Program matches aging farmers with their replacements

How did this thirtysomething Garth-Brooks look-alike, who had the drive but not the dollars, get started farming in Iowa? He had an instant mentor here: John Adam, who planted his boots in this rich black earth as a 19-year-old newlywed and over the next five decades, helped raise four children, harvested corn and beans, bred sows and collected a wall of plaques, honors — and seed caps. Now, the two men are working together on Adam's farm. One day, if all goes well, Phillips hopes to call part of this land his own. This is farm matchmaking, a down payment on the future of rural America. It's an increasingly popular idea across the country as a growing number of states try to pump fresh blood into graying fields. Farmers are getting older and working later in life: The average age rose to 57 (from 55) and the ranks of the 75-and-up set increased by 20 percent from 2002 to 2007, according to a recent survey. Meanwhile, the number of those younger than 25 has dropped by nearly a third. The high cost of getting started is intimidating, even for farming enthusiasts such as Phillips. So what to do? Pair the two generations in special programs. Aspiring farmers then don't have to dig themselves into a half-million dollar hole to launch their careers and can hook up with a farmer in his 50s, 60s, or 70s who can plan ahead. If their personalities mesh, the two can become partners. Later, the hope is the established farmer will sell, rent or make some other arrangement that keeps the younger one on the land. There's a broader goal, too: Save the family farm. And a bonus: Put more kids in rural schools, pour more money into Main Street, preserve small towns...AP