Farm Family Podcast: Episode 46 - Designing Great Decisions as a Young Adult Farmer

Episode 46: Designing Great Decisions as a Young Adult Farmer

In this episode, my guest is Cheryl Mitchell, founder of Farm Legacy Now and a longtime advocate for communication, leadership, and education in agriculture. Cheryl brings deep experience helping farm families navigate generational dynamics and make sound decisions during farm succession planning.

We discuss how young farmers and ranchers can design better decisions during the early stages of their careers, especially when navigating the emotional terrain of multigenerational farm transition planning. Cheryl and I explore how generational identities, from the Silent Generation to Gen Z, shape values, expectations, and communication styles on the farm.

You’ll learn why listening well, asking thoughtful questions, and building trust across generations are critical to keeping the farm legacy alive. Cheryl also shares stories that highlight the often unspoken fears that can hold families back from making progress and how to approach tough conversations with more clarity and compassion.

“Questioning is everything. Young folks aren’t taught those skills anymore, so I encourage them to get a coach or find someone to help guide them with the right language and questions. It’s about coming with curiosity and respect, opening the space so others feel heard and understood. That’s how you connect the dots and uncover what’s really going on beneath the surface.” -Cheryl Mitchell

Elaine Froese - Mentions, Resources & Links






Click Here to listen to Elaine's Podcast

Follow Elaine On social to hear about upcoming events, free transition tools, and finding harmony tips!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/farmfamilycoach

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/farmfamilycoach

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/farmfamilycoach

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/farmfamilycoach

Twitter: twitter.com/elainefroese