A farmer’s lifestyle is healthier than the stressful, junk-food-loving city lifestyle. There are many secrets to staying physically and mentally fit that farm life can teach us.

A farmer’s lifestyle is very busy with taking care of farm animals, housework, repairs, storage preparation, and maintenance, besides farming. Farm life includes movement as well as eating homegrown food, or organic food, as we call it in the city. A farmer can be a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, but living in a natural environment also contributes to a stress-free, long life.

I am from an eastern state of India, which is the land of farmers—Jharkhand. The state is called Jharkhand, which literally translates to “bushland.” Its lush green fields receive moderate rain that helps in producing a huge amount of rice, flour, and millet. It is a gold mine for iron, ores, and coal. Mica, a rare element that is used in many internationally branded beauty products, is exported from the rocky mountains of Jharkhand.

Even though many cities in Jharkhand have started resembling the developed city models, farming is enjoyed throughout the year. The combination of city and farm life also maintains balanced weather. 

But is a farming life really healthy? Is it fair to compare farm life with city life? 

The meaning of fitness is different for a city person and a farmer. I have experienced both, being from the generation whose parents moved from farm life to a big city for better opportunities. I am at a stage in my life where I understand that being busy does not mean personal growth or better health. My hard-working habit is due to farming genes, and my creative and ambitious streak is from living in a city.

Last year, I traveled many times from New Delhi to Jharkhand to complete some farmland paperwork. It helped me experience farming life in a much deeper way than I had ever done in the past. I spent time helping my uncle on the farm as well as helping my mom with housework. I enjoyed both and got a good overall workout. 

People who think that farm life is relaxing have probably only seen it in the movies. Believe me, by the end of the day after working on a farm, you will be drenched in sweat and eating like a horse or a cow. Not everything about a farming lifestyle is suitable for a city person. 

However, there are important fitness lessons that everyone can learn to stay fit and live a long life like a farmer. 

Disclaimer: All contents in this post are for general health information only. Please consult an expert physician and nutritionist before trying any new exercise, diet, or health advice. There are no affiliate links attached to this post. 

Post Contents:
Farmers embrace functional fitness
Farmers have access to healthy food, drinks, and air
Farmers live in a close-knit community
Farmers are not dependent on technology

Farmers embrace functional fitness 

The convenience of city life is great, but it has also forced us to move less. Exercise has become a separate activity that needs to be incorporated into everyday routines. With problems like obesity and imbalanced blood pressure, it’s no longer a matter of curating exercises for a certain age group. Functional fitness should be embraced by everyone.

Here’s a perfect definition of functional fitness

“Strength training, muscle toning, and joint flexibility and stability are integrated into movement patterns that mimic the ways we move in real life. Every muscle, joint, and tendon in the body is engaged. Integrated functional movement makes moving through the day a smooth, controlled, and coordinated act of balance.”

Farmers naturally practice functional fitness while farming, picking heavy loads, walking, and spending time in nature. 

Here are a few things you can do to start with functional fitness:

-Wake up with the sun and sleep when it gets dark.

-Spend time in nature, either through gardening or walking or jogging in the park.

-Include slow walking for about 20 to 30 minutes after work into your routine.

-Squats, pushups, jumping jacks, lunges, and heel raises are some simple exercises you can do anytime.

-Choose stairs instead of a lift every time.

-Stretch your arms, legs, and back after every two hours.

-If you are working from home, then invest in a standing desk. 

-Try sit-to-stand exercises while carrying a heavy bag as a simple substitute for strength training.

You may also like to read: Chair Yoga Exercises And Simple Health Tips To Reduce Bloating

Farmers have access to healthy food, drinks, and air

Everything has to be filtered in city life to survive. Air, water, and food are basic necessities. We can still live a more sustainable life if we start taking small steps every day to reduce pollution. 

-Include various types of soups in your diet.

-Snack on seasonal fruits and nuts instead of junk food.

-Count your unhealthy drinks or the number of cigarettes you smoke, and then reduce the number every day.

-One glass of warm water after meals helps digest food faster. 

-Add one protein-rich food to your everyday meal. 

-Keep at least a 5-hour gap between each big meal. Do not eat at your desk while working. This is the easiest habit that you should let go of. Taking a break and then resuming work with a fresh mind is more productive than sitting all day. 

-Farm life also teaches us to care for the environment by learning methods to reuse food waste.

You may also like to read: Have You Tried Plogging To Fight Climate Change?

Farmers live in a close-knit community 

Volunteering to help your neighbours comes naturally to farmers because there are few families living in an area. Farmers meet at the church, at bake sales, or on special occasions and festivals. In a city, there is less time to enjoy yourself when you are overworked. And sometimes we do so much multitasking that we get burned out. We lose focus on personal growth and destroy our mental health.

Here are some healthy and creative ways to enjoy community time:

-Join an exercise, marathon, or hiking group that meets monthly, quarterly, or yearly. 

-Volunteer to help at an NGO with various cultural activities.

-Travel to places to experience farm life, meet local people, and learn about gardening and organic farming. 

-One extraordinary way to travel internationally on a budget is to volunteer to work on someone’s farm in any way and get free accommodation and healthy local food. There are beautiful Brazilian and Irish beekeeping farms, animal sanctuaries, construction, and woodwork in an eco-village, etc. Learn more about it by following the link in the reference section.

-You can also spend a week at a holistic centre with accommodations, daily yoga and meditation exercises, a spa facility, and healthy food. The teaching and friendships that you will make at these centres will improve your overall lifestyle. 

Farmers are not dependent on technology

Even though electricity has reached the villages, there is so much work required on a farm that there is no time to spend sitting in front of a television. Won’t you rather spend time gazing at the numerous stars at night? 

Things that a city person can do to become less dependent on technology are:

-Spend quality time playing with and pampering your pets to de-stress.

-Enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. 

-Rearrange your home furniture for a fresh look, clean your place, and do some heavy lifting.

-Play an outdoor sport with friends every weekend to stay active. 

-Read physical and offline books. 

-Get creative with some DIYs to decorate your office desk or paint a wall. 

Final Thoughts

Living a sustainable and healthy life is not that difficult. Getting rid of toxic habits takes time and effort. Farmers have access to many healthy things provided by their surroundings. Incorporating some of the values of farm life into our everyday city lives helps us stay connected to our beautiful earth and to the community. 

References

Time To Embrace Functional Movement

https://healthyaging.net/fitness/time-to-embrace-functional-movement/

6 types of volunteer work abroad that gives you free accommodation, by Lauren, Feb 23, 2023.

https://www.worldpackers.com/articles/volunteering-work-abroad-free-travel-and-accommodation