February 7, 2023 - Wearparts

Farm stress and mental health in the holidays

Posted on February 7, 2023December 25, 2023 by Oisin O'Murchu

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – but what if it isn’t?

Farmers are at the centre of everything our nation holds dear about the festive season. The snowy countryside scenes, the cosy farmhouse kitchens, the mountains of delicious, home-cooked produce.

But the reality of Christmas on the farm can be a whole lot bleaker than the nostalgic, greetings-card image we’re all familiar with.

Falling right in the middle of winter, on the eve of taxation season, the festive season brings with it a unique set of practical and financial challenges for farmers.

Long, dark days and cold temperatures can make outdoor work seem more arduous than usual. Bad weather can cause problems with machinery and equipment, while livestock are more prone to sickness during the winter months. Bills rise as the farm’s energy demands increase, and incomes are stretched thin by the cost of buying gifts and hosting family gatherings.

By the very nature of their job, farmers tend to suffer more from social isolation than people who work in ‘normal’ jobs. Add to this the usual tensions – the family fall-outs, the empty chair around the dinner table – and it’s no wonder that farmers are more prone to stress and mental health problems, especially during the festive season.

Farmers are in crisis

Research shows that farmers in the US are at greater risk of suicide than any other occupation, with a rate 1.5 times the average. This frightening statistic has prompted a movement to do more about mental health among farming communities – we’ve linked to some organizations that can help at the bottom of this blog.

As part of those communities, there are things we can all do to try and ease the burden on our farming colleagues and their families over the festive season, and all year round. There are also some important self-help steps farmers can take to look after their mental health. Here are some tips and ideas to try:

1. Reach out to your farmer friends

Social isolation is a major contributing factor in farm stress and poor mental health among farmers. Farm workers are perceived as ‘gruff and tough’, able to work without rest or complaint all year round – but this is a harmful stereotype that can prevent struggling farmers from reaching out for help. While the physical work of farming means you might not see your farming buddies very often, technology means it’s easier than ever to check in. Talking about the challenges you’re facing doesn’t just lighten the load for you – it encourages others to voice their concerns and stresses too. So drop the tough guy act and send a message, pick up the phone – or better still, grab a beer and a chance to talk as often as you can.

2. Prioritise downtime

When it comes to hard work, farmers have nothing to learn. Working from sun up to sun down in all weathers, and turning your hand to any task just comes with the territory. But one thing farmers are terrible at is taking time off – and yet this is crucial for mental wellbeing.

Of course, we’re not suggesting a week in the Florida Keys. Farm work is relentless and hiring help is expensive. But recognizing that downtime is a vital investment in your health, your family and ultimately, the security of your business, is an important first step. Try to ringfence times in the week when you are ‘off’, and don’t tackle jobs during these times unless absolutely necessary. Make time to have dinner with the family. Prepare in advance of the festive season so that work can take a back seat on key dates. And don’t be afraid to ask for help – family and friends will be happy to pitch in if it means getting to spend quality time with you on special family days.

3. Get support with finances

Farmers are some of the best bookkeepers around. You’re undoubtedly accustomed to managing finances, keeping on top of bills and taxes and planning ahead for rainy days. You’re probably also intensely private about your farm finances and reluctant to ask for help if money is becoming a source of stress.

But a problem shared is a problem halved – and in the current financial climate, there’s no shame in admitting that you need some extra help. There are many professional organizations out there who are trained to help with complex financial issues including farm financial analysis, tax and succession planning, debt analysis and credit mediation. These organizations can help you come up with a plan to maximize profitability, manage credit/debt and spread the cost of overheads more efficiently. Speaking to a professional can go a long way towards easing the mental load, helping you to sleep easy at night.

4. You are what you eat

Mental wellbeing and physical health go hand in hand. Taking care of your body is one of the most powerful things you can do to stay resilient in the face of mental challenges. It goes without saying that you get enough exercise and spend plenty of time outdoors – but factors like diet could be impacting on your health.

