Merle Massie, The Do More Agriculture Foundation
Submitted
As a kid, if we were in town shopping, a big treat was to have a snack or a meal at the cafeteria at the co-op before we went home. And when we did, it was inevitable: we’d always find people that we knew, to chat with over coffee and pie for the adults, chocolate milk (known as Vico to kids from Saskatchewan) and pie for the kids.
I have fond memories of the chocolate pudding pie with sprinkles. I also know that the place buzzed with connections and conversation, often between farmers finding their way through price squeezes, machinery costs, government policies, and weather.
Talking things out wasn’t about solving things — though no doubt the politicians could have learned a thing or two. It was about sharing concerns and struggles with others who, you knew, would understand.
That’s what peers do best. Talk, ask, and listen. Share stories. Build connection. That sense of shared experience and shared stories makes a world of difference.
There’s one catch. Some stories are personal, perhaps even painful. They can be tough to share in public. Maybe there’s some stress, and fear of judgement. Perhaps anxiety or depression. Or there is a relationship problem. Or the isolation of farming is making you lonely.
Imagine, then, that same coffee shop, online and anonymous: a place to meet others, cultivate a sense of belonging, of familiarity and understanding. A place where you can be yourself, share what’s really on your mind, and keep your sense of safety and anonymity. Talk it out, with peers who also understand agriculture, and the underlying stress that’s sometimes harder to share.
That anonymous space to connect is what the online community, AgTalk, can do. AgTalk lets you meet with people just like you who understand agriculture and its stress and struggle. You can share what’s happening and what’s on your mind, and connect with others who also get the challenges of farming — all while keeping you completely anonymous.
AgTalk is part of a larger peer-shared space called Togetherall. A good way to understand it is to think of Togetherall as the town, AgTalk as the farmer coffee corner, full of people connected to agriculture. Once you’ve signed up and joined, you’re also welcome to explore other groups and spaces within Togetherall. Maybe you find someone else who loves old cars. Perhaps someone who is a volunteer firefighter and has witnessed hard things. Maybe someone else is struggling to hold their marriage together, and you’ve got some thoughts to share that might help them.
Peer support is incredibly powerful. It helps people feel better when they know that others understand. Shared experiences build a sense of belonging and welcome. Giving back to others is important, too. When you share your own ideas and journey to support others, you feel more confident. It’s different from talking with a doctor or medical professional. When someone just like you shares what helped them, you build ideas and pick up tools to add to your own toolbox.
Togetherall’s 24/7 peer platform is also backed by experts who are available if you need them. Imagine them as a therapist at the next table, handy in case you need to reach out and have a private chat. The Togetherall platform brings together powerful resources to support the peers who share the space.
AgTalk is free to anyone across Canada connected to agriculture, and everyone 16+ is welcome to join. It is brought to you through The Do More Agriculture Foundation with financial partnership from BASF, RBC Foundation and The McCain Foundation.
You just need to bring your own pie and coffee.
