That means regular family meetings can help a farming operation run smoothly, says an educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Scott County educator Dave Resch cites information on farm family meetings the University of Wisconsin has developed.
Meetings also provide an opportunity to share ideas, feelings, concerns and suggestions.
They help in figuring out what's necessary to keep a busy family organized. Resch says it's a mistake to wait until there's a problem before calling a family meeting. Waiting until something is wrong means the meeting can turn into a shouting match, especially if family members haven't figured out other ways to handle frustrations. Trying to prevent such problems is a better approach, Resch points out. Resch recommends monthly meetings.