Networking with friends and other FCS Financial
members is paramount. Michelle explains, “Attending
the FCS Financial conferences and networking, those
people are just like us. They endure the same struggles
we do, from farm transition to employee management.”
Unlike other producers when it comes to charging
through communication challenges, both Charles
and Michelle know the key workers are also the key
managers.
“You’ve got to all be on the same page,” Michelle
says.
“And, moving in the same direction,” Charles
chimes in.
In a day and time when so many farmers find each
other needing to switch to a more hands-off work and
hands-on management role in running their operations,
Claflin says the switch hasn’t been easy, but it was one
he had to make.
In August 2014, about 10 days before harvest,
Claflin went to the doctor at the urging of a cousin. He
hadn’t really been feeling well for months. He was out
of breath just from walking to the shop, and was scared
to check on irrigators for fear of passing out.
In the end, that doctor visit sent him straight to the
hospital in Kansas City with a heart attack. Although
stents were an option, open-heart surgery was the better
choice.
“We had to have a pretty major family discussion
in the hospital as to what we were going to do,” Charles
explains. “I told (my dad), ‘we’ve got a really good ball
team.’”
The Claflin team trudged ahead managing a bin
buster harvest while Charles was recovering.
“It was a wake up call,” Claflin says of the heart
attack. Doctors told him it would be a year before he
was over the soreness from the surgery. At 46, Claflin
says it’s been tough to keep the pace he once did.
Still, relying on his team put his mind at ease. “I
have spent a lot of time trying to find people that will
work well with the other employees,” Claflin explains.
“We don’t have a high turnover rate,” he continues.
“We’ve got (a good team) because of the people. We all
work well together. Everyone understands that working
While milo was once king on the Claflin Farm, today corn is
grown on about 90% of the farm’s acreage. Charles Claflin
says the switch made business sense because of weed issues and
reduced yields with the milo. FCS Financial’s Jay Sloniker
credits Claflin with having the ability to take off the producer
hat and put on the one for the financial planner.
long hours during planting and harvesting are part of
the job.”
While Michelle still says the farm needs three of
Charles, the operation can be more successful with him
sitting right behind the desk.
business first
When Charles and Michelle returned to the farm
after graduating from OSU, the Conservation Reserve
Program was in full swing; there was very little land to
rent.
Charles took his hand at doing dirt work and other
farming elements for a while.
Since then, land rent has exploded and $7 corn has
made that easy to justify. Now commodity prices have
reversed and profit margins have narrowed very quickly.
Managing input costs is a top priority. Making money
with $7 corn was easy, Claflin says, while $3.50 corn is
a challenge.
Claflin’s degree in agricultural economics with an
option in farm and ranch management makes his farm
manager hat fit well.
HEARTBEAT | SUMMER 2015 9