Farm Family Harmony Podcast

In this episode, Elaine sits down with Dr. Kate Burke for a thoughtful and deeply practical conversation about what it really takes to plan well for the future of your farm.
Because succession isn't just about land, shares, or strategy, it's about people.
Together, they explore why strong farm transitions begin with understanding your family first. What does each person want? What are they afraid of? What expectations are sitting quietly under the surface?
Dr. Burke brings insight from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help families communicate with more clarity and emotional steadiness, especially when conversations feel hard.
You'll hear about:
Why succession planning must start with family, not just farm assets
The emotional identity shift from leader to mentor to elder
How our thinking patterns influence decisions more than we realize
Questions that uncover purpose, expectations, and long-term vision
Why trust and ownership are built through small, clear actions
Planning for long-term care and end-of-life decisions with courage
Simple frameworks like CARE that bring structure without overcomplicating things
"As humans, we're emotional. It's a signal. It's data. We've been led down a path since industrialization that to be good at business, emotions didn't matter. But really good businesses are emotionally intelligent. They may not know it, but they're actually good at dealing with people, good at understanding and managing themselves." - Kate Burke, Think Agri
This conversation is a reminder that you don't need a complicated strategy to future-proof your farm. You need clarity, emotional honesty, and the willingness to ask the right questions.
If you care about your family and your legacy, this episode will give you practical tools and a deeper understanding of what truly holds a farm together.
Resources Mentioned During This Episode
Succession Future Proofing Your Farm (Available on Kate's website)
Crops, People, Money and You – The Art of Excellent Farming (Search: "Crops People Money and You" Kate Burke)
Think Agri YouTube Channel
Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
About Our Guest

Dr Kate Burke is an Australian Agri Strategist, author and speaker. Drawing on three decades in agronomy, consulting, and family business facilitation, Kate blends practical business thinking with an understanding of the people behind it. She guides families past the numbers and documents to tackle what really shapes farm strategy and succession: questions of identity, fairness, readiness, communication, and intergenerational trust.
Contact Kate
Visit the Think Agri Website
Follow Kate on LinkedIn
Follow Think Agri on X
Follow Kate and Think Agri on Facebook
Elaine Froese Resources:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Visit the podcast website
SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event
COACHING - explore Farm Transition Coaching
MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Transition Member
FREE STUFF - downloadable tools for your farm transition
CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition
BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here
Farm Family Coach Social Media Links
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
X
YouTube
TikTok
Timestamps
00:30 - Welcome and episode overview: why family and emotional clarity matter
02:36 - Start with family, not farm: the importance of family-focused planning
06:44 - Introduction to ACT therapy in farm succession: acceptance and values-based actions
09:16 - Valuing emotional wealth: key questions to start meaningful conversations
13:56 - Understanding the mentor-to-elder transition: identity and self-worth issues
17:04 - Building trust and emotional steadiness in future farm leaders
18:23 - Shift from fixing problems to guiding towards desired futures: towards and away moves
19:45 - Overcoming resistance: moving from defense to offense in farm planning
20:37 - The role of financial clarity and emotional expectations in weaving a successful succession
25:31 - How to discover good perspectives: asking "What do you want and why?"
27:02 - Attachment to land and legacy: crucial but often overlooked considerations
29:33 - Function and family harmony: aligning team and family objectives
32:10 - The performance framework: managing farm viability and productivity
35:14 - Strategy essentials: simple actions over complex plans
37:01 - Ownership and its emotional significance in farm legacy
40:17 - Planning for retirement, aging, and legacy: tough questions and long-term care
46:16 - Summing up: combining profitability with family care for a balanced farm future

In this episode, I sit down with dairy farmer Denise Angst for an honest and encouraging conversation about navigating farm transition in real time — while life, loss, and change are all happening at once.
Together, we explore how clarity, communication, and respect across generations can turn uncertainty into opportunity.
We talk about why starting with simple family meetings matters, how fairness looks different than equality, and what it takes for parents to let go while still providing stability and support. 
Denise also reflects on her own personal growth journey, the courage it takes to ask hard questions early, and why investing in yourself as a farm woman strengthens the entire family business.
If you're wondering how to begin succession conversations, how to support multiple children with different paths, or how to move forward without having everything perfectly figured out, this episode offers a hopeful, practical look at what's possible — one conversation at a time.
"Different is not wrong. It's just different. The younger generation needs to respect the older generation, and we need to respect the younger generation. Let them talk about their ideas."  – Denise Angst
Resources Mentioned During This Episode
Wellington County Transition Planning Resources: https://www.wellington.ca/business-development/environment-agriculture/transition-planning
Empowe-HER-ed Book Order Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXeW38zQC6WXvtoTglv009a9_pTS8vrtgGcxtEQGdooLKz5g/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=102144042538019289024
Retreat Registration:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMY86Wg0SDWMRuJp1BWLxtk-nsvIs-iPuEhUO4XMHpIAeToQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=102144042538019289024
Linktree for all Connections: https://linktr.ee/denisemyjourney 
About Our Guest
Denise Angst is a dairy farm partner who built a dairy farm business with her husband after immigrating from Switzerland in 1997. She is a proud mother of three grown children — two sons and a daughter — and values the journey of raising her family while remaining deeply rooted in the community. Along the way, Denise drove a school bus for 15 years and volunteered in various roles, always giving back where she could. 
Over the past nine years, her commitment to personal growth has led her to become a first-time author, contributing a published chapter about how she found the strength to put herself first, and she is now preparing to host her third women's retreat. 
Recently, Denise transitioned into an office administration role, drawing on decades of farm office experience. By stepping off the farm's daily operations, she is intentionally creating space for the next generation to take on leadership and office responsibilities, while continuing to guide and support the farm's succession with confidence and strength.

