The 5 Planks of Resilience – Staying sane in the chaos of farming

In this episode of the MSF Farm Talk Podcast, part of the Farming and Growth Mindset series, hosts Nick Paltridge and Dennis Hoiberg discuss practical strategies for resilience on the farm.

Dennis details his ‘five planks of resilience’ framework, which includes spirituality, medical health, physical health, connectivity, and mental health. He emphasises that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back but bouncing forward and adapting to change.

The conversation covers the importance of self-care, holistic medical approaches, the impact of physical posture and exercise, the value of social and community connections, and activities to keep the brain active.

This episode is funded by the SA Drought Resilience, Adoption, and Innovation Hub with support from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

00:00 Introduction to the MSF Farm Talk Podcast

00:33 Meet Dennis Hoiberg: The Resilience Expert

00:44 Understanding Resilience: A Practical Approach

02:33 The Five Planks of Resilience

03:04 Spirituality: The First Plank

06:15 Medical Health: The Second Plank

10:25 Physical Health: The Third Plank

14:04 Connectivity: The Fourth Plank

20:05 Mental Health: The Fifth Plank

21:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MSF Farm Talk Podcast

MSF’s Farm Talk Podcast proudly brings Farmers, Researchers and Ag Industry connections together to chat innovative farming practices to help build a sustainable farming future for our Mallee growers. Mallee Sustainable Farming is a farmer-driven organisation specialising in Research, Development and Extension for NSW, VIC & SA’s low-rainfall Mallee region. For more information visit: www.msfp.org.au/podcast

In this powerful and practical episode, Nick Paltridge sits down with Mary O’Brien, founder of the grassroots mental health initiative Are You Bogged Mate?

Mary shares her trademark no-nonsense approach to rural mental health, offering honest reflections on the pressures faced by farmers, how mental load builds quietly, and why mateship and straight talk are sometimes the best tools we’ve got.

The conversation dives into:

Why rural men often go quiet when they’re struggling
How Mary uses relatable language (and a bit of humour) to cut through the stigma
The signs to look for in yourself or your mates
Why being available—and being real—makes a difference
Simple ways to start a conversation that could save a life

Whether you’re personally doing it tough or just want to be a better support to your mates, this episode is worth your time.

This episode is part of our “Farming a Growth Mindset” series – practical conversations that focus on the mental and emotional wellbeing when living life on the land.

🔗 Links and Resources

Visit Are You Bogged Mate?
Check out TIACS for free and confidential phone or text support

This episode is brought to you by the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.