The Rural Mindset Podcast Episode 20 - Kimberley Allan

by Erica Leniczek May 20, 2022

On this episode of The Rural Mindset Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberley Allan of Gather Farm & Kitchen, A Year On The Farm Podcast, and Kimberley's Kitchen. Kimberley is also a member of the Positively Farming Media Podcast Network and has been helpful in coaching me through some of my podcast ebbs and flows. Kimberley is on the board for her local farmers market, where they have become focused on mental health for the individuals involved by helping people find resources that will help them find resources that will suit their needs as well.

Kimberley is a baker, farmer and podcaster who runs a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm out of British Columbia, Canada. For those who don't know, a CSA is a local farm where people essentially pre-purchase their vegetables and good before the growing season and either pick-up of have delivered weekly shipments of locally grown goods! CSA's are becoming more popular in Canada and give people the opportunity to utilize their farm-to-table resources in their area. Gather Farm & Kitchen allows individuals to purchase add-ons to their weekly food box of fresh baked goods such as bread and other delicious things to enjoy!

Kimberley was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia and opens up about her transition from city to rural living. Sometimes, when we move from rural to urban settings we learn some hard lessons about new challenges such as face-to-face interactions, time and energy taken to get off the farm, drought, and more. While physical isolation can be wonderful, it can also be quite challenging because we may love the space and distance from the city, but you realize how alone you can be.

When we aren't in close proximity of others we might not to be able to identify when someone isn't doing well. Without face-to-face interactions we can miss body language and what is happening behind the scenes in real life.

Kimberley talks about her recent burnout struggles in the summer of 2021. She has been treated and recovered from anxiety and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), so she was able to identify the aspects of burnout that were coming on. Through her experience, Kimberley hopes to help others understand how burnout can come on and also change the way we look at mental health in a clinical setting from a preventative stance through regular mental health screening.

When Kimberley can see burnout coming she creates a strategy so that her family is organized by taking things off her schedule or postponing commitments, making healthy meals for her family, and ensuring they're all good so she can go enjoy moving in nature, get off the farm, go to the beach, eat a nutrient dense meal, and practices being mindful around self-care by investing in herself or doing something nice for herself.

Listen to Episode 20 Here!

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If you’re looking for more great food & ag focused podcasts to listen to you can check out the Positively Farming Media playlist on Spotify. There you will find all of the podcasts on the Positively Farming Media Podcast Network just like The Rural Mindset Podcast. | Listen Here