agriculture, who were interviewed for a multistate study, acknowledged feelings of self-doubt and loneliness, and challenges in balancing farm and family life (Daigle & Heiss, 2020).
Females on farms carry more distress than males as they juggle on and off-farm work and what is known as the “third shift” care of the family (Elliott et al., 2018). During the COVID -19 pandemic, some experienced layoffs or the need to work from home. Those with school-aged children dealt with children at home experiencing school virtually if accessible, affordable internet was available. A study by Marotz-Baden & Mattheis (1994) suggests that daughters-in-law carry the most stress due to intergenerational tensions. Multiple studies indicate that female farmers experience stressors differently than male farmers; they are more affected psychologically. Their depressive symptoms are associated with what they thought was racial or ethnic discrimination and conflict with their families. Conflicts occurred around farm and home roles and interpersonal relationships (Yazd et al., 2019). One study of seven tensions within farm couples arising from the farm business found that husbands and wives differed in their priorities. For husbands, profit was the top priority, while for wives, priorities were family relationships. And for husbands, more tension was tied to stressful events and keeping the business in the family (Danes & Lee, 2004).
In this 6- minute video, “Meet an Annie’s Project Graduate,” Brenda Fleming, owner and operator of a farm in Dorchester County MD, explains how as a widow, she’s continued the farming business with the goal of having a successful operation to turn over to her sons. She addresses some of the challenges of being a female farmer.
Site:https://extension.umd.edu/annies- project/meet-annies-project-graduate
VIDEO
Video: https://youtu.be/YrWcZfyTfmE
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