{"id":11216,"date":"2025-06-19T01:00:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/?p=11216"},"modified":"2025-06-20T13:13:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T17:13:18","slug":"farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"New Ideas on the Farm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.24.2&#8243; collapsed=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.24.2&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||1px|1px||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.0&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BogRVnUbMNA?si=NF6_eEQsncGxu6xK\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>On the farm or ranch, interest, curiosity, and a sense of wonder can be the catalyst for new projects and ideas and can drive us to explore new ways of doing things. A culture of curiosity and open-minded leadership can foster this in the youngest and oldest members of the farm team or family.<\/p>\n<p>I have talked to many farmers who are keen to learn from others and apply their learning to their land and stock management and farm business practices. Successors and founders alike are taking courses, reading, sharing with their peers, going to events and conferences; the types of things that can contribute to farm and farmer success and wellbeing.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some ideas for how to stay curious and maintain a learner&#8217;s mindset on the farm.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Engage with New Energy &amp; New Ideas from the next gen.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>People on your team, often the next generation, will come to the founders and farm partners expressing that they want to try something new or to ask questions about why things are done a certain way. The motivation might be to gain better understanding and contribute to making some shifts and improvements to human resource management or staffing, increase profitability or adding a new revenue stream, making changes to grazing or crop planning as a means to manage the resource base, working to access new markets, or wanting to apply new learning. Expressing an interest in new ideas or trying new things demonstrates a degree of leadership, enthusiasm, and interest in the work. Coming forward with new ideas can take courage, vulnerability, and trust, especially if new ideas or free thinking have not been given space or have not been received well in the past.<\/p>\n<p>I often talk to the next generation of farmers who feel frustrated that there is not enough room or space to try something new. Note that it can also be the case that folks assume there is not room for new ideas, and the real issue is one of open communication rather than having an open mind. When people are faced with wanting some influence and agency to try something new, and are faced with \u201cthis is the way the grandparents always did it,\u201d enthusiasm and creativity can be dampened. I am first generation on my farm, and while the cash flow challenges of running a start-up presented a major hurdle, the independence of getting to try things (and sometimes having them not work out) served to build my entrepreneurial skills, resilience, and creativity from a young adult age. Of course, some things have been tried before, and it can be wise to seek advice and wisdom from others via mentorship rather than having to make the same mistakes over again. It is a balance. Open communication and a culture of learning, curiosity, and leaning into wisdom, mentorship, and traditional knowledge are all very important.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Join (or Organize) a Peer Group<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Over the years, I have been a part of a number of farmer-to-farmer peer support and learning groups. These have been great spaces to hear about what others are doing on the operations side of their business, and also to create space for community. Some of the peer groups I have been in have been very family-friendly, while others have been more focused on finances and production. Years ago, we hosted a series of peer group meetings in our local hall, and people would drive from hundreds of km away to join. It was a great space to come together and often share a meal. We would present topics to one another and discuss some of the finer details of managing our cattle, grain, and vegetable operations, and share and discuss other aspects of working and living where we do in Manitoba. We could ask questions, explore ideas, and redefine measures of success for our farms. Our peer groups have changed and morphed over the years, and have contributed to building a web of connections across Canada and the US.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Embrace Change<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Farmers can feel significant amounts of stress when faced with change, especially when the change was not planned or foreseen. Faced with financial difficulty and uncertainty, high debt load, overwork, labour shortages, and climate variability, making small changes to a system that seems to be working relatively well can be daunting and unappetizing. Years of experience in a particular way of doing something moves us towards the \u201cright way\u201d and the \u201cwrong way.\u201d Negative emotions that come with unforeseen changes or hardship related to change can cause us to miss opportunities for positive change. On the other hand, embracing positive emotions around change, like hope, curiosity, creativity, and optimism, can create a lot of possible options that we might not otherwise see. Exploring change can foster cooperative working relationships with employees, spouses, team members, and within farm transitions, and allows us to move from zero-sum to mutually beneficial outcomes as we shift and move.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Calculate your Risk &amp; Keep an Open Mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When new ideas are brought to the table, or members of the farm team go out seeking new learnings and other ways of doing and seeing things, this may be embraced or lead to tension at home. Sometimes a desire for change by one party can be interpreted as an identity issue for the other party, i.e, maybe the next generation thinks the founder was \u2018incorrect\u2019 or \u2018wrong\u2019. The culture of your farm will create the space for learners and change makers to feel comfortable, and knowing that past contributions and future learning are complementary, not adversarial, can lead you towards better outcomes in communication and team building.