Kristen Kelderman
2026
Scholar
Kristen Kelderman grew up on her parent’s dairy farm, where early mornings, hard work, and a strong sense of community shaped who she is. A farm kid turned mental health professional, she knows farm life—and the people who keep it going.
With a Master of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health from King’s College London and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Guelph, Kristen bridges the worlds of mental health and farming.
She is the Lead Trainer and Engagement Officer at the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing where she works to destigmatize mental health in agriculture through evidence-based education, partnership building, and integrating her deep knowledge of farm culture in programs and education. As a 2026 Nuffield Scholar, Kristen will explore how farmers experience grief, how identity is shaped on the farm, and what supports resilience and mental wellbeing in the face of loss. Her intention is to utilize her Nuffield studies to inform and help Canadian farmers understand grief and loss in a farming context and strengthen supports needed for the agricultural community.
She and her husband are raising their twins and fur baby in the countryside of Prince Edward County, Ontario.
Exploring how farmers navigate grief reveals the deep roots between identity, loss, and resilience—and how tending to emotional landscapes is vital to the success and future of the farm.
Farming is more than an occupation; it is an identity. When farmers experience grief, their entire way of life is often at stake. Some find a way forward, adapting and even thriving despite adversity, while others struggle under the weight of loss. What makes one farmer resilient and another vulnerable? Is it community support, mental health resources, upbringing, or an inherent mindset? My research will seek to answer these questions by engaging with farmers who have lived through these challenges, examining their coping strategies, and identifying commonalities that contribute to either resilience or hardship.
My study will take me to areas internationally where farmers have faced significant hardship, such as regions affected by drought and wildfires, to understand the long-term impacts of these challenges on both individual well-being and the broader farming community. Additionally, I plan to explore countries with culturally different perspectives on death and grief to identify key factors that contribute to resilience and sustainability in agriculture. By examining these diverse experiences, I aim to uncover insights that can help build stronger, more adaptable farming communities in Canada and beyond.
