Handing down the family farm through the generations has been a long-honored tradition for many families across the United States. It offers a nostalgic image that at one time could be considered living the American dream. Nowadays, though, there are indications that this isn’t happening as often as it used to.
The simple fact of the matter is that farmers who grew up during this iconic period of our history are getting older. Many of them are managing the family farm later in their lives than their parents did. While that reflects an increase in the average American lifespan, it also shows that a decreasing number of farmers’ kids are continuing the tradition of taking over the family farm.
This trend may be due to the farming industry’s increasingly difficult economic challenges as well as the fact that many farms are consolidating. In some cases, farms near growing metropolitan areas face encroaching industrial development. Even so, a large majority of remaining farms in the country still identify as family farms and are relatively easy to find.
It could be said of the modern American family that a certain level of bonding between parents and their children is missing, particularly with the technology that kids have access to today. Smart phones didn’t exist, people weren’t so plugged in, and families worked together to survive. There weren’t nearly as many distractions then as there are now.
While some farmers are incorporating new technologies to make their jobs easier, the bonding that comes with cooperatively maintaining a farm is what still leads many children to take over for their parents. The challenges may be intense, money may become tight, and most siblings still decide to build a life off the farm. But more often than not, that strong bond is what ultimately keeps the family farm going. Families who have been working in the industry for generations would like to see this trend continue for many more generations to come, regardless of how the world may change.
For more information and tips on how to keep the family farming tradition alive, feel free to contact us.
