Walk with Me is a new quarterly series that aims to highlight the challenges that farmers encounter. These challenges can take various forms, be it personal or professional. By putting together a platform for sharing these stories, we hope that it can destigmatize common social taboos and help our rancher community be the best that they can be.
Our first guest: NSW rancher, Stuart Austin
Our first guest, Stuart Austin, is no stranger amongst the MaiaGrazing audience. Stuart is an Australian award-winning rancher from New South Wales, Australia, who was our first Champion of Grazing Innovation. Stuart believes in paying in forward. For instance, he generously shared his time, experience and expertise at Maia Field Day, in various industry events, and published news articles. So, when Stuart bravely stepped up to share his personal story of mental health, we said yes. Because Stuart's story “goes back much further than the fires last year”, we believe that his experience is something that many can relate to. As a result, we hope that our audience will see how beneficial RegenAg can be to our well-being. You can find out more about Stuart's work by visiting Wilmot Cattle Co.
Walk with Me: Stuart Austin
Support — Are you bogged mate?
As part of this episode, we are highlighting the good work that regional not-for-profit organization, Are You Bogged Mate? is doing to help men in rural communities manage their mental health. All registrants who would like to support the work of this organization can include an optional donation. Mary, the founder of the organization, will be joining us at the start of the talk to tell our audience more about the work that they do.
About Are You Bogged Mate?
'Are You Bogged Mate?' aims to boost awareness and start a conversation with the broader community about the rising issue of depression and suicide rates among men in rural areas. We are confronting the challenges that country men face on a daily basis, talking about mental health, and lighting the path to support.