“Count the Days by the Good Outcomes”: Family Farm Member Experiences with Stress and Coping

Abstract

ABSTRACT Over the last 50 years, the number of farms in the United States has declined by 33%, with family farms, which make up 96% of total farms, especially at risk. Despite dwindling numbers, the passion and heart of family farm members remain strong as they continue to farm. This study utilized stress and coping theory to explore family farm member experiences with stress and how they communicatively cope. Zoom interviews with 26 family farm members revealed two common stressors: (1) environmental and (2) financial. Participants also noted three coping strategies: (1) reframe to the family, (2) reframe to nature, and (3) reframe to the farmer identity. Results showed a complex network for managing stress that often characterizes objects as both stressor and coping technique. Theoretically, this article points to the importance of considering recurrent stressors, defined as stress generated from events outside of the individual’s ability to control, and that repeatedly occur within one’s environment. These data also highlight the need to integrate cognitive restructuring into stress and coping research, as participants reported reframing sources of stress as the sources for coping. Practically, we offer the following applied suggestions to address family farm member stress: (1) listen to and recognize farm stress and (2) teach coping skills.