<\/p>\n<p>Often I hear from founders that successors have not been working on the farm for 30+ years; they don\u2019t have the experience to understand the potential outcomes and risks of specific decisions, or sometimes it is a spouse saying they do not want to start a new project or engage in major systems changes at this age and stage of life. It is important to know the \u201cwhy\u201d or interests behind our desires for change and to keep learning from one another as we adapt, shift, and transition.<\/p>\n<p>Did you enjoy <em><strong>New Ideas on the Farm<\/strong><strong>?<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0You might want to check these articles out too:<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/05\/encourage-your-farm-dad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Encouraging Farm Fathers<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/05\/22\/how-to-stop-putting-mom-in-the-middle-of-every-farm-family-conflict\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mother in the Middle<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/05\/08\/common-pitfalls-in-farm-finances\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Common Pitfalls in Farm Finances<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Section&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.24.2&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;Row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.24.2&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.6&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Roles-Storyboard.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Roles Storyboard&#8221; url=&#8221;https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/insights\/free-stuff\/roles-storyboard\/&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Image&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.27.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Curiosity and fresh ideas can fuel innovation on the farm. Learn how embracing new perspectives, peer support, and calculated risks can lead to growth and resilience in multi-generational farm families.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":11221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/o4K6bItAbCY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe>\r\n\r\nHarvest is in full swing on our farm, and I am not there\u2026for a few days. Where is it written you cannot leave the farm during harvest? (Almost on every page of the unpublished book \u201cThe Culture of Agriculture.\u201d)\r\n\r\nIf you are one of the 2800 folks who have stumbled upon \u201cFinding Fairness in Farm Transition\u201d on my YouTube channel at Farm Family Coach, you already know I am on a mission to change mindsets in agriculture. Fairness is helping everyone in the family be successful.\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Enter Scott Armstrong and his new workbook: <i>Mind Switch Retirement Planner<\/i>.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-6952 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Untitled-design-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" \/>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Armstrong is a speaker friend who shared his insights at a national financial planner September convention in Niagara Falls, the place I also journeyed to at the start of our September harvest. He uses the word \u201cretirement\u201d, for ag folks I prefer to use the term reinvention:<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>Here are some things to consider as you age on your farm or ranch:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol class=\"ol1\">\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>What are the current roles you want to continue?<\/b> Which ones would you like to let go of? My farmer is coughing more after cleaning bins, and I am encouraging him to quit that task at age 65, which is now.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>Are you still passionate about farming?<\/b> Or just parts of it? Simon Sinek says, \u201cfulfillment comes when we live our lives on purpose\u201d. What is it you are doing on your farm where you lose all track of time? This summer I think my farmer lost track of mowing fields and ditches and waiting for the grain to ripen. I love to play with my grandkids and enjoy their giggles, stories, and curiosity. Play me with them is a sweet spot and I am intentional in making time for them. I am still passionate about helping farm families make intentional choices for a better quality of life and harmony through understanding.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>Do your passion and purpose align with your spouse\u2019s vision<\/b>? This is where it gets messy. You want to leave the farm life roles and responsibilities, but your partner does not. Not for a long time! Where is it written you cannot pursue some things in different time zones or days apart from your spouse?<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Independence is one of my core values, yet my husband respects what I need to fill my well, and I am happy when I return to the farm from my off-farm contracts and contacts. Love and respect for the other can go both ways.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>Adventure is big<\/b> on Scott Armstrong\u2019s workbook list. Farmers spend a lot of money on crop protection and other inputs. Many use the points from farm credit cards to fund short-term winter adventures. One of my clients is on a motorbike in the Maritimes as I write this. (Dairy farmer). Another farmer spends time in Mexico helping the poor build houses in the winter, and he wants to do more of this. Our adventures to visit friends in New Zealand, or travel with friends to Hawaii have been great times of renewal. Perhaps there is an ag tour you have been putting off. The GREAT PAUSE showed us how isolation and lack of adventure can really cramp our style, but we now have options. The most recent adventure for folks in our circle has been electric bikes. They are great for checking fields, riding down the Turtle Mountains to Boissevain, and going for a quick spin before supper. What is the adventure you have been putting off?<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>Vitality is an energy we all want more of.<\/b> Armstrong is convinced we are only using 50% of our body\u2019s capacity. Our wonderful physician Dr. Nell shook his finger at us 5 years ago saying \u201cLook you two it\u2019s time you started having some fun. At 75 it all starts to fall apart!