Farmer Wants a Healthy Life

In this episode we hear from Tania Walter about how she is helping farmers to be more active in Marnoo. She shares her passion for running the group and the joy it brings to her and others that come. She also talks about how her and her husband run a bio-dynamic farm and how that came about.

Interested in the topic and looking for more?

Has listening to Tania inspired you to put more movement in your life? Not sure where or how best to start? Check out these websites for tips, advice, and ideas on how to start and putting more movement in your days.
Better Health Channel
Health Direct
National Centre for Farmer Health
You Got This Mate!

Thinking of joining a group like Tania’s Farm Fit group? Maybe an Active Farmers groups is for you. Active Farmers is a regular group fitness class program that is fun and interactive. It is designed to get people active and create a sense of community and belonging. There are Active Farmer groups in rural towns around Australia, you can find one near you here. You can find more information on each of the below aspects of Active Farmers below:

• Events
• Becoming a participant
• Starting your own Active Farmers group
• Health workshops
• Online classes

You can also listen to our Farmer Wants a Healthy Life episodes of people that have been part of Active Farmers:
Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Social Side of Exercise

Tania talked a bit about how exercise can help people with their mental wellbeing. Want to learn more about how exercise can help mental wellbeing? Check out the below websites for more information:
Better Health Channel
Health Direct
Headspace
For other tips and advice to help reduce stress you can also check out:
Better Health Channel
Health Direct
You can also listen to our Farmer Wants a Healthy Life episode The Ins and Outs of Stress.

In the episode Tania talked about her and her husband’s farm and some of the things that happen there. Interested in finding out more about it? Check out their website and social media pages below.
Burrum Biodynamics

Facebook: @BurrumBiodynamics
Twitter: @

Send us a text

Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

In this episode we hear from Mary Johnson on working with, rather than on, the land. Mary shares her experiences of growing up on the farm and how she has developed a strong connection to the land. She also talks about the benefits of working together and time off the farm.

Interested in the topic and looking for more?

In the episode Mary talked about the importance of volunteers to small towns, are you interested in volunteering? Nor sure where to start?

• Volunteering Victoria lists a range of platforms you can search for opportunities on
• Centre for Participation has many opportunities across the Wimmera
• You could also volunteer as part of a local service club, sport club or community group

Mary spoke about the benefits of working with, rather than on, the land and some of the practices she found to do this. These practices included regeneration and revegetation, want to learn more about them? Check out these factsheets:

• Conservation Management Notes: Managing Bushland and Wildlife Habitat
• Natural Regeneration: Practices and Practice

Mary spoke of how her time on the farm was a chance to recharge her batteries and how it made her feel better. Yet, this was not the same for Philip who spends all his time on the farm. For Philip and other farmers, Mary talked about the importance of time off the farm. For information about why this is important and tips for doing so checkout Farm Strong. You can also find a recent ABC story of how other farmers have managed taking time off the farm here.

Taking time off the farm can also be a way of helping with stress. For other tips on managing stress on the farm go to the National Centre for Farmer Health. For general tips with stress go to:
Better Health Channel
Health Direct
Or check out our episode The Ins and Outs of Stress

Send us a text

Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

In this episode we hear from Justin Knorrp about how he is helping farmers to be more active in Warracknabeal. He shares what made him want to start the Active Farmers group, who comes to the group and what they get from it. He also talks about what led him to the Wimmera and the need for down time in our busy lives.

Live in or near Warracknabeal and want to join Justin's Active Farmers group? You can find more information on the Warracknabeal Active farmers group here or on Facebook.

This episode mentions domestic abuse, if you or some you know needs help, 1800RESPECT can help.

Website: https://www.1800respect.org.au

Phone: 1300 737 732

Or Online chat

Interested in the topic and looking for more?

Active Farmers is a regular group fitness class program that is fun and interactive. It is designed to get people active and create a sense of community and belonging. There are Active Farmer groups in rural towns around Australia, you can find one near you here. You can find more information on each of the below aspects of Active Farmers below:

• Events
• Becoming a participant
• Starting your own Active Farmers group
• Health workshops
• Online classes

You can also jump on to the Active Farmers Facebook and Instagram pages.

Check out the You Got This Mate Program! A program for men living in rural Australia, aiming to help them reach their best physical health. It provides information on:

• Trying new things
• Making exercise fun
• Finding inspiration
• Tips on fitting exercise into your day

For more farmer specific exercise advice go to the National Centre for Farmer Health.

For general exercise and keeping active advice check out the below websites

Better Health Channel

Health Direct

Join the conversation
Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

Send us a text

Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

In this episode we hear from Kelly Barnes about what led her to start the Mates Dog School. Kelly shares her passion for her dogs and how they have helped her mental health, and how she uses it to help others. She also talks about the way we as people, especially farmers, see dogs in our lives.

Interested in the topic and looking for more?

Want to hear more about Kelly’s Mates Dog School? Check out the Mates Dog School Facebook page. You can also find articles about the school done on the:

• National Centre for Farmer Health
• ABC

Kelly won the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award in 2020, which lead to the Mates Dog School. You can watch Kelly talking about the award and the school here. Find more information about the award and other past winners here.

AgriFutures does a lot of other work supporting rural communities. Find out more about AgriFutures and how they could support your idea here.

Kelly got the idea for the Mates Dog School from time spent with her own dog Dugald. There are many ways pets, especially dogs, can benefit our health. Check out the below for some of the other benefits:

• 7 ways pets improve your health
• Five mental health benefits of pet ownership

Kelly began first seeing her relationship with Dugald differently after her Fibromyalgia diagnosis. Not sure what Fibromyalgia is? Or want to learn more about it? Check out:

• Health Direct
• Better Health Channel

Fibromyalgia can cause chronic pain for those that have it. To hear more about chronic pain, check out our episodes:

• Understanding Chronic Pain
• Living Your Best Life with Pain

Send us a text

Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

In this episode we hear from Mandy Noble, a Service System Navigator with The Orange Door Horsham. Mandy talks about what The Orange Door is and how it came about. She also talks about Family Violence and its different forms.

In an emergency call 000

If you live in the Wimmera and need support, you can contact The Orange Door in Horsham by:

Calling 1800 271 042

Or find them at 3-7 Madden St, Horsham.

Don’t live in the Wimmera and need support? You can find other The Orange Door locations and phone numbers here.

You can also call free confidential counselling services 24/7:

In Victoria – Safe Steps call 1800 015 188 or visit their website.

Across Australia – 1800 RESPECT call 1800 737 732 or visit their website.

Interested in the topic and looking for more?

If you would like to learn more about The Orange Door, you can visit their website here. You can also watch a short video in The Orange Door here. Other Family and Domestic Violence services available to support people are:

• Safe Steps
• Safe and Equal
• 1800 RESPECT

Mandy mentioned The Orange Door often works with other organisations in the Wimmera. Check out their websites below for more on what they offer:
Victorian Legal Aid
Youth Law
Goolum Goolum
Uniting Wimmera

In the episode Mandy used the terms ‘Victim Survivor’ and ‘Perpetrator’ a lot. Not sure what they mean? Or would like to learn more about Family and Domestic Violence terms? Check out this Victorian Government website for a full list of common terms used.

Want to learn more about Family and Domestic Violence and the different forms it can take? Check out a short video by The Orange Door here. You can also find out more information at:
Better Health Channel
1800 RESPECT

Mandy spoke briefly about how gender inequality impacts Family and Domestic Violence. Women’s Health Grampians does a lot of work toward reducing gender inequality. To find out more about this work check out their website.

Send us a text

Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL