THE Two Minute Farmer project is aimed at helping people in agriculture tackle big issues by breaking them into manageable chunks. 

The project, spearheaded by Duchy College and Stephens Scown solicitors and supported by the Agri-tech Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Project, is developing a series of tools to help people tackle sensitive issues and the challenges of modern life by initially taking just two minutes out of their daily schedule.

The project helps farmers address complex issues by breaking them into bitesized chunks, boosting efficiency and profit and combating mental health issues. One of the tools the project has developed is called the ‘Tractor Wheel of Life’.

Mike Rowe, a former agricultural banker who is involved with the project, said: “When you visit your GP, one of the first things they do is take your temperature and check your blood pressure.

“So we’ve devised the Tractor Wheel of Life as a quick, two-minute exercise to gauge the pulse of your life and business.”

The visual device sees participants score themselves on how satisfied they are with the subjects forming the eight spokes, such as their financial situation, health, family life and succession planning. 

Drawing a line from score to score creates a ‘wheel’ shape, giving an at-a-glance guide of how satisfied you are, how balanced your life is, how confident you are about the future and how much stress you might be experiencing. 

The resulting shape is also a great starting point to address the reasons and factors behind each score, explains Mike. 

“Farmers are incredibly resourceful, talented people with an amazing work ethic, but it’s easy to feel swamped by the pressures of 21st century life.

“We need to find a way of easing the pressure and creating some space that allows the brain to think for itself and deal with challenges, as opposed to being overwhelmed by them.

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