steel oneself

Reader's Digest ９月号の記事 "Turning Fruit into Flour" からの抜粋です。
The late afternoon sun was hot and low as banana farmer Rob Watkins steeled himself to dump yet another load of bananas at the local tip.
"steeled himself" の個所はよく分かりませんが、商品にならないバナナを捨てている状況の話です。"steeled himself" の意味を辞書で調べます。
・Cambridge English Dictionary: to force yourself to get ready to do something unpleasant or difficult: She steeled herself to jump out of the plane.
・Oxford English Dictionary: Mentally prepare (oneself) to do or face something difficult.: I speak quickly, steeling myself for a mean reply
・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: to fill with resolution or determination: steeled herself to face the crisis
・Wiktionary: To concentrate in preparation for a rigorous or possibly painful task (e.g. a boxer steeling himself for a match)
せっかく栽培したバナナを廃棄せざるを得なくなった状況のニュアンスが分かりました。