\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>This year I\u2019ve shed some weight via the app \u201cNOOM\u201d and am working on a better morning fitness routine. My friend, a cattle producer at age 68 does lots of stretching and 40 minutes on her elliptical every morning. She makes time for lots of hiking adventures and ensures her body is in great form. Armstrong has a great list of sleep hacks to have more renewal time.\r\nYour body is not a machine. Save money now by paying better attention to your health and making small habit changes to be healthier. Be kind to your brain and get off your devices long before bed. This will not kill you, and your marriage may be better off for the pillow talk without blue lights flashing from your cell phone or iPad, or TV.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>Finances:<\/b> The number one encouragement I have is to find a good financial planner who can guide you with your income streams and personal wealth as your farm assets keep growing. CAFA which is the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors has great advisors in their directory who understand the culture of agriculture and the challenges of debt servicing and the need for personal wealth options. See <span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.cafanet.ca\"><span class=\"s1\">www.cafanet.ca<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Living Legacy:<\/strong> What do you want people to say about you BEFORE you die?\r\nI hope you have a wonderful 80th birthday party where folks can tell you in their own words and stories about how your life really was a blessing to them. Do you want to be able to set your grandkids up for financial success? Can you help fund their RESP for trades or university training? Could you help fund the local arts and culture or sports foundation of your small town? Would you be able to secretly give a \u201cleg up\u201d to a struggling single parent? Having the time to walk alongside newcomers to your community and financial support can be a huge blessing to making your town a great place to age gracefully. We live close to one of Manitoba\u2019s most beautiful small towns. The new bakeshop owner is now making sourdough bread with wheat head designs, plus great peanut butter marshmallow slices. This news may not excite you, but it is becoming a destination attraction. Sometimes it is the \u2018little things in life\u201d that make a day sweeter.<\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"li1\"><b>Social times<\/b>. Armstrong surprised me with his challenge to question who your friends are and why. Post-Covid relationships look different, and you may be navigating the loss of long-time or childhood friends. Intentionally make a list of the folks who align with your purpose and plans for growth. I\u2019ll still a big fan of calling my far-away friends to keep relationships growing, yet I also know having tea in person is refreshing. I suspect the guys reading this are longing for more friendships beyond the farm gate. What are you DOING about it?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Find out more about Scott Armstrong\u2019s fun, practical workbook at <span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mindswitch.ca\"><span class=\"s1\">www.mindswitch.ca<\/span><\/a><\/span>, and reach out to the Mind Switch community on <span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100063687142266\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>.<\/span> Tell him you are working on changing the mindsets in agriculture, one family at a time.<\/p>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/insights\/free-stuff\/roles-storyboard\/\"><strong><span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\">Grab your copy of the Roles Storyboard<\/span><\/strong><\/a> to <span class=\"RFZYhc\">help you understand your 6 key roles - personal, couple, family, work (farm and off farm), friends, community.<\/span>\r\n\r\n***\r\n<p class=\"p1\">Elaine Froese is happy to be writing at 30,000 feet again. Invite her to speak at your next ag event. She has 30-plus years of practical insights for farmers to have the life they\u2019ve always wanted. One day at a time.\u00a0Visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.elainefroese.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\">here <\/span><\/a>or Instagram <span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/farmfamilycoach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@farmfamilycoach<\/a><\/span> and hit the Linktree bio. Send cards to Box 957, Boissevain MB R0K 0E0.<\/p>\r\n<strong>Follow Elaine on Social for More Helpful Farm Family Advice!<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/farmfamilycoach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/farmfamilycoach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/farmfamilycoach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elainefroese\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/farmfamilycoach\/videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@farmfamilycoach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\nDid you enjoy<em><strong> How to re-invent your farm life as you age with Mind-Switch? <\/strong><\/em>You might want to check these articles out too:\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2022\/08\/25\/your-farms-emotional-tank-needs-checking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your Farm\u2019s Emotional Tank Needs Checking<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2022\/07\/14\/you-are-not-alone-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">You are not alone<\/a><\/span>\r\n<span style=\"color: #44b6ac;\"><a style=\"color: #44b6ac;\" href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2022\/06\/30\/how-to-love-a-farmer-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Love a Farmer<\/a><\/span>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[2258,887,377,2257,762,2255,621,2256,2138,398],"class_list":["post-11216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-agriculture-learning","tag-farm-family-dynamics","tag-farm-leadership","tag-farm-peer-groups","tag-farm-transition","tag-farming-innovation","tag-generational-farming","tag-open-minded-leadership","tag-rural-entrepreneurship","tag-young-farmers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Farming Innovation and Curiosity: How to Foster New Ideas on the Farm<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how curiosity, peer learning, and open-minded leadership spark innovation and success across generations on the modern farm or ranch.