FOCUS - OCTOBER 2018 47 in turn to [the second] James’ son, William. William handed it down to his son, John.” Born in 1913, John’s tenure would extend through much of the twentieth century. Progress would charge him with a critical decision, dramatically altering his family’s history. “By 1953, he could see that the city was rapidly encroaching,” Jenny says. “He made the bold decision to leave Scarborough before farmland like his was expropriated.” And so the Carnaghan family’s history shifted to Scugog. “The Carnaghans moved to Blackstock, buying an established homestead from the Wright family. That farm had been in their family for three generations, so all the infra- structure – farmhouse, barn, silo – was already in place. “We made a few renos, of course, but it’s still our family home today.” She laughs. “And some days I love its character, somedays I don’t!” But the family would soon face another challenge. Among John’s six children, none chose to succeed him. The solution, however, would prove easier than anticipated. It was, in fact, right next door. “Luke lived on the neighbouring property and had helped his grandfa- ther [John] all his life. His role expand- ed over the years, and he ultimately became his grandfather’s successor. He would not immediately take on full-time farming when his grandfa- ther passed in the 1990s, being still a high school student. But he tended to the animals, rented out some acreage, and turned his sights towards Guelph University’s agriculture program. That academic strategy would have long-term implications beyond simply expanding his knowledge. “We met at Guelph U,” Jenny ex- plains. “I’d grown up on a farm, but was studying a marketing-based pro- gram. We made a good team, because farming is more than a lifestyle; it’s a day-to-day business.” Schooling took priority in Luke’s life, yet the farm continued to require management. While he pursued his studies (and his sweetheart) in Guelph, his mother handled the weekday chores in Blackstock, with Luke returning home on weekends to take over the reins. Luke and Jenny married in 2004, adding three children to the Carnaghan name: Logan, Alyssa, and Bree. The modern world, Jenny ex- plains, presents succession challenges unknown in James Carnaghan’s day. “We keep them away from the internet, and involved in various activities. They’ll eventually become immersed in technology, but not yet.” Even with the assistance of mod- ern aids, Jenny characterizes modern farming as “hard work.” “Automation has eliminated a lot of manual labour, but you don’t clock in and out or work Monday to Friday, so there’s discipline required. We do keep family first, but still, daily, someone has to feed the animals and tend to the crops. It can be hard to keep in balance.” Neighboursinanygeneration–one factor in a farm’s success – continue to play an important role, Jenny says. “We have a close-knit group of friendswhoalsofarmintheBlackstock area. We place a great value on their friendship and expertise as we work together for the success of our farms.” The current Carncroft Farm includes 800 sheep, whose care il- lustrates one of those neighbourly synergies. “We’ve partnered with Steve Groves. We couldn’t operate on this ...................... Please turn to page 48