Videos

Sam Whitelock chats with Taranaki dairy farmer Kane Brisco about some practical tips and strategies to help you control the controllables.
“With farming, a lot of the big things we aren’t in control of and that’s something that I’ve really struggled through, just understanding that, because you wanna have an influence over everything and manage it and get the right outcome, but in reality you have to let go of those things, otherwise you just end up getting angry.” Kane Brisco.

In this video Taranaki dairy farmer Kane Brisco reveals a technique he uses to reframe a situation and help turn around a bad day.
“What I try to do when I’m having a bad day is a perspective check. I’ve got a few experiences that I relate back to and compare to. It’s a lot easier to put a full stop on a problem when you’ve got good perspective.” Kane Brisco.

Marc Gascoigne talks about the benefits of giving back to the community, which include getting off the farm and connecting with friends.
“If stress is getting on top of you it can be tempting just to close down and stick to yourself, but it’s really important to keep talking. Getting off the farm is just as important as putting on fertiliser or putting detergent through your milking plant. It refreshes you and gives you a new perspective.”

In this video Sam Whitelock discusses with dairy farmer Paul Walker his strategies and methods for dealing with challenging times on the farm.

Sam Whitelock chats with Taranaki dairy farmer Kane Brisco about a common thinking trap known as ‘black-and-white thinking’. Kane discusses how he has evolved his mindset and openly shares his approach to farm management.

South Auckland dairy farmer Amber Carpenter shares with Sam Whitelock what she pays attention to, to help stay Farmstrong.
“Keeping yourself mentally and physically fit is really important and it helps everything flow better. I think being Farmstrong is ensuring you are being the best for yourself, your family, your farm and just putting your best foot forward each day no matter what that looks like.” Amber Carpenter.

In this video Taranaki dairy farmer Kane Brisco shares two breathing techniques you can use to help you calm down and think more clearly when you’re under pressure. You can also use a technique called box breathing.
“When you focus on your breathing it calms you and engages your thinking brain again, it brings your heart rate down and gives you clarity… in those high pressure situations, when you’re under the pump, the adrenaline gets going and you get fired up, it’s important to be able to stay calm.” Kane Brisco

Geoff Spark chats to Darcy Bishop an Oxford dairy farmer about a group of farmers who found a solution of ‘Tools Down’ texting to arrange short breaks off the farm.
Darcy explains how it’s really important to stay connected to people. “A quick text to someone doesn’t cost anything and could make someone’s day a lot better.”

Clinical Psychologist, Sarah Donaldson explains the importance of being proactive when looking after your wellbeing and ensuring you take micro breaks so you get more enjoyment out of life.

In this video Sam Whitelock talks about managing negative thoughts.
“Negative thoughts are normal and it doesn’t matter that you have them, it’s how you react to them”
Sam also talks about how language is massive. “Don’t panic versus stay calm. Both can be beneficial but when you hear don’t panic all you hear is panic and when someone says stay calm, it’s a natural thing to take a breath and change your body language”.

Taranaki dairy farmer Kane Brisco talks about how important humour is in farming. “Being able to have a laugh in the tough times and finding some positive humour about a situation – it changes your whole attitude towards a challenge and how you see it”.

Paparimu dairy farmer Amber Carpenter discusses with Farmstrong Ambassador Sam Whitelock how she switches off from work and “leaves the gumboots at the door”.
“It is hard when you live on the farm because literally you can see everything that is happening out the kitchen window, but we make a really big effort once we get to that front door or back door, wherever we’re coming in from the farm, once you know the gear is off that’s it, that’s where we leave it. We don’t need to bring that home, home’s our safe space where we can relax, but we also need to make sure that home is where our family time happens and that we’re showing our kids that they’re the priority then and the farm’s not the priority.” Amber Carpenter.