Farm Couple Getaway offers farm spouses opportunity to set goals, improve communication while away from the farm

In response to high levels of both personal and financial farm stress, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is hosting a Farm Couple Getaway Feb. 21-22 at the Lakeshore Center at Okoboji in Milford.

The program is designed for farm couples who want to improve farm family communication, set goals for the family and farm, work through farm succession or just spend the weekend off the farm discussing and working on their farm family issues.

“Past Farm Couple Getaways in other parts of the state have proven to be very successful and beneficial to the couples who attended,” said Fred Hall, Northwest Iowa Dairy Program Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, who is hosting the event in Milford. “We are excited to bring this opportunity to Northwest Iowa and provide an opportunity for our farm couples to learn, grow and relax a little bit while taking a break from the farm.”

The Getaway is designed to help farm couples deal more effectively with stress; learn about personality differences and creative communication styles; communicate more effectively with their spouse and children; discover helpful resources within their local communities and through ISU Extension and Outreach; make basic decisions and plans for the family and farm’s future; and enjoy a much-needed mini-vacation from the farm.

In total, four Farm Couple Getaways are being hosted throughout Iowa as part of this program. The first one Dec. 14-15 in Strawberry Point; the second Jan. 31-Feb. 1 in Decorah; the third this program in Milford; and the final March 19-20 in Dubuque. Each program begins at 12:30 p.m. on the first day and ends by 3:15 p.m. on the second day.

There is no cost to attend any of the four getaways; however, registration is limited to 10 couples at each location, so registering early to guarantee a spot is crucial. Registration is done on a first-come, first-served basis with registrations due two weeks prior to each session. Each couple is also required to provide a $50 deposit to hold their registration, which is refundable on the second day of the getaway.

A registration form for the Feb. 21-22 Farm Couple Getaway in Milford can be obtained from https://www.extension.iastate.edu/sioux/farm-couple-getaway, your local ISU Extension and Outreach office or directly from Fred Hall (712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu).

The Farm Couple Getaway is sponsored statewide by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, as well as local sponsors AMPI, AgroPur, Western Iowa Dairy Alliance and the local ISU Extension and Outreach offices in O’Brien, Osceola, Lyon, Sioux and Clay Counties.

For more information on the program, contact Hall at 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu.

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