Contact Denise
Follow Denise on Facebook
Follow Denise on Instagram
Elaine Froese Resources:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Visit the podcast website
SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event
COACHING - explore Farm Transition Coaching
MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Transition Member
FREE STUFF - downloadable tools for your farm transition
CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition
BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here
Farm Family Coach Social Media Links
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
X
YouTube
TikTok
Timestamps
0:00:30 - Intro & how Denise met Elaine/background
0:03:05 - Big family & housing changes (boys move out, parents move to town, daughter in basement) 
0:05:38 - Training Lucas as successor, giving him management responsibility 
0:05:44 - Paying kids for farm work, ideas of fairness vs equal 
0:11:11 - New Zealand idea, Peter's surgery, Denise's mom passing, Denise's personal growth 
0:14:07 - Starting family meetings, updating the will, using Elaine's workshop tools 
0:19:16 - Patrick's role, land purchase, non‑dairy path & custom farming options 
0:20:37 - Sweat equity, Lucas tracking all hours, housing/heat as part of compensation 
0:22:20 - Accountant meeting, will changes, protecting Lucas if parents die suddenly 
0:22:57 - Parents' income/retirement planning, Denise's off‑farm job, risk & cash flow 
0:26:44 - Next‑step planning: documenting needs for Lucas and for Peter & Denise 
0:29:08 - Cohabitation agreement for Lucas's girlfriend as a risk‑management tool 
0:32:09 - Why other families avoid succession talks (fear, hard conversations)
0:34:13 - Peter's backstory, losing his dad at 17, being ready to hand over management 
0:35:44 - Mutual respect between generations; recognizing different strengths 
0:38:24 - Questions from "Your Farm, Your Future" (excitement, emotions, success, timing) 
0:39:59 - What "good management" means when roles are split (barn vs office) 
0:41:03 - Shifting responsibilities, moving bookkeeping to AgExpert Online 
0:42:33 - Knowing what they own, investments, and the "gift" they want to give their kids 
0:44:27 - Cleaning out the farmhouse, kids choosing sentimental items 
0:46:55 - Message to farm women: self‑care, personal growth, and resilience
0:48:23 - Closing: this is a "happy" succession story that's still unfolding

In this episode, I sit down with therapist, speaker, and executive coach Carolyn Klassen, who holds a Master's in Marriage, Family, & Child Counselling and an undergrad in Occupational Therapy, for an eye-opening conversation about one of the quietest challenges in rural life: loneliness.
Carolyn, founder of Conexus Counselling and creator of The Loneliness Course, shares why loneliness isn't always visible, and how many farm women feel isolated even while surrounded by people and productivity. Together, we unpack the concept of social health and why real connection is just as essential to wellbeing as food, water, and sleep.
Carolyn also explains why meaningful connection takes courage, how rural life complicates vulnerability, and why we need to revive the lost art of popping by, picking up the phone, or simply inviting someone in.
If you've ever felt unseen in the busyness of farm life or wondered how to help others feel like they belong, this episode will give you the language, tools, and permission to make the first move.
"We do not have to hide that we struggle. What we get to decide is who we share that with—so we can have that sense of knowing that we aren't alone in our struggle."             – Carolyn Klassen
Resources Mentioned During This Episode
The Social Health Checkup Use coupon code FARM for 60% off the Loneliness Course

