Mary Swander: Taking Farm Succession Conversations on the Road

Mary Swander is taking Map of My Kingdom back on the road, using storytelling and theater to crack open one of rural America’s toughest conversations: farm succession. With wit, warmth, and a bit of role-play, her one-woman show invites families to finally talk about what comes next for their land. After each performance, audiences engage in candid community discussions—often emotional, sometimes life-changing. With only 56% of U.S. farms having a plan in place, Swander’s work is as urgent as it is creative.