The Naked Farmer

'It takes just as much guts to take your gear off as it does to talk about mental health.'

A few months ago, I saved a great shot of a beautiful man, with an equally beautiful beefy butt, staring at a glorious sunset.   The shot wasn't credited, but given the man was wearing a cowboy hat, I labeled it 'farmer' and put in a file to use later.  When I searched for credit for the image, I learned the beautiful man was 'The Environmental Farmer' and the image was from The Naked Farmer project.

Mental Health is a problematic issue around the world that until recently has often been ignored. The Naked Farmer is a social media movement aiming to break down the difficult conversational barriers that often lay in front of people struggling to speak up on whats going on inside. By using the liberating combination of nudity and farm work, the Naked Farmer is starting conversations about mental health.

 

Yes, The Naked Farmer has a calendar and other merchandise for sale, but it's main purpose it to promote and educate the public about mental health issues.  It began in 2017 with a 'cheeky' Instagram post by Australian farmer Ben Brooksby, but it quickly took off.  The idea is that it's easier to bare what's inside, once you've bared what's outside.  

It's simplistically quite true.  Taking your clothes off for the world is a scary thing to do, but once we're completely naked, baring other inhibitions is a piece of cake!  I think naked therapy would be a great idea, but doubt the national Psychiatry Association could ever get on board... and for good reasons of course.  But, getting naked for The Naked Farmer may do just as much for self-esteem, and cost a whole lot less. 

The Naked Farmer on Facebook

The Environmental Cowboy

‘Mental health issues are naked, raw and often embarrassing.

They leave you fearful of the future, feeling alone and wondering when it’s going to end.'