At Lonesome Dove Ranch in Saskatchewan, there are many examples around the ranch and community which show the kids are all right.
Tag Archives succession
Helping hands on the ranch
A Little Bit Western: Many examples around the ranch and community show the kids are all right
Grandma, stop hurting your family’s farm transition
Seeds of Encouragement: Hard commitment to a late spouse’s wishes may not align with what’s now happening in the business
The situation: A mom is not willing to consider that her dead husband’s wishes — which she wants to honour – may not be the best direction for the farm or the family in the current situation of 2025.
Get great transition plans in place now and make my heart sing
Seeds of Encouragement: When you let go of things, you need something to move toward
Thirty years ago this week I published my first column with Grainews. It has been an honour to hear stories from readers on the steps they have taken to better their lives.
Great questions to uncover inheritance expectations
Seeds of Encouragement: Keeping a farm intact can complicate the process, but not insurmountably so
One of the key fears of aging farm founders is the conflict they anticipate when the farming heir has access to millions of dollars of land, and the siblings who are off to other careers do not have the same net worth opportunity in their future. Or do they? Firstly, where it is written that […] Read more
Using common ground for written agreements
Seeds of Encouragement: Put intentions and interests into well written words before change inevitably comes
I hope you are reading this on your phone while waiting in the field, which would mean #plant2024 conditions are perfect to go. The type of “common ground” I refer to in the headline is not your soil; it’s the things everyone on your farm team is committed to work toward. As mediators in conflict […] Read more
Who is responsible for what on your farm?
Seeds of Encouragement: Collaboration, consultation, clarification help build better work cultures
If you’re gearing up for spring planting or tending to livestock, you know there are many daily tasks to complete, and your mind may be saying “The work on this farm is never done.” Many young farmers are keen to work hard to prove they are ready to become farm managers — but what tools […] Read more
How to have the conversation about prenups
Whatever the status of your relationship, the farm you share needs clarity
“So, you want to protect your farm in case of a divorce, understandably so! Can you do that with a prenup? Yes! If it’s valid and enforceable, and you include the right provisions, your farm can stay in your possession, even in the worst-case scenario of a divorce. Prenups can also supplement your estate planning […] Read more
Tips to navigate transition storms
The cash flow needed to acquire land can fall outside of long-term profitability
Last month, in the U.S., we heard Steven Bohr of Next Generation Ag Advocates encourage young farmers with tools for transition. The average price per acre in Iowa, as of last Nov. 1, is estimated at US$11,835, and 34 per cent of the land has owners over 75 years of age. Sixty per cent of […] Read more
Is my kid a leader?
Mediocre leadership can strain family and employee relationships — and one's own health
It’s actually two questions. It isn’t just how much leadership potential have my kids got? It’s also, how much better will they get if I provide the right training and support? And the reason parents need to ask both questions is because science is learning an immense amount about what leadership potential looks like. “Leadership […] Read more
Do the kids really want to take the lead on the farm?
The next generation, and the parents, both have to be clear on how they can prove it
An intergenerational farm transition is never easy. There are tough conversations, there are disagreements, and, always, there is compromise. The kids who want to take over the farm worry about when, if ever, that’s going to happen. They want to know how they are going to get there and what their parents are going to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
