Mind your melon. In other words, don’t overlook your mental health when you are growing food for the world.
That’s the theme of a new podcast series from St. Louis, Mo.-based Vegetables by Bayer. The podcast series aims to help educate farmers about mental health and the importance of taking proactive steps to mitigate their stress before it becomes overwhelming, according to a news release.
Mind Your Melon’s first initiative will feature three episodes on The Produce Mom’s podcast that tackle various facets of mental health and well-being, the release said.
The first episode addresses the significant impact farm stress can make. Guest Marshal Sewell shares how his fifth-generation, fruit and vegetable farm family dealt with the passing of his dad after a devastating crop loss, according to the release.
Sewell, who is also the U.S. Open Field Strategic Accounts and Partners Manager at Vegetables by Bayer, came up with the idea for the podcast to help generate awareness for the issue.
“What happened to my family sent me on a journey to find ways we can all manage and mitigate stress during difficult times – not only on the farm, but in our everyday lives, too,” Sewell said in the release. “Mind Your Melon is one way we can help share some proactive choices anyone can make to be better prepared to take on those challenging times when they hit. It can be as simple as taking some quiet time in the morning for yourself before the day starts or eating nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables, so your mind and body operate at top performance together.”
Each podcast features interviewer Lori Taylor, host of The Produce Moms, according to the release. Taylor also talks with guests about the importance of fruits and vegetables and their role in our mental and physical health, the release said.
Episodes include:
Marshal Sewell tells his personal story of farm-stress and mental health (May 4)
Dr. Chris Mohr, PhD RD discusses nutrition and exercise links to mental health (May 11)
Dr. Monique Aucoin ND shares how the food we eat impacts our mood (May 18)
“Mental health and well-being can be a difficult subject to talk about, yet it’s one of the most important conversations people can have,” Jenny Maloney, strategic accounts lead for North America, Vegetables by Bayer, said in the release. “Mind Your Melon is a great way to bring those conversations to the forefront and share some unique perspectives. Vegetables by Bayer is extremely proud to sponsor the series, of Marshal’s courageous passion for the cause, and of the tremendous support throughout the fruit and vegetables industry that this effort has received along the way.”
To listen to each episode, visit The Produce Moms.
To learn more about Mind Your Melon, visit www.MindYourMelon.org.
