ABOUT THE BOOK

As the topic of mental health is becoming less taboo and more pervasive in our societal conversations, there are segments of our culture where mental illness has almost become an occupational hazard. In rural small towns where everyone knows your name and your business, these conversations are less prevalent. With the propensity of services and mental health resources in more populated areas, it’s hard to fathom how excruciating the isolation of being a farmer can be. Lewellyn Melnyk knows well about hours spent on her farm that separated her from the support she needed in her bout with depression and anxiety which started in her teens and was enough for her to consider suicide.

In her book, Rooted: How I Stay Small-Town Strong When Life Gets Hard and How You Can Too: A Guide to Finding Joy, Learning from Struggle, and Coming Together One Season at a Time is a blend of self-help and memoir to help readers through the tough times and show  them how to live with compassion and joy while caring for themselves first. Through humor, vivacious attitude, and a soundtrack to match, this guide acknowledges and dispels the myths around rural living and shows how mental illness is rooted in the culture of these communities. Whether living on a farm or in an apartment in the city, readers will find these simple strategies achievable to improve mental and physical health. Rooted is for anyone ready to take the next step and get their hands and heart dirty.

“[Rooted]… is the best “self help” book I have ever read because it is the only one I’m aware of that is specifically aimed at the challenges facing farmers and rural residents…” – Sarah Vogel, Attorney/ Author of THE FARMER’S LAWYER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lewellyn Melnyk is a journalist by trade and a farmer by choice. She worked as a reporter and anchor at CKX-TV in Brandon, Manitoba before focusing on farming alongside her husband and family. Rooted is inspired by her personal challenges with mental health, grief, and the desire to help others love themselves and improve their mental health. 

In 2021, she facilitated a mental health program called “Talk. Ask. Listen.” in collaboration with the Do More Agriculture Foundation, a national organization that teaches farmers how to recognize the symptoms of mental illness and get support. Melnyk has a passion for country music and enjoys running, especially on gravel roads. She lives on a grain farm near Angusville, Manitoba, with her husband and two children.

FACTS & TALKING POINTS

• Agriculture is one of the top 5 occupations with some of the highest rates of death by suicide (NPR – September 2022)
• A 2020 survey of Canadian farmers found that 45% reported high stress, 58% were classified with varying levels of anxiety and 35% with depression (University of Guelph)
• Mental illness is more prevalent in rural areas than in urban communities (2017-Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP))
• Given the nature of the occupation, farmers experience social isolation and are traditionally less open to discussing mental health and accepting support.
• Hotlines exist in Canada and the US for mental health issues. Canada’s Resources are here: https://www.nfu.ca/help/. In the U.S. farmers can find support here: https://www.agrisafe.org/