– It’s so soft and damn you know! Henrik Basberg wades with heavy and melancholy steps in the mud. There is little that resembles a fertile field. With a “swipe”, he drives his working fist into the mud and pulls up two lumps of dung. It should have been a couple of fresh potatoes. – Not a Rema product, he observes sunk in brown contemplation. Henrik Basberg shows off two potatoes … Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news Millions of kroner lost and taken by extreme weather All his life, Basberg has been a farmer in Ringerike. Now large parts of the crop have been lost. Drought and floods have sent the farmer and the business almost to their knees in shit. 300 acres of seed have been destroyed. This corresponds to just over 200 tonnes. In addition, he has lost 250 acres of potatoes. In total, he has lost six million kroner in turnover. After the flood, he had to take the cows in and slaughter 16 of them. There was a shortage of winter fodder. It is no better with neighboring farmer Ole Peter Thingelstad. At his place, 90 acres of wheat grains have completely rotted away. 110 acres of potatoes are under water, which according to the farmer should be potato food for 20,000 people. NOK 1.4 million in the proceeds. – I’m sorry when a whole year goes wrong. Money I spent on the crop, the money I was supposed to get… in the end, the money is gone. There is nothing left, he sighs. Large parts of Henrik Basberg’s crops have been destroyed by floods. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news It is claimed that the potato can be used for everything. However, this year’s edition is not much to brag about and is rather useless. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news The seasons have not been kind, pleasant and with soft transitions – as in Vivaldi’s famous piece. Ringeriks farmers Ole Peter Thingelstad and Henrik Basberg notice this on their crops. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news “It’s so soft and damn”. At least they take the year’s grain crop on the grain, the two farmers. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news After the flood, Henrik Basberg had to kill 16 of his cows due to a lack of winter fodder. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news Enormous responsibility and pressure on the farmer As a farmer, you are at the mercy of nature cooperating so that the crop and result will be optimal. 2023 has not played on a team with the farmer. It is a fact that many Norwegian farmers have a tough time mentally: Loneliness, long working days and sometimes unpredictable finances. Figures from the Institute of Public Health show that around 650 people take their own lives each year. Men are overrepresented, and farmers are one of the occupational groups most prone to developing anxiety and committing suicide. The agricultural organizations and Norsk Landbruksrådgiving are anxious for the farmers. They fear they are at breaking point after a disastrous growing season. – The farmers are worried about the economy and the feed situation. If the economy becomes sufficiently tight and the farm fails, then the home of three generations will also fail, says Kari-Anne Aanerud, advisor at Norwegian Agricultural Advisory. Kari-Anne Aanerud worries about the farmers’ mental health. Photo: Aleksandr Nedbaev / news The farmer lives at the workplace. There is little difference between private and working life. The pressure is great and if the weather turns, you lose your income base, the adviser points out. – Your income may only be 30 percent. You will not get new income on the 12th – but in 12 months. Many people do not understand this, Aanerud asserts. Knee-deep in misery The state administrator in Oslo and Viken notices the despair of farmers who report damage to this year’s crop. – To see that the entire income base for one year is gone, it is serious. We are concerned about the farmer’s mental health. Many are up to their ankles in misery, says Kay Henrik Bucher, section manager in the agricultural department. Kay Henrik Bucher at the State Administrator in Oslo and Viken. Photo: The State Administrator in Oslo and Viken/Sturlason At the beginning of October, the agricultural organisations, Felleskjøpet, Bondelaget, Norsk Landbuksrådgiving and Nortura join together to look after the farmers. In Akershus, Buskerud and Østfold, professional meetings will be organized where the idea is that farmers together with other players in agriculture will have a meeting place. The aim is to lower the threshold for talking about feelings and mental health. – This is the proudest and smartest professional group I know of. They are so used to fixing things and managing everything themselves, but not very good at asking for help, claims Aanerud. – Can’t feel sorry for themselves Farmers Ole Peter Thingelstad and Henrik Basberg stand on the Ringeriks fields. They can only ascertain the accident. Both live off what they can harvest. Dependent on nature. In addition, there will be cost increases and interest rate increases. They are literally ankle-deep in misery. No one intends to stay standing. – If you sit down and start feeling sorry for yourself, then you have lost. We have to push on. I have responsibility for my family and animals, I have obligations, says Basberg. – Are you talking about feelings? – No no! We don’t do that. Don’t feel anything for it. What’s the use then? answers the farmers and can’t help but laugh at the question. Henrik Basberg doesn’t quite believe in “psychological help” after the poor growing season. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news The follow-up question must come: When they saw the farm and crops lying under water, what emotions were evoked? – It’s terribly sad, then. But I can’t say it affects my health, confirms Basberg. – Would you consider getting some psychological help? – Psychological help? No. What are we going to do with it then? I have a wife I can talk to if something is bothering me. – Do you know other farmers who are struggling? – Yes, we all struggle together. But that’s not something we can do anything about. It is a natural disaster that has affected the whole of southern Norway. But something positive always comes out of problems, assures Basberg in conclusion. Hopefully better times and better crops will come. Photo: Caroline Bækkelund Hauge / news
ttn-69
The Norwegian Agricultural Advisory Service is concerned about farmers’ mental health – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
