Harford Legacy Farm Commemorative Book

Harford Legacy Farm | i

FOREWORD

Why is 100 years of family ownership something worth celebrating? The answer is simple. Because it’s hard.

In a period of 100 years a family farm can pass through 3 or 4 generations. With each new generation comes a new vision of what the farm should be or what it should not be. And with every generation comes a new set of struggles. In those transition periods, every farm is at risk of being sold. All too often families find themselves at odds with a sibling or relative fighting over the family farm. These battles are messy and often end in the court system with families torn apart. The families that navigate these transitions unscathed are blessed indeed. Every family in this book has at least one “we almost lost the farm” story. Some of those stories coincide with headline-grabbing events like the Great Depression. Some of those stories circle around a traumatic family issue like a sudden death or life-altering health crisis, and some of those stories are family disputes that no one saw coming. If you dive into the unique history of each farm, you will find those stories, but it is the grit and passion of our farmers that have prevented those “almost lost the farm” stories from becoming a reality. Farm life is hard. People sometimes think farm life is just sweeping landscapes and freedom, with strolls through meadows and rides on horseback to the creek where you sit all day in the shade catching fish. Yes, farm life can offer scenes fit for a Hallmark movie, but it comes with sacrifice and hard work. When the enthusiasm of a new farmer is worn down by the reality of long days, busted fences, broken equipment, leaking barn roofs, and the never-ending concerns about the weather, that’s when the farm is once again at risk. It takes a special person to love the land in those seasons when it doesn’t love you back. It takes a special person to dig deep into their soul and press on against all odds to keep the farm going for the next generation. It’s grit. It’s passion. It’s love. And that’s what we’re really celebrating.

Jennifer Wilson