<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1zuHWZ_0vuGfy1900" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1zuHWZ_0vuGfy1900" width="1152" height="768" ><figcaption>Aaron Hinkeldey and his wife, Nicole, a nurse, have three children — Harlan, 9; Davis, 8; and Elleanor, 5. Hinkeldey, who farms in Cherokee County, Iowa, was named a Master Pork Producer for 2023 by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. Photo courtesy IPPA</figcaption></figure>AURELIA, Iowa — Five generations of Aaron Hinkeldey’s family have farmed the fertile soil of Cherokee County. And, as far as anyone knows, each generation has been in the hog business.“We aren’t entirely sure about that, but it makes sense that they would all raise pigs,” Hinkeldey says.The northwest Iowa producer and his wife, Nicole, a nurse, have three children – Harlan, 9; Davis, 8; and Elleanor, 5. Hinkeldey was named a Master Pork Producer for 2023 by the Iowa Pork Producers Association.His father Dave ran a farrow-to-finish operation when Hinkeldey was growing up, but in 1997 he knew he needed to make a change.“He thought he either needed to get out of it or do something different, so he looked into custom feeding for Land O’ Lakes,” Hinkeldey says.The first site was built in 1997 and housed 3,500 head. Hinkeldey says in 2005, the neighbors’ site was also purchased.Hinkeldey graduated from Iowa State University in 2010 and came home to farm.“I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and first I was an MIS major. I did two years of that and decided I wanted to farm, so I switched my major to business management,” Hinkeldey says.After graduating, Hinkeldey returned home and purchased a roughly 1,800-head hog site from his dad. In 2012, he built a 2,400-head tunnel barn. And in 2015, he expanded his total spaces to 8,000 when he purchased the home site from his dad, who was officially retiring from the hog business.<h2>People are also reading…</h2>His feeder-to-finish operation includes about 8,000 hog spaces and he finishes 22,000 pigs annually. Most are marketed to Farmland Foods, a division of Smithfield. In addition, he grows more than 500 acres of corn and 500 acres of seed beans for Pioneer.“I took on most of the crop work in 2020 from Dad, but he still helps me where I need him,” Hinkeldey says.Most labor is provided by the family and Hinkeldey says he has a neighbor kid who comes and helps when he can.“Of course, the kids like to help with the chores and Nicole helps me when I need it,” he says. “The kids get a kick out of the little pigs.”Providing a future in farming for his family is “huge” for Hinkeldey. He works to teach them proper pig handling techniques and sustainable livestock and land-management practices.Hinkeldey is hopeful that his passion for raising quality pork to feed the world will rub off onto them.Another priority for Hinkeldey is community involvement. He is a trustee for Diamond Township, vice president of the Galva Fire Board, coach and board member for Alta-Aurelia Little League, member of the Cherokee County Pork Producers and member and trustee at St. John Lutheran Church in Alta.“We keep pretty busy with volunteer work and our kids, and it’s just getting busier as they get older,” Hinkeldey says.He is hopeful his children will one day want to be involved in the farming operation, and with that in mind, Hinkeldey would like to expand in the future.“I’m always looking for farm ground but so is everyone else,” he says. “We will see what the future brings with the kids, but if they want to be involved, I want to make sure there’s a place for them.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3ek1oN_0vuGfy1900" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3ek1oN_0vuGfy1900" width="1152" height="768" ><figcaption>Harlan Hinkeldey, 9, Davis, 8, and Elleanor, 5, explore their Cherokee County, Iowa, farm. Photo courtesy IPPA</figcaption></figure></div></body>

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Pork producer looks to expand for the next generation

AURELIA, Iowa — Five generations of Aaron Hinkeldey’s family have farmed the fertile soil of Cherokee County. And, as far as anyone knows, each generation has been in the hog business. “We aren’t entirely sure about that, but it makes sense that they would all raise pigs,” Hinkeldey...

Pork producer looks to expand for the next generation

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