FOR RETIRING FARMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Who could run your farm when you step back?
By Sam Marwood
When you're stepping back, the wish to hand the farm to someone worthy is strong.
Finding that person is the hard part. So is putting together an arrangement that works for both of you.
Ageing on Farm, a free guide for retiring farmers, has a set of planning questions built to help with exactly that.
Watch who turns up
If someone starts turning up to lend a hand, take notice. That may be how it starts. Over time, talk turns to the farm's future, without anyone forcing it.
Where you start
Let people know. The right person may have no idea you're looking. Until you say so, nobody can put their hand up.
Work out what you want first. Your own plan comes before the person: the life you'd like after the heavy work, the future you see for the place, and how big a part you'd keep.
Know the ways it could work. The guide sets out seven options, each with its benefits and drawbacks. The right one depends on your situation, your goals, and what you want for the farm's future.
The full guide, Ageing on Farm, is free at cultivatefarms.com/resources.
You can build your own plan at cultivatefarms.com/plan.