About Our Guest

Carolyn Klassen is a seasoned therapist at "Wired for Connection" and the creator of The Loneliness Course. With years of experience supporting individuals through emotional and relational challenges, Carolyn has a deep understanding of how very hard humaning can be.
She offers science-backed, heart-forward tools that support healing within a grounded program, bringing together science, compassion, and community wisdom to help people move from isolation to connection.
With a heart for belonging and a gift for creating safe, inclusive spaces, Carolyn speaks to our inherent need for one another. Her work reminds us that healing often starts with being present for ourselves and for each other.
Contact Carolyn 
Visit the Loneliness Course 
Follow the Loneliness Course on Facebook 
Follow the Loneliness Course on Instagram
Elaine Froese Resources:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Visit the podcast website
SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event
COACHING - explore Farm Transition Coaching
MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Transition Member
FREE STUFF - downloadable tools for your farm transition
CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition
BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here
Farm Family Coach Social Media Links
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
X
YouTube
TikTok
Timestamps
0:00:033 — Introduction and context of the podcast, recognition of listeners.
0:01:37 — Introduction of loneliness as the main topic, Carolyn's work on loneliness.
0:04:07 — Discussion of "social health" and its importance.
0:04:54 — The Harvard Study: quality of relationships and health outcomes.
0:05:30 — The need for meaningful connection, "eight-minute people" and vulnerability.
0:07:00 — "Facebook fine" concept, technology's role, insights from women's conferences.
0:10:30 — Loneliness not as a personal flaw, causes, and validating the feeling.
0:13:14 — Post-COVID isolation and modern communication habits.
0:14:50 — Tools and strategy highlights from the loneliness course and video.
0:17:01 — Unique rural community issues, financial burdens, multigenerational stress, boundaries, and privacy.
0:20:30 — The importance of sharing personal stresses and anxiety in the community.
0:20:57 — Personal anecdotes on dealing with loneliness, sleep apnea, and community support.
0:25:30 — The challenge and vulnerability in reaching out, anecdotes about social outreach.
0:26:26 — Scientific research on connecting with strangers, the benefits of vulnerability, and how to overcome social anxieties.
0:28:36 — Examples of connecting with strangers, benefit of sharing struggles, and the importance of not hiding difficulties.

In this episode, I sit down with executive coach and author Cathy Carroll for a heartfelt and eye-opening conversation about one of the most overlooked challenges in farm families: navigating the tension between love and logic.
Cathy, founder of Legacy Onward and author of Hug of War, shares how families can move beyond black-and-white thinking and start seeing conflict not as something to avoid but something to manage. Together, we explore the concept of polarities: two opposing but equally valuable truths, like tradition and innovation, control and trust, or fairness and equality.
We talk about why trying to "solve" these tensions often backfires, and how learning to embrace both sides can transform your family's conversations, decisions, and leadership. Cathy also shares tools to help you create healthier dynamics, lead with clarity, and make space for both your heart and your head.
If your family feels stuck between generations, mindsets, or values, this episode will give you a powerful new lens—and the language to move forward together.
"In a family business, you're not choosing between right or wrong; you're holding two right answers at the same time. The challenge is not to solve the tension, but to manage it so you get the best of both worlds." — Cathy Carroll, MBA, MCC
Resources Mentioned During This Episode
Free Family Business Polarity Assessment https://www.legacyonward.com/assessment manage common polarities in a family business

About Our Guest

Cathy learned about family business leadership the best way you can – by leading her family business. After a twenty-year corporate career, she left United Airlines to lead her father's business and instantly recognized a difference between leadership in a family business vs leadership in a large corporation.
Founder and President of Legacy Onward, Inc., Cathy Carroll is an internationally recognized family business leadership coach, speaker, and author of "Hug of War: How to Lead a Family Business With both Love and Logic." She also trains advisors serving family enterprises on the fundamentals of polarity thinking.
Cathy earned certificates in both Leadership Coaching and Executive Facilitation at Georgetown University, an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BA at Boston College. She is also a Master Certified Coach (MCC) in the ICF.
An active member of the community, Cathy currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Purposeful Planning Institute and co-founder & Treasurer of A Leg To Stand On.
Contact Cathy
Visit the Legacy Onward website
Follow Cathy on LinkedIn
Elaine Froese Resources:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Visit the podcast website
SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event
COACHING - explore Farm Transition Coaching
MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Transition Member
FREE STUFF - downloadable tools for your farm transition
CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition
BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here
Farm Family Coach Social Media Links
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
X
YouTube
TikTok
Timestamps
0:00:00 — Introduction to the podcast, Cathy Carroll's background, and the purpose of the episode.
0:07:15 — Managing the "equal vs fair" polarity in family business compensation.
0:12:41 — The polarity between business mindset (logic/profit) and family mindset (love/fairness).
0:14:38 — Domain crossover: balancing family and business relationships in decision-making.
0:16:59 — Shadow influencers: how people without formal authority impact family business outcomes.
0:17:54 — Tradition vs. innovation polarity within generational family businesses.
0:22:48 — Emotional vs. Rational polarity in business decisions.
0:24:12 — Reveal vs. Conceal: transparency and privacy in family wealth and information sharing.
0:29:38 — Privileges vs. Responsibilities polarity, and the risks of imbalance.
0:34:09 — Investing in the business vs. harvesting profits for family use.
0:38:33 — Task conflict vs. Relationship conflict and their roles in farm family businesses.
0:42:40 — Family first vs. business first: balancing needs for long-term sustainability.
0:44:48 — How to shift from "either/or" thinking to managing polarities for family business success.

