Emily Lees: Resilience is lived rather than taught on farms

January is the time of year when the weight of the winter routine begins to press a little heavier.

The weather often turns for the worse, and morale can dip, too.

Christmas indulgences are a distant memory and New Year’s resolutions have already slipped.

This long gap, before spring truly lifts us with new life and longer days, is where a farmer’s resilience is most clearly tested.

See also: Emily Lees – be warned, farm scammers are out there 

About the author

Emily Lees

Raised in Scotland, Emily Lees worked in the pharmaceutical industry before heading to Dorset to help run her husband’s family farm. Based in the Poole Harbour catchment, the farm produces organic beef and has many diversifications.

Read more articles by Emily Lees

Resilience is a word often discussed in schools and workplaces, usually as something that can be taught or encouraged.

Yet many would argue that it is increasingly hard to come by.

Farmers, however, are some of the hardiest people in our communities.

So, what builds resilience? Farmers regularly experience huge unpredictability, from weather and seasonal pressures to economic uncertainty and political influence.

Not to mention working long hours, seamlessly moving between the yard and Excel spreadsheets.

What sets farming apart is the mindset that develops alongside these pressures.

Persistence and adaptability are not optional; they are essential.

If a crop fails to deliver the yield we hoped for, we investigate, adjust and plan differently for the future.

Learning to absorb setbacks and move forward is what builds genuine resilience over time.

This winter has provided a small personal reminder of that reality.

I’ve been battling a stubborn cold that refuses to shift.

I freely admit that in another line of work I might have stayed in bed, films on repeat, surfacing only for my next Lemsip.

On the farm, however, the bales do not feed themselves, nor sadly, will the cattle bed or scrape-up on their own.

So, there was no hiding in bed with a hot water bottle – just forging on with pockets of wet tissues and used hand warmers.

It may not have been the smartest decision, but needs must.

So with this article I offer a firm handshake of recognition – for ploughing on when the going gets tough.

And, reassuringly, spring is but a few months away, bringing longer and hopefully drier days, allowing us to forget the winter blues, ready, inevitably, to tackle them again next year.