Working a farm with family can be a gift, and ownership transfer to successive generations requires intentional communication and understanding. At Flat Rock Dairy in Paulding, Ohio, dairy farmer Gretl Schlatter knows just how rewarding and complicated it can be to effectively manage a family business.
“Farming is a great blessing and full of challenges,” says Schlatter, who returned to her family’s farm in 2009 and now manages it with her siblings. Like many farmers, she grew up on the farm and knew from a young age she wanted to continue to be part of it. But working across generations means striking a balance between wisdom with enthusiasm.
Schlatter encourages young farmers to respect the invaluable experience of older family members and not to get discouraged or give up if new ideas aren’t immediately accepted. She says it’s important for older generations to feel proud of what they’ve built and the opportunity they've provided for others without feeling threatened by change. Success, she’s learned, comes from treating family like business partners. "If you do need to bring in a mediator or third party to help you through that, your business is worth fighting for," says Schlatter.
This video is one in a series produced by SARE titled Practical Tips for Beginning Farmers. Based on their own experiences when starting out, farmers from across the country share advice about common challenges facing beginning farmers in today's agriculture. To view the entire series, visit www.sare.org/resources/practical-tips-for-beginning-farmers/.
For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.