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 The vintage advantage
What is most on the mind of a farmer who is about to leave his farm, or let someone else run it? I have a strong hunch that many farm men don’t want to talk about life after farming because they don’t have a hot clue what they will do. “Vintage advantage” is a term coined in a focus group about redefining retirement. A coaching group was brainstorming about what looms large in the minds of elders as they seek new meaning for life after work. Can you see advantages as you grow older? Age 62 seems to be a special age. That’s when clients face their fears and call me for coaching, since 65 is only 3 years away, and that’s when society says you are supposed to retire. Not! Some farmers will never retire; they will “die in the dirt”, and that suits them just fine. At age 72, when you can concentrate on your legacy being a blessing, you might still be in fine shape to drive the tractor and help out when you feel you want to do farm stuff. You might also want to stay home to work in the body shop, wood shop or coffee shop! At age 82, you likely can count on living to be 100. My mother-in-law is this age, and she has to reschedule her visits to the farm because she has work to do taking care of “the old people”. All of us should plan to live to be 100. Have you noticed that people are living longer? If you are "retired" at 65, you likely have a good 30 years of living left! Oh man oh man, what will I do? Exactly. Find good role models, 10 years older than you are. Check out the farm guys in your neighborhood who have found great things to be and do besides being farmers. In our town you could join the recycling crew twice a week, help build a local daycare, plant flowers for the town, host at the campsites, work at the hardware or convenience store, help out local farmers during seeding and harvest, drive the Handi-van, or play the fiddle for older folks. Reinvent yourself. Focus on what you really value and cherish. Think big, not little. What kinds of things give you energy? We have farm folks who help the poor rebuild homes during the winter. It makes them really grateful for their living spaces when they return home in the spring! Another farm couple has found meaning by helping out at camping ministries down south, and locally. What would a fun day look like? Most farmers can’t imagine what a day off the farm would look like. They don’t garden, golf or go south, so what are they to do? July is the perfect month to start experimenting with fun. When the haying is done, and before the winter wheat needs combining, check out some fun activities. Dust off the camper and book some time away from the farm to gain new perspective. Check out a new part of the country and visit the city relatives or your kids. Enjoy the family and the outdoors. Cruise the internet for creative strategies or clip the many farm magazines you already get, and keep the fun ideas for reference. Play with a new hobby! Be aware of your sadness, but anticipate joy. It’s important to make a good ending of being a full-time farmer, but it’s also important to create a new beginning for the next chapter of your life. I look at the transition as a type of “lifetime harvest”. You’ve worked very hard for a long time. You’ve never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul, so maybe it’s time to spend some time and money on yourself! Financial worries may be pulling you down, but talk to a certified financial planner and talk with your children about expectations. You’re expecting to live for a few more decades, and you can prepare as best you can for that reality. Measure time differently. Relationships make you rich. Good ones are a treasure. If you’re ready to take your life off fast-forward and push the pause button, make a conscious effort to evaluate how you want to spend your time. This may be the time to be a “second-chance Dad”. You might want to gradually test new ways of doing things. I have a friend who routinely goes to Victoria for a month every March. She’s testing a new lifestyle while she’s still grounded with family responsibilities. Nurture your servant heart. Retirement has to be purposeful and giving. I have a fake “uncle” who is a wonderful serving man. He helps build houses for Habitat for Humanity and loves the latest reno project at his daughter’s. When we serve others, we’re nurturing the spirit and soul that God has created in us. You might want to tackle a grain drive for your community or a Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing project. Maybe you’ll join the next overseas tour to find out what you can do to help a Third World country. Be healthy. Read The Virtues of Aging by Jimmy Carter. I’m looking for a new word to describe life after farming, because retirement doesn’t really appeal to many farm folks. Carter’s book is available from www.amazon.com and you can find used copies really cheap. The Carters have discovered that there is a full life after peanut farming and the presidency. I hope you’ll be really intentional this summer and explore new ways to add meaning in your daily activities. Your identity is not all tied up with what you do for a living. Make a meaningful life as you enjoy your “vintage advantage”. I’d love to hear your adventure stories of reinventing yourself. Have a great summer! Elaine Froese is a Certified Farm Family Coach™ who farms near Boissevain MB. She helps family get unstuck and talk about tough issues for a better future. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors www.cafanet.com. Call toll-free 1-866-848-8311 or email elaine@elainefroese.com Note: You are welcome to reprint or repost any articles on this website with the understanding that
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“We are all happier in many ways when we are old than when we are young. The young sow wild oats. The old grow sage.” — Winston Churchill