Gerry Friesen, AKA the Recovering Farmer, is a co-founder of the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program. He comes from a diverse background of experience, learning and discovery through farming and as a stress and conflict management specialist. Gerry’s passion is in helping others find solutions for the various issues that life throws at us. A combination of his own journey with anxiety and depression, training in conflict resolution and intensive counselling training provide him the tools to help others who are struggling. To learn more about Gerry visit his website at www.gerryfriesen.ca.

In this episode, Gerry shares his story about and the aspects of his life as a farmer that contributed to his mental health, positively and negatively. From his experiences with mental health struggles and alcoholism, comes the book, “The Recovering Farmer: A Journey Through the Labyrinth of Anxiety and Depression.” Gerry shares some of the stories, tools and strategies that can be found within his book.

We also talk about some of Gerry’s blog posts. This is a quote from Gerry’s blog post titled, “The Hidden Risk: How Mental Health Impacts Farm Safety” published March 16th on your website, “Farmers deal with countless factors outside of their control—commodity prices, weather, equipment failures, and market uncertainty. This constant unpredictability wreaks havoc on our minds, leaving us feeling powerless. And yet, the pressure to “push through” remains. There’s an unspoken expectation in agriculture that you work until the job is done, no matter the toll it takes on you. But at what cost? When exhaustion sets in, mistakes happen. A missed step, a moment of inattention, or a delayed reaction can turn into a life-altering accident.

The culture of farming has long been one of resilience, but resilience doesn’t mean suffering in silence. We need to start having open conversations about mental health in our farm communities.”

There is another quote from Gerry’s blog post titled, “Coming Out of the Closet” from October 20th that is discussing the stigma attached to mental health, which in part reads,

“Talking about things that are keeping us in our closet takes courage. The word most used to describe the ability to open up is vulnerability. I have used it lots but, for interest’s sake, I looked it up in the dictionary and realized that perhaps I had never fully understood the meaning. I always assumed it simply meant that we let our guard down, to be open and honest. But there is more to the definition, something a little more nefarious.

To be vulnerable is also the susceptibility to an emotional attack, to be open to criticism and to potentially be emotionally wounded. That makes it sound scary and I suspect that’s why many avoid being vulnerable. Its bad enough that we experience mental illness and often question our value. Our self-esteem is fragile so by opening up and being vulnerable we run the risk of having our values questioned and risk our self-esteem taking another blow. So it feels safer to stay in the closet.

The good news is that vulnerability breeds vulnerability. I found it interesting that when I started openly talking about my journey others opened up to me as well.”

We wrap up the show talking about the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program, and what that program offers to farmers and farm families here in Manitoba.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Gerry Friesen: The Recovering Farmer: https://www.gerryfriesen.ca/

National Farmer Wellness Network & National Farmer Crisis Line: https://ccaw.ca/national-farmer-wellness-network/

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program:

Dr. Briana Hagen is a leading voice in Canadian agricultural mental health. As CEO and Lead Scientist of the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing, she combines academic research with real-world solutions, co-creating programs alongside farmers to build resilience and break down barriers to mental health support. Dr. Hagen’s work spans policy advocacy, educational programming, and crisis support systems, all grounded in the lived realities of farmers. Her mission is to ensure that farmers and their families have access to trusted, tailored mental health resources — and that their voices remain at the heart of every solution.

Today Briana joins me on the show to share information about the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing and the programs and crisis line that is available through CCAW.

We also discuss stressors that impact farmer mental health, common positive and negative coping strategies used by Canadian farmers, and some additional positive strategies producers can try if they are feeling the stress and weight that can come with this work.

We also talk about the National Farmer Crisis Line, what producers, family members or farm employees can expect when they call in, and who they will talk to when they make the call. A take away from today’s episode is that, you don’t need to be in crisis to call the National Farmer Crisis Line. You can call 24/7 and there is no cap to the number of times you can call in.

Find the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing online at: www.ccaw.ca

Or on their social media accounts at:

Facebook: Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing

Instagram: @cdnagwellbeing

LinkedIn: Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing

Twitter (X): @cdnagwellbeing

Links mentioned in this episode:

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing: https://ccaw.ca/

National Farmer Wellness Network & National Farmer Crisis Line: https://ccaw.ca/national-farmer-wellness-network/

Deep Rooted Documentary Information: https://www.deeprootedfilm.ca/supporters

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program: www.manitobafarmerwellness.ca

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca

Email address: information@mbfi.ca

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Lesley Kelly is a farmer, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate who farms with her family in Watrous, Saskatchewan. As the voice behind High Heels & Canola Fields, she bridges the gap between farmers and consumers by dispelling agricultural myths and fostering meaningful conversations about food and farming. Her passion for advocacy began while building a snack food company using her family’s grain, inspiring her to create an online community of over 100,000 followers to share stories, build understanding, and strengthen agriculture’s connections.

Lesley is a leader in advancing mental health in agriculture. As a trained peer supporter and co-founder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation—a Canadian charity dedicated exclusively to farmer mental health—Lesley has been instrumental in breaking down stigma, increasing access to mental health resources, and supporting farmers across North America. Since 2018, the foundation has trained thousands of farmers in mental health awareness and resilience. Her efforts have been recognized through numerous accolades, including the Farm and Food Care Champion Award, the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Beyond her farm and advocacy work, Lesley serves as a Director for Saskatchewan Wheat and co-hosts the podcast What The Farm, where she dives into topics at the intersection of agriculture, leadership, and rural life. In her spare time, Lesley is running to the hockey rink with her two sons, learning to cook for a hungry harvest crew, or spending time with her husband.

Lesley’s goal is simple but powerful: to build stronger communities through connection, compassion, and collaboration, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for both farmers and the agriculture industry as a whole.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Do More Ag: https://www.domore.ag/

Do More Ag Crisis and Support Resources Page: https://www.domore.ag/crisis-contacts

High Heels & Canola Fields: https://highheelsandcanolafields.com/

“Without the Farm, There is No Farmer” The National Farmer Crisis Line is a free, confidential service available 24/7. The phone number to call for this service is 1-866-FARMS01 or 1-866-327-6701.

The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program offers confidential, free, counselling services to Manitoba farmers, farm families and employees. 1(204) 232-0574

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program: https://manitobafarmerwellness.ca/

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca

Email address: