Man breathing fresh air near the mountains

Simple ways to relieve tension

Fit to Farm: Expectations of stress tee up the body’s tension response — which then sometimes sticks around longer than we need

Farmers and farm workers will often feel tension in their muscles, whether it’s from physical exertion, stress, or even changes in the weather — and treatment of tension can start simple at home.







Jaw clenching and tooth grinding

Jaw clenching and tooth grinding

Fit to Farm: Regular, intentional tongue movement can reduce tension in your jaw, neck and shoulders

Stress management, dental care and other health factors remain important in addressing jaw clenching and grinding, but intentional tongue exercises may help you deal with the painful symptoms in the meantime.


How we connect with others, such as our parents, depends on variables including our cultural backgrounds, our personal styles — and our external stressors.

On-farm communication improves when we start with connection

Seeds of Encouragement: Where you stand with your offspring comes from their relationships to you

Elaine writes: In so many of the families we coach, we see communication breakdowns leading to escalation of conflicts. In some cases, using strategies that provide family members with the tools they need to have better communication can help — but in many cases a relationship between family members has broken down to the point […] Read more