Farms used to be passed along throughout generations by default. It simply made sense that parents would pass a family farm along to their children, who had grown up participating in farm life. Although the practice of maintaining multigenerational farms is less common now, maintaining a multigenerational farm still has benefits for the family, the community, and the farm itself.
Preserve farming practices
Children who grew up on family farms are familiar with the farming practices that have proven successful for their parents. So, even when younger family members don’t make all the same decisions that their parents made, their decisions will be informed by years spent under their parents’ guidance. This ultimately leads to a more seamless transition for the farm.
Give seasoned family members a chance to keep contributing
When one family member retires and passes farm ownership to another family members, the door typically stays open for older family members to continue making contributions to the farm. In particular, having a family relationship makes it easy for seasoned family members to pass along important advice when needed.
Maintain community familiarity
Family farms often maintain close ties with their communities by participating in farmer’s markets, CSAs, and other community programs. Keeping the farm in the family means that it’s possible to build long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with community members. This is a great way to build trust in your farm’s brand.
If you know that you want to keep your farm in the family, contact us or visit our website to learn how we can help you make that happen.
