From the Ground Up: Keeping the farm in the family

BURLESON COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) - There are many pressures involved with farming in today’s environment.

Land-use values, urban sprawl and increased regulations are all challenges facing today’s family farmers, but one of the most difficult can be bringing on the next generation ready and willing to take over when the time comes.

“It’s frightening when you look at the other family farms in the bottom here and how many of them have depleted and sold because the younger generation knew what mom and dad went with and didn’t want to go through with it,” said Joe Wilder, a Burleson County farmer.

The farm that Joe Wilder and his son, Jay Wilder, work has been in the family since 1912.

“Dad and I started our partnership in 1995. So that’s 31 years ago, and we’re still in partnership together,” Jay Wilder said. “But he has, I’d say over the last eight to 10 years, just kind of gradually backed out or slowed down with it, and we still talk and run everything by each other.”

Joe Wilder said his grandsons grew up working on the farm.

“My grandsons, I think they will stay too. They started working when they were too young really, but they can pretty well do anything on the farm and I feel like they will stay with the farm, and I hope they do keep the generation going on,” Joe Wilder said.

The hope is for the farm to remain in the family for many years to come.

“Twenty or 30 years ago, I was in their spot today, and I always wanted to be the next generation, and today I am that generation,” Jay Wilder said. “I want to be able to hand it off to the next generation. I think we’ll be there and that will happen, and hopefully, they will continue to do so and hand it off to the grandkids one day.”