Visioning for the Farm Operation

Glenn Newdigger

Stafford County Extension Agent

Katelyn Barthol

Finney County Extension Agent

Mark Ploger

Pratt County Extension Agent

What is a Vision

• Vision Is:

• A Road Map of the Future.

• A Valued Image of the Preferred Future.

• Picture of the Future You Care About.

• With a Shared Vision, the Family Can Work to a Common Goal For The Farm

History Timeline1930 40 50 60 70 80 90 2000 10

TIMELINE

• Each Person Sign In When You Came Into the Farm

• Sketch a Important Thing In Your Farms History

• Each of You Tell and Sketch What It Was Like When You Came Into the Operation

• Sketch Major Events Affecting Your Farm (both local and global)

• What are “AH HA” Moments or Trends (With different farms in group, may be harder to identify)

Strengths and Issues

• Talk about the Strengths and Issues of Your Farm

• List Three Key Strengths of Your Farm

• List Three Key Issues of Your Farm

Multiple Lens

• It is important to look at the people who make up your farm organization, as you create a vision.

• Participants must be aware of the Stakeholders, and be conscious of their different needs and concerns.

• We must understand all of the other perspectives.

Understanding What is

Important to Your Organization

• Before a vision is created, We need to think about what values are important to the Farm.

• Complete the Statement - Our Farm is a Place where…………………..

• Should reflect basic ideals, values, beliefs, character of the farm, from the “Timeline and Strengths.” Captures the sense of your farm in one sentence. No Lists, Just One Statement

Take Forward and Leave Behind

• Consider all the things you have heard and discussed

• List One Thing You Want to Take Forward

• List One Thing You Want to Leave Behind

The Vision

“Art of seeing the invisible”

Jonathon Swift

The vision emerges from all that has gone before –Lessons from the Past; an analysis of current Reality; an appreciation of the people on your farm; an understanding of the beliefs and values

The Vision requires the ability to see beyond the present .

The Vision

A “Preferred Future” - What will your farm look like in 2026 if you

get it right

• Sit relaxed, Close eyes and dream about the farm and what it will look like in the year 2026

• Share your vision with your small group

• Draw vision for your groups farm – include –all ideas you’ve discussed

Where From Here

• Group can now set priorities among these common themes

• Priorities can serve as a basis for “Future Farm Decisions!!!!”

Vision• “The vision is a dream, an ideal future, a lofty

mental picture that engages the spirit! It comes for the heart, not the head.” E. Jeffries

• “Where there is no vision the people perish” Proverbs 29:18

• “The more voices that are heard, the stronger the organization.” Barbara Kipper

• A Farms Vision must work for all of its Stakeholders. unknown

Visioning for the Farm Operation

Glenn Newdigger

- Stafford County Extension Agent

Katelyn Barthol

- Finney County Extension Agent

Mark Ploger

- Pratt County Extension Agent