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Columbia City, Indiana | Kind of piggybacking on the father/son thread the other day, I thought it would be interesting to have a conversation about different ideas of when it's time to pass on management and decision making responsibilities. Here is a story that an old retired farmer who had passed on all management responsibilities to his son at age 34 told me:
"We used to sell a lot of straw. One winter we were way up north, almost to Michigan, for a delivery. We backed into the barn, the guy was about 60, and got everything unloaded and helped him stack it. Pulled the truck out of the barn, got out and was standing there talking to him. He was standing there with his hands in his pockets, because it was cold. I reached out to hand him the bill, and his mood immediately changed as he looked down and simply said "Dad will pay you." Next thing I know, here comes about a 90 year old man hobbling out of the house with a cain and the farm checkbook clenched tightly in his hand. Son stood there with his eyes on the ground the entire time as his dad paid the bill, and went back in the house. I decided right then and there that my son was NOT going to be my hired man."
My personal situation was different. My Grandpa ran the farm until he was in his late 70's, but sold me the home farm and let me make all the decisions. The last 3 years he farmed were the first 3 I farmed. He was an amazing man, lost his right arm at the shoulder in a farming accident at age 20, and farmed that way for 60 years, when farming was a lot harder work than it is now. If I had a dollar for every time someone has told me "Your Grandpa did more work with one arm than most people do with two" I would have one less farm payment to make! Anyway, he just passed this year on leap day. He was ready to go. We are in the midst of harvesting the first crop on this farm in over 65 years that he wasn't here to see. He is buried, along with Grandma, in the cemetery at the southeast corner of the farm. He wasn't always the easiest to get along with, perhaps that's why our farm skipped a generation and his son (my mom's brother) wanted nothing to do with it whatsoever. But I thank God every day for the opportunity that came my way, and for giving me the courage to pull the trigger. I loved my Grandpa dearly and miss him all the time.
Edited by NEIndiana 10/30/2016 07:37
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Letting the next generation take over...