Eating well for a farmer means getting plenty of nutrient dense food, rich in the protein your body needs to sustain activity for long periods of time. Lean meat and low-fat dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables and a good amount of pulses and legumes are a great basis. Staying hydrated throughout the day is important even in winter – and watch your alcohol consumption. Drinking to relax or to be able to sleep is common among farmers but carries risks for your mental and physical health.

5. Get enough sleep

Burnout culture in farming is a thing just as it is in many other office-based professions. But there are no prizes for running on the least amount of sleep – and in fact, not getting enough puts you at significant risk of accident and injury as well as depression. Most adults need 7-8 hours sleep per night on average to function well cognitively and emotionally during the day. If you find yourself forgetting things, feeling ‘foggy’ or experiencing low mood, lack of sleep could be the cause. Good sleep hygiene is vital for getting enough shuteye – allowing time to wind down before bed, avoiding too much screen time in the evenings, reducing your caffeine intake and avoiding alcohol can all help you to get a better quality sleep.

Don’t suffer in silence

If you or someone you know is in crisis, it’s important to reach out for professional support. Don’t suffer in silence – here are some helpline numbers:

Farm Aid Hotline, 800-FARM-AID (327-6243) Monday-Friday 9-5pm ET
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800-273-TALK (8255) 24/7
MidWest AgriStress Helpline, call or text 833-897-2474, 24/7

Why choose Wearparts?

Posted on February 7, 2023December 25, 2023 by donna strain

For crop farmers, replacement tillage and planting parts are essential. By their very nature, ground-engaging components on farm machinery such as cultivators and planters get worn down over time, and need to be replaced.

But what to replace them with isn’t so clear cut. Most agricultural dealers will carry a mix of OEM and aftermarket parts – and in many cases, OEM is the most expensive of the two, which leads farmers to believe that they are also better quality.

But the choice isn’t always a binary one. Wearparts replacement tillage and planting parts are not OEM parts, but neither are they a cheaper alternative. What’s more, Wearparts is more than just a brand name created to lend authenticity to a range of inferior aftermarket parts.

We’re smaller than the big guys, but just like the John Deeres of this world, we have an authentic reputation, built on expertise and trust. So whether you’re a farmer or an ag dealer, if you’re wondering why you should do business with Wearparts, here are six great reasons:

1. Quality

We’ll be absolutely straight with you; generally speaking, our products are not cheaper than their OEM equivalents. In some cases, you may even find they are more expensive. This is because we use only specialist global manufacturers to make high quality products from the best quality materials, always.

We source the majority of our replacement tillage parts in Europe and South America before assembling them here in the USA, and we test 100% of them before they are shipped out of our warehouses in Nebraska and Georgia. We also have some of the most stringent tolerances in the ag industry – typically half that of our competitors. If a product doesn’t pass our test, it doesn’t leave the warehouse.

We modify a significant percentage of our products in-house, delivering on average 10% MORE material and a 30% longer wearlife, which ultimately reduces downtime and cost per acre in the field.

2. Service

Our roots in the farming industry run deep, which means we have first-hand experience of the challenges farmers and ag dealers face. Our specialized team has a strong agricultural pedigree and a geographically-tailored approach – so whether you’re growing peanuts in California or cotton in Texas, we’ve got the knowledge and the components to meet your needs.

It’s all stackin’ and no slackin’ at our warehouse facilities in Nebraska and Georgia. Excellent inventory levels mean we can offer our dealers a secure, responsive supply chain that serves farmers better. Join our dealer network today: https://t.co/x8as6ACtw9 pic.twitter.com/Qv10ZC3y5x
— Wearparts Tillage Tools (@WearpartsLLC) February 1, 2023

3. Innovation

The ag industry never stands still, and with every passing year, the challenges farmers face are evolving. Wearparts is committed to keeping pace with industry change so that we can meet our customers where they are – whether that means taking steps to overcome supply chain issues, or meeting the challenges posed by climate change.

