UNCOVERING FAMILY
MEMBER S FEELINGS
The process of family farm
succession is about family, peo
ple, relationships, ownership,
management, and what is equit
able. It is driven by your family’s
values, wants, and concerns.
To actively engage your family
in this process, you need to begin
by exploring each member’s ex
pectations for the farm. You
Randall G. Renninger
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535 W. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17603
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2240 Shermans Valley Road, P.O. BOX 64
ELLIOTTSBURG, PA 17024
(717) 582-4122 Fax: (717) 582-7438
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Two basic grades to choose from.
3 colors to choose from
Red, Black, Brown
duction Forum & Annual Meet
8:30 am - 9 am
9 am - 10:15 am
10:15 am - 11:30 am
11:30 am - 12 noon
12 noon -1 pm
1 pm - 2 pm
New Farmers,
New Generation
Marion Bowlan
Pennsylvania
Farm Link
want to know: What does the
family farm mean to you? What
do you expect to happen to the
farm? What are your hopes and
dreams for the future of the
farm? What do you want from
the farm business? What are your
expectations regarding ownership
and management of the farm?
You can begin this process by
scheduling family meetings to
discuss each member’s wants,
needs, and expectations for the
LanChester Pork Council
Dec. 17th 8:30 am - 2 pm
Yoder’s Restaurant, New Holland, PA
Registration
Dr. Max Rodibaugh
* Reducing NPD’s in Your Sow Herd
Dr. Nate Winkleman
* Diagnostics and Immunity of Ileitis
*Treatment, Control and Prevention of Ileitis
National Pork Board Spokesman
Lunch and Annual Meeting
PQA Level 111 Recertification
RSVP to Kurt Good at
717-44**770 by Dec. 10th
farm. These discussions will re
duce assumptions and guesswork
and thus potential problems. For
example, I have observed family
meetings that revealed previous
assumptions as to who would
take over the farm were mis
placed on one child, when in ac
tuality another child wanted the
opportunity.
It’s easy to make assumptions.
Dad may assume that everyone
knows he’s going to quit someday
and pass the farm along. He may
assume that knowing that is
enough to satisfy everyone and
that how and under what condi
tions doesn’t really matter. The
son may assume that the farm
may be his someday but is fearful
of asking when it will happen.
Everyone may assume that the
daughter-in-law should have no
input even though she may be a
Junior Holstein Convention Feb. 7-9
BETHLEHEM (Northamp
ton Co.) The Pennsylvania
Junior Holstein Association
southeast district welcomes all
junior members to the 2003
Pennsylvania Junior Holstein
Convention Feb. 7-9 here at the
Holiday Inn.
The theme this year is “Hol
steins are Key in 2003.”
Friday, Feb. 7 activities will
include the prepared Public
Speaking Contest, the annual
meeting of the Pennsylvania
Junior Holstein Association,
along with a mixer complete
with dancing and a few special
surprises and activities. There
will also be plenty of food and
drink for everyone to enjoy
while they renew old acquain
tances and meet some new
friends.
Saturday is packed full of
contests and activities that
begin with Dairy Bowl and ex
temporaneous speech contests.
Juniors are encouraged to get
their entries in for both of these
state contests. There will be an
opportunity to ski for the day
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 7, 2002-A37
key player in the smooth func
tioning of the farm. And the
daughter that left the farm 10
years ago may still have a keen
interest in the farm, even though
everyone may assume she
doesn’t.
By exploring expectations from
the outset, we can increase coop
eration and efficiency among
family members in putting a plan
together, increase overall family
satisfaction, and reduce conflict.
All family members need to be
considered. Only if everyone is
involved can we uncover family
member’s feelings and bring for
ward all of the expectations. To
avoid hard feelings and conflicts
that can last a lifetime, it is essen
tial to consider every family
member, listen to them, and in
volve them in the process.
To get you started, have each
family member write down in
or snow tube in the morning or
afternoon at the Blue Mountain
Ski Resort. The convention
hosts also have tours set up to
the Discovery Science Center
and the Crayola Crayon Fac-
tory, both local highlights in the
area. Watch for more informa
tion on these activities.
On Saturday evening a buffet
dinner will be served followed
by the winners of the prepared
speech contest delivering their
winning speeches for all to hear
and enjoy. Following the meal
and speeches a dance and again
some special surprises will be
enjoyed by all.
Organic Vegetable Systems From
Seed To Market Workshop Set
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. The Regional Farm & Food Project
(RFFP) is offering a workshop called Organic Vegetable Systems
from Seed to Market, scheduled to take place in this Saratoga
County, N.Y. town from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.
The workshop will feature the teaching and shared experiences
of three fulltime organic farmers: Dave Colson of New Leaf Farm,
Durham, Maine; David Hambleton of Sisters Hill Farm, Stanford
ville, N.Y.; and David Marchant of River Berry Farm, Fairfax, Vt.
Topics will be of value to newer farmers developing whole farm
practices as well as experienced growers seeking to
refine and improve aspects of their operations.
Topics will include soil, weed, and pest manage
ment, starting and transplanting, cover cropping,
harvest systems, post-harvest handling, marketing,
and finances.
For more information, call (518) 427-6537 or e
mail farmlood(o'capital.net.
private their wants, needs, and
fears for the farm, including the
above-listed questions. Then meet
and share your answers, giving
each person a chance to speak
without comment from others. It
will not be easy, but in the long
run getting people to express
their feelings and expectations
will help you establish your suc
cession planning on sound foot
ing. Once you know family mem
bers’ expectations it will help you
determine the options that need
to be put in place to address the
needs of your family.
For more information on fami
ly farm succession planning, call
the Pennsylvania Farm Link of
fice at (717) 664-7077 or attend
our Passing on the Farm work
shop Dec. 17 at the Lycoming
County Extension Office or on
Jan. 22 at the Sunset West Res
taurant in Pleasant Gap.
Sunday morning will con
clude with the awards break
fast, where many juniors will be
recognized for their
achievements over the past
year.
There will be a well-stocked
dairy bar along with commer
cial exhibitors who are available
to share their industry knowl
edge with the juniors. There
will also be the photo contest,
display contest, and plenty of
opportunity to visit with your
friends from across the state.
Make sure to get your hotel
and ticket order information in
by Jan. 15.
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