SELF-CARE FOR FARMERS
Founded in January 2020 by farmer Clara Coleman, Real Farmer Care was created to address a critical yet often overlooked need: the physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing of farmers.
Real Farmer Care exists to change that — one farmer at a time.
Real Farmer Care's mission is to support the farmers who sustain our communities by delivering direct self-care grants and wellness programming that give them the financial permission and practical means to care for themselves — body, mind, and spirit. When farmers are well, everything they steward is stronger for it.
Grant Recipients pictured from Left to Right Top Row: Mary Creveling & Nicole Gilmore (formerly of Silver Seeds Farm); Amber Tamm; Mark & Kristin Kimball of Essex Farm
Bottom Row: Vera Fabian & Gordon Jenkins of Ten Mothers Farm; David & Nneka Williams and family of Sunset Market Gardens; Bil Thorn of Sky Island Farm
WHY FARMER CARE MATTERS
What self-care means for farmers
Farming is one of the hardest jobs in the world. It demands everything — physically, emotionally, financially — and offers little room to stop, rest, or ask for help. The people who grow our food are often the last ones to receive care themselves.
For farmers, self-care is rarely a priority — and almost never easy. Time constraints, financial pressure, and cultural stigma push it to the bottom of a very long list. Yet the need is urgent and the stakes are high. Self-care looks different for every farmer. For some, it's a deep tissue massage for muscles worn down by years of physical labor. For others, it's a gym or yoga membership, monthly therapy sessions, a family outing, or simply a new pair of boot insoles for tired feet. Real Farmer Care believes every farmer deserves to define what care looks like for them — and to actually receive it.
Recipient Dennise Mofidi of Pharm to Body
The scale of the problem
Chronic pain, emotional exhaustion, and burnout are widespread across farming communities. BIPOC and LGBTQ+ farmers face these pressures with the added weight of systemic inequities and greater barriers to support — which is why equity is central to everything Real Farmer Care does.
Since 2020, we have awarded self-care grants to 675+ farmers across 46 states. Fifty percent of recipients identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ+.
Meet the farmers we've supported → and follow our work on Instagram.
Survey data
Real Farmer Care's Self-Care Support Survey asks farmers directly what they need. Their responses confirm what we already know — and make the case for doing more.
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83% cited time poverty and financial stress as their biggest barriers to self-care
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100% highlighted an ongoing need for body repair care services such as therapeutic massage and chiropractic care
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54% requested access to online or in-person therapy and farmer retreats; nearly half sought mindfulness tools
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69% preferred a combination of direct cash awards and wellness programming
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66% identified as USDA underserved producers; 66% farm 20 acres or fewer
Recipient Jess Chirico of Buena Vista Gardens
Recipient Juan Carlos Arango of Sobremesa Farm
What the data means
These findings tell a consistent story: farmers are operating under sustained physical and emotional pressure, often without the support systems they need. They want holistic, community-based care — group retreats, peer connection, and flexible stipends that let each farmer define wellness on their own terms.
There's something else worth noting: most survey respondents farm regeneratively or organically. That's not a coincidence. Farmers who care deeply for the land tend to be the same farmers most committed to doing this work long-term — which means investing in their wellbeing is also an investment in the future of sustainable agriculture. Farmer wellness and land health are inseparable.
Real Farmer Care envisions a future where farmer wellness is a core pillar of agricultural support — not an afterthought. With your support, we can expand access to care, honor the humanity of the people who grow our food, and help build a more just and sustainable food system from the ground up.
Support Real Farmer Care with a donation today.
When we care for farmers, farmers can care for all of us.
Real Farmer Care is a national 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization EIN 42-2468895.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
REAL FARMER CARE IS SUPPORTED BY:
