LOUISVILLE, Ohio — Stark County dairyman and crop farmer Aaron Dickerhoof says he owes his success to his father and grandfather, who helped him get his start.

Dickerhoof, 32, farms full-time with his parents. He says their support is critical, especially milk and crop prices are low.

“There’s no way somebody my age could go out and purchase a farm and be able to make it today,” he said.

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The Dickerhoof family has been farming in Stark County since at least 1950, when Aaron’s grandfather, Paul, rented a farm near East Canton. Today, Aaron farms with his mother and father, Lori and Jerry Dickerhoof, and his wife, Codi. Together, they operate Broadview Farms, where they milk 89 head of mostly Holsteins, and farm 550 acres.

Aaron and Codi also have three children, with a fourth on the way. Garrett is 9, and twins Paul and Luke are 20 months old.

Age: 32

County: Stark

Education: High school and life experience

Acres: 550

Milking: 89 head Limited growth

Although Aaron would like to grow the family farm to accommodate his growing family, he said low prices in the dairy industry have put those plans on hold. “We need to update a lot of stuff, but the prices just aren’t there. We’re getting by, and trying to hopefully keep it going for the next generation to come.” Next generation

Working with multiple generations is a blessing, but can also be a challenge. “It’s a give-and-take relationship,” Aaron said. “We all have good ideas, we all have bad ideas — but we work together.”

This past winter, Aaron and his parents began working on a plan for him to buy into the farming operation. He said he’s at the point where he’d like to grow the herd and increase the acreage, but the current dismal farm economy has put the growth on hold.

“With prices the way they are, what do you do? It’s hard to justify adding stuff when it (milk) isn’t worth anything,” Aaron said.

Instead, he’s making use of what he has, including a tie-stall barn and some older tractors that still run well.

He said he’s also looking at ways he can share equipment and combine services with other farmers.

And he keeps in touch with other young farmers and relies on them for advice.

When it comes to making big decisions, the family talks things out and also works with their support team: the agronomist, veterinarian and feed nutritionist.

“If it’s anything big, we all talk about it,” he said. “Pretty much all of the major decisions, we talk about together.”

The Dickerhoofs sell their bull calves and raise their own heifers. They’ve recently begun to mix in some beef genetics to improve the value of their bull calves, and improve the hardiness of the herd.

A big focus for Aaron and his family is conservation and the public eye. The farm uses cover crops, waterways, and subsurface drainage to control water flow, and they’ve won multiple awards for their efforts, including the Conservation Farm Family of the Year, in 1994.

“If one person screws up, it makes everybody look bad,” Aaron said.

Keeping busy

The Dickerhoofs milk twice a day and sell through Dairy Farmers of America. In addition to farming, Aaron serves as a volunteer fireman, and he also helps with the Stark County Fair. This year will be SON Garrett’s first year to show a dairy beef feeder.

Although Aaron didn’t go to college, he said he puts his high school education to work every day, and has learned a lot just from working with his father.

“I used to hate math in school and now I use it every day and I love it,” Aaron said.

He’s hoping that when the markets improve, the math will get a little easier and that the farm can add some new technology, including robotic milking.

Aaron said he’d like to replace the tie-stall barn, possibly by going to a robotic milking system. But at the same time, he said older equipment and technology is sometimes better, because he can repair it himself and it costs less.

The farm still uses several older model John Deere tractors. “If they break, you can fix them,” Aaron said.

Read more Young and Farming features.