The most important thing being raised on Atterholt Farms

By Brianna Smith

The story of Atterholt Farms is one many farm families can relate to: a 4-H project that grew into something much more.

Brothers Aaron and Mike Atterholt grew up showing cattle through 4-H and FFA in Ashland County. What started as a few projects and a passion for livestock eventually became a farming partnership, a registered Angus herd, and a way of life they now hope to pass along to another generation.

Today, nearly 20 years after purchasing their first Angus cattle, the brothers and their families operate Atterholt Farms near Loudonville, where they raise crops, cattle and perhaps most importantly, future farmers.

“People have asked me what’s the most important thing we raise here on the farm. Is it the crops or the cattle?” Aaron said. “I think it’s the kids.”

At Atterholt Farms, the fifth generation is already involved in the farm’s day-to-day operations. Each kid is already building their own herd, making breeding decisions, marketing their livestock, and learning the responsibilities that come with caring for livestock.

For the Atterholt brothers and their wives, both named Mandy, raising quality cattle and hard-working children have become intertwined goals.

Mike’s two daughters are already carving out their own niches in the cattle industry. Fourteen-year-old Kalli Atterholt is interested in marketing cattle and building a reputation in the seedstock business with her Simmental herd. Her older sister, Maci, has begun shifting her focus toward a more commercial-minded operation with her Hereford herd.

Five minutes down the road, Aaron’s daughters, Claire and Natalie, are busy expanding their Angus herds and preparing for cattle shows. The youngest of the Atterholt cousin crew, Tyler, is content to ride in the tractor with Aaron and tag along to wherever the day’s work takes the family.

Mike said investing in the next generation is one of the most important things the brothers can do.

“Family farms are generational,” he said. “With the pressure of urban sprawl and the cost of land and inputs, all this work and effort we put into it, we need a next generation to hand it off to and hopefully make a living running cattle and crop production.”

When they first started with cattle, Aaron and Mike experimented with a variety of breeds as they tried to determine which type of operation made sense for their future. Their grandparents farmed, and both brothers knew eventually they wanted to carry on the family legacy.

“Mike and I kind of dabbled in crossbred commercial cows and tried to raise some show cattle,” Aaron said. “We kind of figured out that maybe those weren’t ‘real-world’ cattle. If we ever wanted to actually farm and make a living at it, we needed to look at different options, so it seemed like Angus cattle were an excellent fit for that.”

The brothers purchased their first Angus bull in 2007. The following year, they returned to the same farm and purchased nine Angus heifers. Those nine females became the foundation of the herd they operate today.

In 2008, Mike and Aaron purchased their grandparents’ 80-acre farm and officially established Atterholt Farms. Over time, the operation expanded through additional land purchases and rented acreage.

Today, the family grows corn, soybeans, wheat and hay while managing about 130 head of cattle, including a registered Angus seedstock herd. They market bulls and females to commercial cattlemen throughout Ohio and feed out a handful of steers each year. The Atterholt children continue the family’s tradition of showing cattle through junior breed associations and the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association BEST program.

Mike said the family’s priorities as seedstock producers are fairly straightforward.

“We want to raise cattle that will be profitable for our customers, primarily commercial cattlemen,” he said.

The goal is to produce functional, problem-free cattle with sound feet and structure that can raise a heavy calf while producing high-quality beef.

“Most guys sell by the pound, so they want a nice, sensibly sized calf,” Mike said.

Conversations around genetics and cattle care around the dinner table and in the barn are already shaping the next generation’s view of the business.

“I think each show heifer or bull needs to be able to be a cow first, and then you can focus on the show ring standpoint,” Kalli said. “Because once they’re done with their show career, if they can’t produce, then I think that’s a bigger issue.”

Claire shares a similar philosophy. “It is important to us that we raise cattle that not only have good genetics, but also have a good phenotype,” she said.

That practical approach to cattle production extends beyond genetics and into stewardship of the land itself. In 2025, Atterholt Farms was recognized by the Ohio Department of Agriculture with the Conservation Farm Family Award for its commitment to protecting natural resources.

The family utilizes cover crops, conservation tillage, and infrastructure improvements designed to keep cattle out of nearby waterways. Mike said many of those practices just made sense for their farm, as they continue to find ways to improve the land for the next generation.

“We didn’t think we were doing anything out of the ordinary,” Mike said of the recognition. “But the award is nice motivation to continue to do better and do more conservation practices.”

Today, Mike and Mandy live on the family’s great-grandparents’ farm while Aaron and Mandy call their grandparents’ farm home.

For the two brothers, one of the most rewarding parts of building the farm has been watching another generation discover the same passion that first drew them into agriculture years ago through 4-H projects and show cattle.

After all, the cattle may have started the story of the modern-day Atterholt Farms. The kids, however, will ensure the story continues.