Deep River brothers carry on family farm tradition
DEEP RIVER — It was a beautiful early November day. The sun was shining, and brothers Adam and Alex Cheney, who live near Deep River, were busy tuning up the combine to finish up harvest. With 600 acres to go, the recent rains had put everything on hold. The two brothers had always wanted to farm and carry on the Cheney family tradition. After graduating from Iowa State University — Adam in May 2022 and Alex in December 2023 — the two brothers returned home to join their parents, Tom and Michelle, in the family farming operation. Adam, 25, holds a BA in ag business with a minor in entrepreneurship, and Alex, 23, holds a BA in ag studies. Both agree that there are limited opportunities for young people to get into farming these days. “The biggest problem is the profitability to get into a farm or start farming,” said Adam. “It’s more likely for a family member to join an established farm than start their own farm.” “It’s a lot of work to make it,” Adam said. The brothers are the sixth generation of the Cheney family to farm and the third generation on the home farm. Their late
