Intergenerational connections to enrich family life, communities, and farmland

What transforms a space into a place of meaning and connection? Increasingly, the answer lies in the relationships that span across generations. In agriculture, where ties between people and land run deep, these connections enrich family life, strengthen community, and support long-term farmland stewardship.
 

This article draws from insights shared during a recent ASA, CSSA, and SSSA webinar on intergenerational strategies in agriculture. It also draws on curricular materials from the Penn State Intergenerational Program [1] and related literature that explore how relationships across generations contribute to rural vitality and sustainability.
 

What does “intergenerational” really mean?

The term “intergenerational” is often used interchangeably with “multi-generational,” but the distinction matters. A multi-generational space brings people of different generations into proximity—a family reunion, for example—but that doesn’t guarantee meaningful interaction. An intergenerational approach, by contrast, is about creating opportunities for authentic engagement, dialogue, and reciprocal learning across generations.
 

In agricultural contexts, intergenerational strategies help link past experiences with present realities and future aspirations. They connect people of different ages while also bridging ideas, skills, values, and visions that evolve over time.
 

Where farm and family intersect

Farms are more than production units. They are homes, histories, and places of deep personal and family identity. Many farm families view the land as a gathering place and hold a strong sense of responsibility to those who came before and those who will follow. Decisions around stewardship, daily operations, and succession often reflect this dual concern for maintaining relationships as well as sustaining the land.
 

In a study conducted with colleagues (Kaplan et al., 2009), we explored how members of farm families communicate—and at times struggle to communicate—about the emotionally charged topic of farm succession. While technical and financial concerns shaped these conversations, what stood out was the emotional and relational weight of the issue. Some families declined participation in the study altogether, finding the topic too personal or unresolved. As one woman responded to our invitation: "Blood, sweat, tears, and prayers. That is how things are done."

Building community

Intergenerational placemaking involves co-designing community spaces that welcome and engage people of all ages. It’s goes beyond amenities to focus on fostering relationships, teamwork, and shared accomplishment. 
 

There are many examples of shared-use facilities that function as intergenerational sites. These include schools that share space with senior centers, retirement communities with on-site childcare, and parks or trails designed to engage youth and older adults together. When developed thoughtfully, these spaces can evolve into “intergenerational contact zones”—places designed not just for co-location, but for interaction and mutual purpose.
 

Curious about how emerging technologies might assist in visualizing these settings, I asked ChatGPT to generate images of a high school agricultural program functioning as an intergenerational shared site. I provided prompts that emphasized co-learning, civic engagement, and collaborative inquiry focused on supporting local agriculture. The image outputs—two of which are shown below—depict dynamic, inclusive educational spaces grounded in community values.
 

Readers are invited to imagine how similar real-world spaces—whether schools, gardens, or civic centers—might function in enriching education, community life, and farmland sustainability.

One such example comes from a village in Ishikawa Prefecture where residents host an annual “Yama-Warai” or “Mountain Laughter” festival. The festival includes workshops in traditional straw crafts, now remembered and practiced primarily by elders over the age of 80. During the winter, older residents teach children how to make waraji sandals and braided ropes using wara, or rice straw. These hands-on exchanges keep time-honored skills alive while building intergenerational trust and mutual appreciation.

In Spain, a moving example emerged in the town of Jarandilla de la Vera. There, high school students and residents of a local senior living facility came together to plant a remembrance tree behind the building. The project honored residents who had passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic when intergenerational visits and joint activities had been suspended. These trees now serve as living symbols of both loss and enduring connection.

For more information about intergenerational program models and curricula materials developed through Penn State University, see the appendix below. The full webinar presentation, “Intergenerational Connections to Enrich Family Life, Communities, and Farmland,” is available here.