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Farming Innovation and Curiosity: How to Foster New Ideas on the Farm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover how curiosity, peer learning, and open-minded leadership spark innovation and success across generations on the modern farm or ranch.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Elaine Froese | Canada\u2019s Farm Whisperer | Your go-to expert for farm families who want better communication and conflict resolution to secure a successful farm transition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-19T05:00:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-20T17:13:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Lydia Carpenter\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Lydia Carpenter\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Lydia Carpenter\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c01b48d8f01399fc49f4c694a68d8a26\"},\"headline\":\"New Ideas on the Farm\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-19T05:00:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-20T17:13:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\"},\"wordCount\":1240,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"agriculture learning\",\"farm family dynamics\",\"Farm Leadership\",\"farm peer groups\",\"farm transition\",\"farming innovation\",\"generational farming\",\"open-minded leadership\",\"rural entrepreneurship\",\"young farmers\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\",\"name\":\"Farming Innovation and Curiosity: How to Foster New Ideas on the Farm\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-06-19T05:00:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-20T17:13:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c01b48d8f01399fc49f4c694a68d8a26\"},\"description\":\"Discover how curiosity, peer learning, and open-minded leadership spark innovation and success across generations on the modern farm or ranch.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg\",\"width\":600,\"height\":400},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"New Ideas on the Farm\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/\",\"name\":\"Elaine Froese | Canada\u2019s Farm Whisperer | Your go-to expert for farm families who want better communication and conflict resolution to secure a successful farm transition\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c01b48d8f01399fc49f4c694a68d8a26\",\"name\":\"Lydia Carpenter\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/31720a1cfed428e7a0589b8448bffcf5e4b8654c01c4bd0ded179e170e998dc6?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/31720a1cfed428e7a0589b8448bffcf5e4b8654c01c4bd0ded179e170e998dc6?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Lydia Carpenter\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/author\/lydia-farm-family-coach\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Farming Innovation and Curiosity: How to Foster New Ideas on the Farm","description":"Discover how curiosity, peer learning, and open-minded leadership spark innovation and success across generations on the modern farm or ranch.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Farming Innovation and Curiosity: How to Foster New Ideas on the Farm","og_description":"Discover how curiosity, peer learning, and open-minded leadership spark innovation and success across generations on the modern farm or ranch.","og_url":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/","og_site_name":"Elaine Froese | Canada\u2019s Farm Whisperer | Your go-to expert for farm families who want better communication and conflict resolution to secure a successful farm transition","article_published_time":"2025-06-19T05:00:20+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-06-20T17:13:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Lydia Carpenter","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Lydia Carpenter","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/"},"author":{"name":"Lydia Carpenter","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c01b48d8f01399fc49f4c694a68d8a26"},"headline":"New Ideas on the Farm","datePublished":"2025-06-19T05:00:20+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-20T17:13:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/"},"wordCount":1240,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg","keywords":["agriculture learning","farm family dynamics","Farm Leadership","farm peer groups","farm transition","farming innovation","generational farming","open-minded leadership","rural entrepreneurship","young farmers"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/","url":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/","name":"Farming Innovation and Curiosity: How to Foster New Ideas on the Farm","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg","datePublished":"2025-06-19T05:00:20+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-20T17:13:18+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c01b48d8f01399fc49f4c694a68d8a26"},"description":"Discover how curiosity, peer learning, and open-minded leadership spark innovation and success across generations on the modern farm or ranch.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity.jpg","width":600,"height":400},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/2025\/06\/19\/farming-innovation-and-curiosity-how-to-foster-new-ideas-on-the-farm\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"New Ideas on the Farm"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/","name":"Elaine Froese | Canada\u2019s Farm Whisperer | Your go-to expert for farm families who want better communication and conflict resolution to secure a successful farm transition","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/c01b48d8f01399fc49f4c694a68d8a26","name":"Lydia Carpenter","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/31720a1cfed428e7a0589b8448bffcf5e4b8654c01c4bd0ded179e170e998dc6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/31720a1cfed428e7a0589b8448bffcf5e4b8654c01c4bd0ded179e170e998dc6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Lydia Carpenter"},"url":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/author\/lydia-farm-family-coach\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11216"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11216\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11239,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11216\/revisions\/11239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elainefroese.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}