(ABC 6 News) – Our health is something we can easily take for granted in our daily lives. That was the message at the first annual rural health forum in Kasson on Saturday.

“If you don’t have a good physical and mental state, everything else fails,” said Rodney Peterson, the Dodge County Farmer’s Union President.

14 vendors made their way onto the Dodge County Fairgrounds to help those in the community learn about more ways to prioritize their health, particularly those in rural areas.

“A lot of people won’t know what assets and activities are available to them and so we’re trying to promote that so they know where to go to get the things that they need,” Peterson said.

The event offered hearing and skin cancer screenings, with a special emphasis on farm safety.

“Those types of hazards are not really addressed in the general public, so that’s why this is really important for our residents here in Dodge County,” said Roger Toquam, a farmer in Dodge County who was in attendance.

Toquam said one of the biggest struggles farmers face is with mental health.

“We’re used to working on our farms all by ourselves and not sharing our feelings or our challenges with our neighbors,” Toquam said.

With mental health concerns taking the spotlight at the forum, guest speaker Ted Matthews said it’s a key issue, not just for farmers, but for everyone.

“Everybody thinks that you have to hit this home run of health instead of saying 5 percent better beats the heck out of zero, and I focus on that a lot, just get healthier, and focus on that, and then if you’re healthier, move forward towards that,” said Matthews.

Peterson said this forum is something he wants to keep going next year in order to continue to spread awareness.