Hemmes Family Farm in Iowa: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Hemmes Family Farm near Hampton, Franklin County is a Century Farm of about 950 acres of corn and soybeans managed by April Hemmes, a 2024 Iowa Master Farmer. Wallaces Farmer reports she built the operation over 39 years and has served as a leader in the United Soybean Board and the Iowa Pork Producers Association.
| Location | Near Hampton, Franklin County, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Founded | Century Farm; Hemmes took sole management in 1993 |
| Sectors | Corn and soybeans |
| Scale | About 950 acres (Wallaces Farmer) |
| Why it is notable | 2024 Iowa Master Farmer; Century Farm; national soybean leadership |
| Ownership | April Hemmes; a trust is set to pass the farm to her daughter |
| Official website | Wallaces Farmer profile of April Hemmes |
History of Hemmes Family Farm
April Hemmes returned to the family farm in 1985 after working as a congressional staffer. She started a farrow-to-finish hog operation, then left hogs during the 1990s price crashes and sold the cattle herd to focus on grain.
She took sole management in 1993 and bought out her father's and grandfather's trusts from siblings at fair market value, with a banker and attorney. A trust has been established to pass the farm to her daughter.
What Hemmes Family Farm Grows and Raises
The farm grows corn and soybeans, with a five-year soybean average of 60 bushels per acre, according to Wallaces Farmer. Highly erodible ground is managed with no-till on sidehills, and cover crops are aerial-seeded into standing corn.
She keeps spreadsheets of crop sales, knows her cost of production, writes an annual marketing plan and replaces implements when repair costs equal a yearly payment. Seasonal help comes from local high school students.
How Hemmes Family Farm Makes Money
Corn and soybean sales
Sales of grain from about 950 acres are the main revenue, supported by a marketing plan.
Cost control
Equipment replacement rules and cost-of-production tracking protect margins.
Leadership roles
Board roles with the United Soybean Board and pork groups bring expertise to the farm.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Hemmes Family Farm
Exit what does not pay. Dropping hogs and cattle in hard years let the farm focus on the crops it could manage well.
Run a numbers-first farm. Tracking costs and writing a marketing plan every year turns a single-crop farm into a business.
Combine karaoke at harvest may be the most underrated agricultural tradition in Franklin County. The goofballs at farm.FM love farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and a Master Farmer who sings while she combines gets our standing ovation. We hope the soybeans appreciate the harmony.
Readers who want the full experience can pair the jokes with Tractor Tunes, the country music for farmers that farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, plays between stories. This author page is a fine starting point.
How to Contact Hemmes Family Farm
Website: https://www.farmprogress.com/management/attention-to-detail-defines-april-hemmes
No official farm website was found; this is the best verified public page.
Hemmes Family Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Wallaces Farmer profile - Master Farmer feature on April Hemmes
- 2024 Iowa Master Farmers - Class announcement
- Iowa State University Extension - Land-grant farm management resources
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - National crop statistics
- Iowa Century and Heritage Farm Program - State program for historic farms
Hemmes Family Farm FAQ
Where is the Hemmes farm?
It is near Hampton in Franklin County, Iowa.
How big is it?
About 950 acres of corn and soybeans.
What award did April Hemmes receive?
She was named a 2024 Iowa Master Farmer.
Is it a Century Farm?
Wallaces Farmer says it is on her family's Century Farm.
Hemmes Family Farm shows how focused management can build a strong grain farm. Read our Iowa farms guide for more.