“It’s not what you have when you leave this world behind you… it’s what you leave behind you when you go.” – Randy Travis The fresh morning air, the way that the grass always feels wet right before the sun comes up even when it’s not raining and the clean smell of harvest and happiness […]
Tag: farm life
Keeping a farm in the family through several generations takes good planning, excellent communication and more than a little bit of luck. Often succession planning is not considered early enough by either generation. Often, families “talk”, but not about the business of the farm and it’s future. Fathers do not know if their offspring are […]
Do you have a succession plan in place for your farm? Most businesses have succession plans in place to help ease the transition when the current leadership steps down, but we don’t often hear about farmers making succession plans, and as we know, farms are businesses. A succession plan is a plan identifying internal talent to […]
Family farming is one of the most challenging and rewarding professions there is. Farmers are more connected to nature than most people. Farmers understand the complexities of working with their land to produce food for our nation. Multi-generational farming passes on the knowledge, wisdom, and traditions to the next generation. But what can farmers learn from the next generation […]
Family farms have been disappearing over the years, with the number of dairy farms dropping more than 90% since 1970. There are many benefits to having a family farm, which we will take a look at here. The Animals A love for animals is a key factor for many who become farmers. Having the patience to care […]
Multigenerational Farming offers the chance for a younger generation to reap what’s been sowed by their parents and grandparents. Although there are always new machines and techniques to make farming less labor intensive and more efficient, these new-fangled methods could also have unforeseen consequences. This article touches on two examples where the new generation of farmers […]
As farmers, we face daily struggles. Family farms looking to transition from one generation to the next, face even greater challenges. When the children of the family are young, it’s easy to put off future planning. When they enter the teenage years, their contribution is great and this is, quite possibly, the most productive time for […]
Since every farmer, and every farm, is unique, estate planning should fit the uniqueness of a situation. This is especially true when transitioning a farm to a new owner. One of the key elements of any transition is fairness – to the owner and the new owner. When the transition involves a direct family member, a common approach is to […]
Whether you have a long, multi-generational background in farming or are a newcomer to the business, successful farming consists of a multitude of components. Every farm and each farm family is different in their approach, focus, and goals. In spite of this, there are some new ideas as well as old principles that can help secure […]
