WESSELS LIVING HISTORY FARM
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The mission of Wessels Living History Farm is to preserve the history and provide education to our guests relating to the evolution of agriculture and represent life on a Nebraska family farm through classes, demonstrations, activities and displays. Many people do not know where their food comes from, or the work that goes into it. Our purpose is to inspire people to get involved in agriculture, or at least learn about it and appreciate the work that feeds the world. Even in our local, rural setting we find that most students know very little about the crops and livestock that fuel our local economy.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Educational Program
WLHF has an educational program which shares our love of the history of agriculture and farm life with students from Pre-K through High School. With the following class options:Animals on the Farm, School Days, The Best & Worst of Times, Farm Life in the 20s and Before, Christmas on the Farm, Planting Miracles, Earth Water & Sky and Welcome to My Kitchen- we have something for all ages. All of our classes involve kinesthetic learning. Graduate level classes may also be provided.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Blue Star Museums 2019
External reviews

Photos
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
We aim to improve the general understanding of agriculture- how large of a field it is, different ways to be involved, and an appreciation for the progress made in agriculture, as it has been the driving force behind so many technological advances. In order to do this, we have established organizational goals, as follows:
1. Improve our organizational structure through transparency and staff and board development, with the help of the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands.
2. Address program needs through brand awareness, community partnerships, applying for grant support, increasing revenue and building our employee base in order to support our mission.
3. Increase our educational value, through added content on our website, the addition of demonstrations and classes at the farm and collaboration with schools and other educational programs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We are working towards a Guidelines and Principles Partnership status with NAM.
As the budget allows, we will increase the paid employees needed to handle the growth of the organization, with an Educator position at the top of the list.
Through our marketing plan, we are targeting travelers, schools and folks living outside of York County.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have increased our budget for part time employees during the busy season by 150% over last year. With potential grant funding, we may double that by mid-2018.
We have a dedicated volunteer work force- over 110 volunteers in 2017 contributed to nearly 4000 hours.
With the support of our local York County Visitors Bureau, the Nebraska Tourism Commission and others, we are able to market to out of county and out of state potential guests, increasing our revenue, making possible the continued growth in our educational programs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
2018 is our 13th season. In that time, we have grown to seeing nearly 8000 guests per year, with a reach extending to an almost two hour drive in three directions in attendance of our educational classes.
Our website receives 100,000- 200,000 hits per month, from all over the world. Plans are in place to continue to add content- articles, videos and photos.
We are targeting group tour companies in order to boost revenue for the farm while boosting our educational reach.
We have collaborated with more than 50 area organizations and the list is growing!
An increase in farm demonstrations with antique machinery in the past few years has boosted attendance at ag-related events.
A variety of events on the farm will attract visitors who may not yet know how a living history farm relates to them.
We have specific goals pertaining to increasing the number of memberships, educational classes, and general attendance.
Continued educational opportunities for our board members, director, staff and volunteers are on the agenda.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
WESSELS LIVING HISTORY FARM
Board of directorsas of 09/06/2023
Adam Beck
Aurora Cooperative
Term: 2017 - 2018
Randy Quick
Quick Insurance
Term: 2017 - 2018
Janelle Medinger
Cornerstone Insurance
Stan Schulz
Semi-Retired
Gabe Jaeger
Mechanic, Case IH
Christian Walbrecht
Construction
Lyle Rathje
Retired, Farmer
Max Hoover
York General- Maintenance
Virginia Fay
Retired, Teacher
Butch Preuit
Retired, Supervisor
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 09/16/2019GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.