Happy New Year, Folks! To kick off 2026, I sit down with Walt Moore, president and general manager of Walmoore Holsteins Inc., a five-generation dairy farm in Pennsylvania. In this candid conversation, we look at the Undiscussable™ issues facing farm and ranch transition —  particularly those surrounding family identity, retirement, and growth.
Walt shares his family's journey, including the 18-month planning process, the role of outside advisors (like their specialized financial guide), and how they navigated a complex blended family structure to bring in the fifth generation. We learn about their family's strategy of "stepping back without stepping away," managing non-farm heirs, dealing with issues of housing and debt capacity, and the critical importance of financial transparency for legacy success.
Walt's insights reveal positive conflict behaviors and the power of peer support groups. This episode is packed with essential tools and motivation for any farm family looking to find harmony through understanding and proactively plan for their future.
"You've got to communicate — don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't feel like you're on an island. I'm in a couple of your groups, and you realize really quickly that we're in the same trenches. When [you're in] a good group that's transparent with each other and willing to help each other, that's hard to beat." - Walt Moore, president of Walmoore Holsteins Inc.
About Our Guest

Walt is President and General Manager of Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. The family farm has been in operation for over 116 years and 5 generations. Walt is in partnership with his wife, Ellen, and three 5th-generation partners - Luke, Andrew, and Chase.
Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. milks 1150 cows with a 32,000-pound herd average, raises 900-plus replacement young stock, 150 Wagyu crosses, farms 2000 acres of corn for silage and grain, alfalfa, soy beans, triticale, and grass hay.  Walmoore employs 17 full-time and several part-time people. Walt is also the General Partner of Moore Family Farm LP, which was formed as a land holding company. Additionally, Walt and Ellen, with partners Duane and Marilyn Hershey, started Moocho Milk Transportation Inc. in 2006 to haul their own milk.  Walt and Ellen, along with their son Jake and his wife, own Moore Meats LLC, a premium American Wagyu farm-to-fork meat company.
Walt has traveled to other states and China, helping to educate producers on Best Management Practices. He serves on several committees, including the Chester County Conservation District Board, London Grove Friends Finance Committee, Land-O-Lakes Master Focus Group, and the American Dairy Coalition, currently serving as President. Walt has also served on the Horizon Farm Credit Customer Advisory Board and on the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation Board, serving as President for two years. He has served on the PDMP board as the Vice-President and President.
In his leisure time, Walt enjoys spending time with his family, attending PSU football games, hunting, boating, and traveling.
Contact Walt
Contact Walmoore Holsteins, Inc.
Follow Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. on Facebook
Elaine Froese Resources:
Watch this episode on YouTube.
Visit the podcast website
SPEAKING - book Elaine for your next event
COACHING - explore Farm Transition Coaching
MEMBERSHIP - become a Farm Family Transition Member
FREE STUFF - downloadable tools for your farm transition
CONTACT - take the next steps in your transition
BURNING QUESTION? Submit it here
Farm Family Coach Social Media Links
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
X
YouTube
TikTok
Timestamps
0:00:00 - Introduction, Podcast, Guest Welcome, Purpose of Episode
0:00:43 - Guest Bio: Walter Moore, Family Farm Overview, Dairy Operations
0:04:40 - Discussing Transition, Generational Change, Retirement and Successor Dynamics
0:10:00 - Legacy Goals, Financial Planning for Next Generation, Advisors' Role
0:13:25 - Housing for Family and Employees, Family Member Roles
0:16:41 - Fairness, Family Compensation, Involvement of Blended Family and Non-family Employees
0:21:04 - Operational vs. Strategic Management, Corporate Meetings, Vertical Integration (Milk Transport Business)
0:25:00 - Financial Transparency, Budgeting, Planning for the Future
0:29:03 - Overcoming Procrastination, Learning from Previous Generations, Will and Estate Updating
0:32:45 - Risk Management, Divorce, Relationship Dynamics, Inter-spousal Agreements
0:36:34 - Conflict Management, Importance of Communication, Peer Groups and Networking
0:38:10 - Final Takeaways and Advice: Passion, Teamwork, Continuous Learning