Land and People Working Together

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

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