Staff at AgFirst have created a programme dubbed Surfing for Farmers to help rural communities reduce stress and it works, AgFirst consultant and programme founder Stephen Thomson said.
“When you get off the farm and into the water it’s like taking a plunge into another world.
“For an hour or two you forget about everything else.”
The idea originated from a documentary, Resurface, which tells the stories of war veterans who use surf therapy to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Thomson thought the concept could be useful for farmers.
“In our case we’re not talking about trauma but there is science behind the idea of saltwater and the waves being an active ingredient in helping to reduce stress levels,” he said.
“It’s about giving farmers a chance to get away from the farm and have a bit of downtime over the stressful summer months.
“Many farmers could do with that.”
Thomson kick started the initiative with about 30 surfers, more than half of them farmers.
“I was impressed to see how many came long, especially for our first surf.
“The local community has been really excited about the idea.
“I’ve heard from a number of locals, including farmers, who are grateful for it.”
The programme runs once a week over summer, meeting at 5.30pm on Tuesday evenings at Midway Beach, or Makorori, waves co-operating.
The Gisborne Boardriders Club supports the initiative and supplies longboards, wet suits and coaches for people to learn how to surf.
“We have 20 surfboards available and the sessions are 90 minutes long.
“You might have a go for 45 minutes then come in and fire up the barbecue then have a couple of beers.
“It’s a fun environment so it doesn’t matter about skill level,” Thomson said.
“Anyone who surfs is welcome to get down to the beach and be part of our crew.”
Ngatapa sheep and beef farmer Hamish Cave is one of the farmers taking part.
“I always find it refreshing to get to the sea and catch a few waves.
“It is great to be able to enjoy the surf and let go of the busy day-to-day workload that farming throws at you.
“Weaning, shearing and picking lambs, it’s a busy time of the year on-farm, especially for sheep and beef farmers,” Cave said.
“But farmers still need to make time for themselves and their wellbeing.
“And surfing is a great way to do that.”
Thomson said winter sports like rugby and netball tend to bring farming communities together in the cooler months but that significantly reduces in summer and, naturally, so too does their support network.
“The reason I started this programme is to help combat that,” he said.
“It’s also to help turn conversation into action.
“There’s a lot of good work taking place in our community such as talking about depression and anxiety but it’s equally if not more important to provide ways to help mitigate these issues before they escalate.
“Surfing for Farmers is a safe environment. You don’t have to be the best.
“It’s about getting out there, getting away from the demands of work and getting a chance to talk about things other than just farming.”
And it already has a bunch of sponsors keen to support it, Thomson said.
“So, there’s no cost to participants.
“Farmers just have to turn up and have a go.”
