MENTAL ILLNESS

Reading about the pioneers, one is often reminded of the sheer isolation found in rural America in the country's early days. Mental illness and depression were familiar themes. And while most rural areas today seem less physically isolated due to modern transportation and communication technology, the proximity to neighbors, the severity of natural elements, the (at times) negative rural community dynamics and the shortage of mental health care workers have an impact on the mental health of rural residents.

My observations are anecdotal, but just in the rural communities and family businesses I know, the number of family members suffering from a mental health disorder is significant. The land, then, can become a symbol of individual or community dysfunction, an icon of anguish -- often internalized -- for those who remain or who are called back to deal with the land.

FAMILY CONFLICT

For families who own land for generations, perhaps the most damaging aspect is the role land plays in conflicts between family members. We all know families torn apart by distributions of land that were perceived as unequal. Or that a particular family member received the home place to the exclusion of her siblings, or how a family member who received land but was neglectful in his care of it -- these are the issues that destroy relationships. Whether the conflict is actually rooted in the land (versus, for example, sibling rivalry or parental favor) the conflict manifests in and around land, its ownership and stewardship. I often find those who want nothing to do with the family conflict incited by land are often the first to sell at whatever price most quickly accomplishes the divestiture.

In today's era of high (albeit decreasing) land values, and in light of land's vaunted status as an asset of which "they aren't making any more," it's easy to get caught up in the many virtues of land ownership. But for a substantial number of people, it's not just about the economics. The land represents something dark or destructive in their past. It's a hindrance to a better future. For some, it prevents the healing of a family relationship. To appreciate the full spectrum of a legacy rooted in land, then, one must also confront the ways in which land has been both a blessing and a curse.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Lance Woodbury writes family business columns for both DTN and our sister magazine, "The Progressive Farmer." He is a Garden City, Kansas, author, consultant and professional mediator with more than 20 years' experience specializing in agriculture and closely-held businesses. Email questions for this column to Lance@agprogress.com. See Lance's related comments on this topic at our recent Minding Ag's Business blog https://www.dtnpf.com/…

(MZT/CZ)

© Copyright 2016 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.