Week 2: Generations at Work: Bridging the Gap Between Old & New

Step onto any farm with more than one generation involved, and you’ll feel it right away.

Not tension, necessarily—but difference. We all want the dream-a family of multiple generations working together in harmony with a common goal. Often times, we get something else... Different ways of thinking. Different ways of working.

Different ideas about what the farm should be.

Because the truth is: Farming looks different depending on where you stand.

Two Perspectives, One Piece of Ground

On one side, you’ve got the seasoned farmer:

• Lived through droughts, floods, and markets that didn’t pencil out

• Learned the hard way—through trial, error, and years you don’t forget

• Built systems that are steady, reliable, and proven

They don’t just farm the land. They know it.

On the other side, you’ve got the next generation:

• Watching markets shift in real time

• Exploring direct-to-consumer sales, niche products, and diversification

• Thinking about soil health, regenerative practices, and long-term sustainability

They’re not trying to replace what works, they’re building on it or sometimes rethink it entirely.

Where It Gets Complicated

Bringing those two perspectives together sounds good on paper.

In real life? It can get messy because, this isn’t just about farming styles.

It’s about:

• Control

• Identity

• Risk

• And the future of something deeply personal

Let’s Talk About the Real Friction Points

1. Communication Breakdowns

A lot of farm conflict doesn’t start with disagreement—it starts with assumption.

• “They should already know how we do things.”

• “They won’t listen anyway.”

• “It’s easier if I just handle it myself.”

• "They think they know every thing."

• "They just want ALL the control."

And just like that, conversations stop before they even start.

2. Differences in Decision-Making

Older farmers often lean toward:

• Proven methods

• Lower risk

• Stability

Younger farmers may lean toward:

• Trying new systems

• Investing in different markets

• Taking calculated risks

Neither is wrong.

But without structure, it turns into: “Why change it?” vs. “Why wouldn’t we?”

3. Financial Realities

This is where things get especially real.

• Land is expensive

• Equipment isn’t getting cheaper

• Margins are tight

• Multiple wages needing to be met

• Old debts still in play while trying to work on new avenues of income

• Different views on how to spend or save

• One generation thinks the farm needs more things when the other feels you can run on what you have until you make a profit and pay off debt

  
  

For older farmers:👉 “We’ve worked a lifetime to build this.”

For younger farmers:👉 “How do I step in without drowning in debt?”

Without a clear plan, both sides can feel stuck or even worse, offended.

4. Timing of Transition

This one doesn’t get said out loud enough.

• One generation isn’t ready to step back

• The other is ready to step up

• One party never fully lets go or fully steps up

And if that timing never aligns?

Frustration builds quietly over time.

So What Actually Works?

There’s no perfect formula—but there are patterns that lead to success.

✔ Regular, Intentional Conversations

Not just when something goes wrong. Set time to talk, a time outside of "work." And maybe not at a family birthday party or holiday!

Some suggestions to talk about:

• Goals

  An example would be thinking through goals individually, with your immediate family and then the multi generations working the fam.

  Here's what that could look like:

  1. Brainstorm through personal/family and farm/career/retirement high priority goals

  2.Take the top 5 for each the short term and long term and filter them through a system like SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time based)

  3. Then set up a time to meet with your immediate family unit if applicable (spouse, partner, kids, etc.) represented in the generational farm work to meet and discuss their goals. This can feel like a big risk if you're not use to it but, communication is vital to the survival of your relationships because we work real hard as farmers and can forget to simply live life too!

  4. As a team, you can now blend your goals with the broader family. Set up a time to meet. Talk through each other's dreams and goals and see what matches, what may need some concessions or compromises and make an "our generation" top 5 for both the short and long term goals.

  5. NOW, you can gather the troops-make sure each generation has done their work before you gather, let's not waste daylight. Talk through what goals are most important to the whole family for well being, retirement, and business success. Which short term goals, if accomplished, would help achieve the long term goals? Which short term goals conflict with long term goals? Which goals are so important that even if it slows other short term goals, it should still happen?

  6. Make a list of the combined decided upon High Priority List.

  7. From that point, you can set up smaller weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc... goals.

  8. Check in each quarter at bare minimum to make sure you're still on the same page and that the goals are still the same or have shifted due to working through it.

• Concerns

  1. Though it is difficult, it's important to share your concerns, fears, anxieties and thoughts. It can feel hard to trust others will care or hear what you're saying. Consider inviting a mediator-this can even be a trusted friend, minister, or someone from a professional setting like your State University's Ag Extension.

  2. Emotions will be strong. Everyone at the table is invested, has given their all and wants to see "the best" happen. Remember that each of you have the same big term goal: keep the family farm IN the family. It's ok to have all the feels and important to learn how to express them without destroying another person.

• Ideas

  1. It's important that each person can share what they think could be a good idea. This can be a doozy...often the established farmer has tried things-worked and some didn't. While there can be much wisdom found in the "tried before," risk management, it's important for the whole family to consider that the time, season, way people interact with things in current culture, etc...should be taken into consideration.

  2. If an idea is really important to one generation and the other is iffy on it, consider giving it a time frame of trial. Make sure it would have enough time to really test the market, is well resourced and everyone buys in for the allotted time. Remember, our main "goal" is everyone coming together and feeling heard-unity is always worth a little time and respect, which go a long way.

  3. Save the "I told you so" for another time. In the moment or as something is beginning to implode on the one who wanted to try _________, this family member would benefit more from a sympathetic ear and when they're ready, there maybe a time when you can take a constructive look at why what happened did. Remember, the overarching goal is harmony and unity in the family. We ALL have stories of people being awful to us when we were feeling like failures-the old adage is true...treat others like you wish someone would have treated you.

Even if it’s uncomfortable. In the long run, you will never regret this time of communication, air out issues and have a healthier future.

Quick Review

✔ Defined Roles

Who’s responsible for what?

Not in a vague sense—but clearly:

• Livestock decisions

• Crop planning

• Finances

• Marketing

Clarity reduces conflict.

A great system that can work well for farms is the EOS system. Here's the link to check it out.

✔ Trial Periods for New Ideas

Instead of all-or-nothing:

👉 “Let’s try it on 10 acres.”👉 “Let’s run this for one season.”

This lowers risk and builds trust.

✔ Mutual Respect (Even When You Disagree)

This goes both ways.

• Experience deserves respect

• So does initiative

The strongest farms don’t choose one over the other.

They make room for both.

A Truth From the Barn

You don’t have to see things the same way.

You don’t have to agree on every decision.

But if you want the farm to last—

You have to stay in conversation.

Because once communication breaks down, everything else follows.

Start Small-Right Now

You don’t need a full transition plan today.

Just start here:

👉 Pick one area of the farm to collaborate on

• Feed program

• Grazing rotation

• Sales strategy

👉 Set a short-term trial

• 30–90 days

👉 Check back in

• What worked?

• What didn’t?

The Future Isn’t Either/Or

It’s not about old vs. new.

It’s about: Holding onto what works while making space for what’s next

Because the farms that make it?

They’re not the ones that refuse to change.

And they’re not the ones that forget where they came from.

They’re the ones that figure out how to do both—together.