Farmer Wants a Healthy Life West Wimmera Health Service

In this episode we hear from Margaret Millington about the impact death has had on her life. She shares the lessons she has learnt from losing people she loves, and the need to be aware of dangers. She also talks about what brought her to the Wimmera and how it offered her a chance for renewal.
 
Interested in the topic and looking for more?
Margaret shared her experiences of grief and what helped her. Find more on grief at:
Health Direct
Better Health Channel
Beyond Blue
Margaret lost her daughter in a farm accident.  Find more on farm safety at:
National Centre for Farmer Health
Work Safe
Making Our Farms Safer project-or hear about it on our eps:
The Auditor – Man on a Mission
The Audited – Safety from the Dining Room Table
Find more on children’s farm safety at:
Farm Safe Australia
Better Health Channel
A Parent’s Guide to Kidsafe Farms
Farm Safety
Child Safety on Farms
Injury Risk and Safety Behaviours of Children on Victorian Farms
Margaret had two sons involved in accidents on the road. Find more on road safety at:
Staying Safe
Road Safety
Driving on country roads: how to stay safe
Safely Driving on Country Roads
Work Safe
Margaret's son became an accidental addict to painkillers.  But what is addiction? Find more at:
Health Direct
Turning Point
You, or someone you care about struggling with addiction? Find support at:
Online counselling
24hr phone support
Alcohol and Drug Support
Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation
Check out our eps on gambling harm :
Not Worth the Gamble
The Hidden Harm
Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

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:
EventsBecoming a participantStarting your own Active Farmers groupHealth workshopsOnline classesYou 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: @burrumbio
Instagram: burrumbiodynamics
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 StepsSafe and Equal1800 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. 
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 DirectBetter Health Channel

Fibromyalgia can cause chronic pain for those that have it. To hear more about chronic pain, check out our episodes:
 Understanding Chronic PainLiving Your Best Life with PainFacebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

In this episode we hear from Anna Johansson on her experience of being a Swedish woman on an Aussie farm. Anna shares her joy of growing and eating her own food. She also shares how she finds happiness outside of the money-making rat race. 
You can see Anna’s home grown produce and some of what she makes with them on her farm’s Facebook and Instagram pages. 
Interested in the topic and looking for more?
Looking after yourself is one of the most important things you can do for your health. This is especially true for your mental health. Did you know self-care is about doing things that help your overall wellbeing? Not just a special indulgence? It can include things like gardening, and we have heard all about the obvious joy it brings to Anna’s life. Find more self-care tips at:
Beyond Blue
Black Dog Institute
 
Gardening can also be a form of mindfulness, find out more here. You can also find out more about mindfulness and meditation techniques at:
Smiling Mind
Headspace
Health Direct 
Anna and Tim are basically self-sufficient on their farm, want to know more about how do it yourself? Check out Australian Organic Products and Sustainable Gardening for more information. Anna also talked about using plants instead of pesticides to stop pests, want to know more about how? Check out:
Sustainable Gardening
Gardening Australia
Growing Your Own Food at Home in Salisbury: Natural Pest Management factsheet 
Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL

In this episode we hear from Jessie Adams from the National Centre for Farmer Health. Jessie shares how she is working toward making farms safer for children. She shares her top tips for what you can do now, and programs currently running. 
Interested in the topic and looking for more?
Want to hear more about the surveys Jessie did? You can find out more information here.


In the episode Jessie mentioned the VFF Children on Farms Handbook. The Handbook, part of the Making Our Farms Safer project, can be downloaded here. For more information on the project check out their website. The Handbook was created as part of the Making Our Farm Families Safer campaign. The campaign also includes a range of videos which you can find here. 
Don’t forget to check out our episodes on the Making Our Farms Safer farm safety audits too:
The Auditor – Man on a Mission
The Audited – Safety from the Dining Room Table
 
You can also find a range of tips and resources on children’s farm safety at:
Farm Safe Australia Inc
Better Health Channel
Kidsafe – A Parent’s Guide to Kidsafe Farms
Kidsafe – Farm Safety
National Centre for Farmer Health – Child Safety on Farms
National Centre for Farmer Health – Injury Risk and Safety Behaviours of Children on Victorian Farms
 
Jessie also talked about a program aimed at high school students called Gear Up for Ag. The program aims to increase knowledge of farm hazards and safe practices for teens. You can find out more about the program here. 
Facebook: @FarmerWantsaHealthyLife Twitter: @_FWAHL