We go the extra mile to source the latest innovations – such as our French-manufactured seed opener blades made using pioneering forging techniques that give them variable hardness and flexibility along their radius, for increased precision and reduced risk of breakage. Where innovation doesn’t already exist, we create it – adapting specifications based on direct feedback from our customers to deliver optimum performance and precision, every time.

4. Trust

OEM parts come with a trusted reputation baked in, but when it comes to getting support on the ground, global brands often lack the responsiveness and agility farmers and ag dealers need. At Wearparts, we pride ourselves on down-to-earth, easy to access customer service so our customers can always access support and expertise when they need it. Whether you’ve got a technical query or you need to source a specific part in a hurry, all you need to do is pick up the phone!

5. Convenience

Tillage waits for no man, right? Because farming isn’t a 9-5, we’ve built a comprehensive and convenient service that means you won’t have to wait around to get hold of our replacement tillage parts when you need them. Our secure supply chain means we rarely experience low stock or delays, and with warehouses in Nebraska and Georgia, we’re ideally placed to serve all of the lower states, with rapid shipping and no minimum order quantity.

Ready to experience the Wearparts difference for yourself? Get in touch to become a dealer, or find your nearest Wearparts dealer here .

What is CMT hardfacing?

Posted on February 7, 2023December 25, 2023 by donna strain

A key advantage of choosing Wearparts as your preferred supplier of replacement tillage parts is that all our products are assembled and tested right here in Nebraska.

While our tillage parts are manufactured around the world – mostly in Europe and South America – everything comes to our HQ to receive final sign-off before we distribute to our dealer network. This also means we are able to offer additional services, like modifications, on many of our most popular product lines.

One of the main modification services we offer is CMT hardfacing – a welding process that is completed by our in-house team of specialist welders, and can significantly extend the wear life of ground-contact components.

But what exactly is CMT hardfacing? What are the benefits, and how does it differ from conventional welding? Let’s take a closer look.

How is CMT welding different?

The CMT process uses much of the same equipment as conventional welding and essentially ‘looks’ the same – but there’s a key difference. Conventional welding uses an electrical arc to generate heat. The arc is created by a short circuit that occurs when the electrode comes in contact with the metal, causing it to melt. The process produces continuous heat that builds as the weld is carried out.

CMT welding is different because it uses an alternating AC/DC current that retracts the wire electrode when a short circuit occurs. This occurs in a pulsing rhythm which means the weld has time to cool before each drop is placed, which makes the process smoother and less messy. It also means that the majority of the heat remains within the electrode, instead of transferring to the base metal being welded. Using this process to protect the base metal from excessive heat removes the risk that it will become diluted with the filler metal from the melting electrode, which could affect its inherent properties and make it weak. It also eliminates the risk of warping and distortion that can occur when metal is heated to extremes. This means that the CMT process is much better adapted for welding thin metal.

What are the benefits of CMT welding?

CMT welding has some clear benefits both during the process itself and in the finished weld.

Because the process allows for much more precise placement of the filler metal, there’s no need to worry about spatter. This makes it an ideal process for application in hard-to-reach places, or where spatter might damage surrounding components.

CMT delivers a very smooth, uniform-looking weld which, as well as being more aesthetically pleasing than the bumpy surface of a conventional weld, has some additional benefits for products such as our replacement tillage parts. The clean edge of a CMT weld is smooth and thin, which means products like sweeps, ripper points and coulter wheels remain sharp and precise while also being much longer wearing.

Finally, the CMT process helps to guarantee the strength of the finished product. At lower temperatures, the base metal doesn’t become diluted by the weld wire as it melts, which often happens in conventional welding, effectively turning the welded metal into an alloy, which is much harder but has lower tensile strength. As a result, the welded portion can be brittle and more prone to breakage. CMT keeps dilution to a minimum so the base metal remains inherently strong and flexible, which in the case of our replacement tillage parts, means a much-reduced risk of breakage in the field.

To find out more about our CMT hardfacing service, get in touch!

1-888-4-BLADES (425-2337)

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Day: February 7, 2023