As a family we have been thinking about our farm transfer for over five years. We have talked about it. We have changed it. We have lost sleep over it. We have made plans. And more plans. And then a few more.

After living through this, I realized big events in life can be compared to having a baby. You can prepare all you want. You can read all of the books. Take all of the classes. But at least one thing will come up that you didn't expect. Something won't go to plan. In parenthood nothing really goes to plan. Let’s face it; the same goes for dairy farming.

A farm transition is the same thing. We recently survived our first weekend as farm owners. My husband and I are taking a big step and we are going to be working together. For the first time in seven years, I will not see my parents everyday. The change is huge for me, and of course not everything will go as planned.

Just like pregnancy, you have to just have the baby and take the hits as you go. A farm transition is the same thing. We took the unexpected and unplanned and we survived. We have a well-cared-for 1.5-year-old who can be a hurricane with curly blonde hair. That means we should be able to make it through this transition and be mostly fine.  end mark

Advertisement
Ashley Messing-Kennedy