2008 Farm Family of the Year honors go to Dickes of Goodhue

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Lyle and Shannon Dicke truly believe in the idea of the family farm.

Mom and Dad do their best to get children Ann, Charlie and Jay involved in the Goodhue operation. The family milks 150 cows, raises its own hefers and tends to 325 acres of corn, peas and alfalfa. And they do it all together.

The Dickes were honored for their efforts Thursday at the Goodhue County Board meeting: They are the county’s 2008 Farm Family of the Year.

“They truly see their children as assets in the operation,” said Jayne Hager Dee, regional director for the University of Minnesota Extension Office. “This is really a family farm and a family working in partnership together.”

The family is one of 64 from around the state being honored this year by the U of M.

The Dicke farm was purchased by Lyle’s grandfather in 1910. Today, the couple and their children work hard to make conservation improvements on the land.

“They are really conscientious about nature’s give,” Hager Dee said.

Tags: community, dicke, farm