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the next generation<br />
They put their plans on paper,<br />
drew up agreements, and defined<br />
the relationships, as they also have a<br />
daughter, Nicole Jonas, 37, who is an<br />
off-farm heir. Since 2007, she and her<br />
husband have operated the Boone, <strong>Iowa</strong>-based<br />
Red Granite Farm, a garden<br />
center that offers landscape design<br />
consultation services and sells locally<br />
grown produce and free-range eggs.<br />
“I’m very proud of Kendall; he<br />
works hard,” Jonas said. “As the offfarm<br />
heir, I’m very grateful to him<br />
and my dad. They make it work, and<br />
we talk about how and why it works.<br />
The communication is important.”<br />
Every three to five years, the family<br />
revisits the transition plan. Major discussions<br />
include Curtis, Diane, Kendall<br />
and his wife, Candace, as well as<br />
Nicole and her husband, Steve.<br />
“We look at our plan and ask ourselves<br />
if we need to make changes or<br />
tweak any aspect of it,” Curtis said.<br />
That planning is imperative<br />
so they can focus on day-to-day<br />
operations.<br />
“It takes some of the emotion<br />
out of it,” Kendall said.<br />
Their business includes tending<br />
1,000 acres, raising 250 stock<br />
cows, and finishing 500 to 650<br />
head of beef cattle.<br />
Over the past three years,<br />
Curtis has been turning over<br />
management decisions to Kendall.<br />
“Not that we don’t have our moments,”<br />
the father said with a laugh.<br />
But each gravitates toward different<br />
areas of the operation. Kendall orders<br />
all the seed and does all the research.<br />
They both enjoy the hands-on work<br />
with the livestock.<br />
“It’s important for us both to be<br />
open to each other’s suggestions,”<br />
Kendall said. “It’s about knowing<br />
Curtis Claeys has been<br />
gradually turning farm<br />
management decisions<br />
over to his son.<br />
<strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Iowa</strong> <strong>Farmer</strong> Photo / trevis mayfield<br />
when<br />
to back down and let<br />
experience, knowledge and wisdom,<br />
versus ambition, do what they can<br />
do.”<br />
It’s a balancing act, Curtis added,<br />
but it works. He appreciates the<br />
things Kendall brought to the table,<br />
like using precision planting and instituting<br />
electronic recordkeeping.<br />
“Kendall really shines with the<br />
<br />
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84 <strong>Eastern</strong> <strong>Iowa</strong> <strong>Farmer</strong> | fall <strong>2017</strong>
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