Continuing a Legacy: Georgia Teen Takes Over His Family Farm After His Father’s Passing

Waylon NeSmith says continuing the operation is a way to carry on the lessons and legacy his father left behind.

TIFTON, Ga. (Farm Monitor) — Most teens are still figuring out what they want to do in life. However, for one young Georgia farmer, that answer came early after an unexpected loss changed the future of his family’s farm.

High school student Waylon NeSmith has taken over his family’s operation following the passing of his father.

NeSmith says that farming alongside his dad was never just about getting work done. It was time spent together and lessons learned through everyday moments in the field.

“I remember that there was never a dull moment with him. He was always joking. It was never serious. We just always played around, but we got stuff done, but we always made a good time doing it.”

Now, with support from his family and community, he is continuing the work his father started.

Nesmith says the farm is no longer just part of his family’s history, but has become his future.

Related Stories
Wayne Cockrell with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association joined us to discuss preparedness, producer awareness, and the industry’s response to New World screwworm concerns.
In a landmark ruling delivered in late 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly narrowed the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act.
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
The application deadline is March 8, 2026. The 1890 National Scholars Program aims to encourage students at 1890 land-grant universities to pursue careers in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences.
Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana discusses how the Affordable Homes Act will benefit rural communities, and her broader efforts to improve access to affordable housing.
From “right to repair” to investigations into the “Big Four” meatpackers, antitrust issues were a major legal topic in 2025 and promise to have a long-term impact on the agriculture industry in the future.