literally out of sight out of mind. Just getting away for a little bit gives you that energy, that mental reboot so that when you are back on farm, you’re good to go. 

Paul: I’ve also found it only takes one person to start a convo at our gym and other people open up pretty easily. And that’s how it should be. We’ve got a great culture amongst our farming community now that if you’ve got a problem, let’s hear about it. There’s no point bottling things up. Sharing the journey with others is a big part of staying well. 

Sam: A problem shared is a problem halved?

Paul: That’s right.  

Sam: You mentioned one of the reasons you love farming is because it’s a great way to bring up your family. How do you manage to get the balance right between work and family life? 

Paul: In the early years not very well, because Farmstrong wasn’t around. I didn’t realise what was happening to me or how to deal with it. I think my family life suffered as a result which is a regret for me. That’s why I’m so passionate about advocating for Farmstrong now.  

Sam: How has being Farmstrong helped you? 

Paul: It’s pretty easy to get isolated on farm and get lost in your own thoughts and sometimes those thoughts aren’t helpful or positive. Farmstrong opened my eyes to a different way of thinking. It shows you how you can coach your mind to have more constructive thoughts.  

Sam: How would you describe your mindset now?

Paul: Nowadays, when I’m in the middle of a wet season, I tell myself ‘the sun’s going to rise tomorrow and it’s just about taking it a day at a time and I’ll get through’. Farmstrong’s made my farming career more enjoyable for me, my family and my whole community. 

If you’re feeling ‘under the pump’, check out the Farmstrong website and watch their videos of farmers and growers. You’ll soon understand why you feel the way you do and what you can do about it.