Farm Family Discussions | Elaine Froese' Farm Family Blog

Posts Tagged ‘farm family discussions’

The Father Factor in Farming

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

Your father’s particular parenting style is the template that forms the father factor in your career.” “ If your father has died, that doesn’t mean that the feelings from the relationship are dead”. (Dr. Stephan B. Poulter, author of The Father Factor: how your Father’s Legacy Impacts Your Career. www.onefatherfactor.com )

Sometimes as a farm family coach I feel like a detective, patiently gathering clues via conversations from the fathers , mothers, sons and daughters who are struggling with their farm careers. Last month I found a treasured resource; the book “The Father Factor” was recommended by a farm business advisor as the best book he has read, next to the Bible !

I’ve been writing about Father’s day in this paper for 16 years, and I think that I am most excited about finding this new tool for all farm families to access. If you want to glance through the first chapter go to http://mensightmagazine.com/Articles/Poulter,%20Steven/fatherfactor.htm Continue reading The Father Factor in Farming »

Tags: Farm Dads, Farm Families, farm family discussions, Farm Kids, Farming Culture, healthy living, Home Farm, making time to connect
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Crippled By Fear of Court

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Their faces were contorted with fear as I spoke about the importance of a well-crafted will. At the lunch break the farm woman confessed that her husband was being sued by 5 greedy siblings, under the guise of taking care of a demented dad’s interests. I asked quietly if they had a good agricultural lawyer, and she said she was disappointed by the lawyer’s lack of understanding of farm business.

At the farm kitchen table a very astute and innovative farmer confessed to me that he did not have written land lease agreements with his many landlords, because “having things in writing attracts lawsuits.” I was shocked at his beliefs !

Another farmer approached me to reveal that she is now motivated to update their wills, noting that 30 years has passed since the last will was signed. “Where did the time go ?” Continue reading Crippled By Fear of Court »

Tags: conflict resolution, family business meetings, farm family discussions, farm stories, farm wills, Succession Planning
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Spirit Mind and Body Factors Affecting Your Decisions

Monday, April 18th, 2011

Way back in Dr. Berry’s management class we were drilled with the mechanics of decision making “101”.

Identify the problem or issue. What decisions need to be made?
Research the options available to deal with the problem. Gather information.
Choose the best option considering the pros and cons of each option.
Act on the decision using workable reasonable timelines.
Evaluate the impact of the decision or results.
Make adjustments and continue building your decision making skills.

Each person on your farm team has a natural tendency towards the way they like to make decisions, and on some farms there needs to be more attention paid to the things impacting decision making. I call this the spirit, mind and body factors. Continue reading Spirit Mind and Body Factors Affecting Your Decisions »

Tags: Avoid bad farm decisions, Business Planner, Communication, family business meetings, farm family discussions
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Hang on to Hope

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

“This meeting gave me hope that the process of succession planning does not have to be a painful experience” a farmer wrote on his feedback sheet after I had spent 90 minutes passionately explaining the emotional factors affecting farm family communication in business transfers.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick” says Proverbs. I am writing this on the plane home from the Peace River region where BC Grain Producers in Dawson Creek and two farm families near Spirit River and the Alberta Peace Region gave me great hope that some families do get things right.

The Peace River region had a bad 2010 drought, and for some it was the third one too close to the last one. The folks who invited me to conduct family meetings with their successor son were pleased that their accountant also took the time to meet me and share his expertise in activating the details of the dreams and hopes for the farm to continue to be successful. Continue reading Hang on to Hope »

Tags: Communication, family business meetings, Family Milestones, farm daughter-in-law, Farm Families, farm family discussions, inspiration
Posted in Farm Family Coaching, Farm Succession, Grainews Articles | 1 Comment »

Saying Goodbye to the Home Farm

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

Climbing a large rock pile and checking the chicken coop are two fond memories of my childhood playtimes in Grandma’s farm yard. Farm families have a hard time saying goodbye to the memories held with the “home place”. Letting brother take over the yard, or selling out evoke tears, and a deep sense of loss in some folks.

The loss is about the change of ownership and control that begs the question “where are my roots now? Where is my sense of place?” The sadness comes with a loss of connection to your family of origin and wondering if the new owners will respect your need to visit now and again.

In our farming culture, we have rituals like auctions sales, fall suppers, and fairs to mark certain seasons or events. I think it is time to create some traditions that work for families to mark transition and change in moving from the home place, with positive actions. I’ll call it talk, walk, and mark. Continue reading Saying Goodbye to the Home Farm »

Tags: Farm Families, farm family discussions, Farming Culture, Home Farm
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