A Passion for Dairy

By Denice Rackley

Anyone who farms knows success takes dedication with some good luck sprinkled in. That might be especially true when it comes to dairy farming.

As a young dairy farmer in Hixton, Wisconsin, Matt Olson understands how fortunate he has been to have opportunities come at just the right time. Just three years out of high school Olson’s dreams started to materialize. With dedication, hard work, a bit of luck, and family support, he is not only growing his dairy operation, but also is mindful of paving the way for the next generation.

Passionate About Dairy

Olson grew up around dairy. His first exposure was “helping” his grandparents. With young boys now, Olson isn’t sure he can call a six-year-old boy toddling after his grandparents “helping.” But back then, he was sure his contributions were indispensable.

Like most boys, he enjoyed the tractors, cattle, and any excuse to spend time outside. Once older, he helped his grandad milk and also milked for a neighbor after school. “I don’t really know what led me to imagine a dairy farm of my own, but that has been the dream for as long I can remember,” Olson said.

Olson was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to begin turning his dream into reality. He graduated high school in 2013 and bought his first dairy cows three years later from that neighbor he helped with milking. A year later, Olson’s great-uncle decided to retire from farming. That decision gave Olson the opportunity to purchase some land while renting more crop ground nearby.

“I had heard those who left dairy farming rarely returned. I was afraid that was true, so I never left,” Olson said.
With the hurdle of land out of the way, Olson began the tough part – figuring out how to make it all work. Not having a suitable dairy barn on the acreage purchased from his great uncle, Olson rented a stanchion barn four miles from home.

That stanchion barn was designed for Guernsey’s, not ideal for the larger Holsteins, but Olson has made it work. “It is not the best for cow comfort; it’s rather hot in the summer. But I am fortunate the barn was available and close to home,” Olson noted.

While he prefers milking and feeding to farming, Olson grows the majority of feed for his cattle. Planting about 150 acres of corn, 100 of soybeans, and the remaining acreage in alfalfa, Olson grinds and mixes the homegrown ingredients with some protein. “We just built a harvester silo in 2022,” said Olson, who is enjoying blowing hay into the silo rather than dealing with bags and plastic.

While the initial outlay seemed pricey, the overall cost divided by the lifetime of use and the time savings compared to bags is well worth the investment, he believes. Next in the works was building a new free stall barn and milking parlor at home.

Olson studied designs for a while, figured out what would be best for him, and broke ground in the spring of 2022. He kept the design simple while adding enough space to increase the herd. As with all construction projects, there were setbacks with material availability and weather delays, but the Olson herd finally moved into the new facility on June 5.

It was all hands-on deck that first week to get the older cows trained to the new facility. With four extra sets of hands, the ladies had little choice but to get with the new program. “It was easier than I expected getting the cows through the parlor but has taken a bit longer than I anticipated to teach the cows not to lay in the alleyway. While milk production has dropped a bit, the cows are adjusting well,” Olson noted.

Not having designed a barn or milking parlor, Olson is pleased with how everything turned out. However, there are tweaks he would do differently. “I should have designed and built someone else’s barn before my own,” Olson joked. “I would make the exit doors a bit wider, and we need to figure out how to deal with the hard water from the well.”

Olson currently milks around 50 cows, mostly Holstein, with a few Guernseys in the mix. He feeds out all his calves and markets the fattened calves through the National Farmers Organization. He had been using an Angus bull to breed the heifers naturally but has transitioned back to a Holstein bull with thoughts of filling that new barn.

Olson noted that not being able to spend significant time with the heifers, utilizing a bull, and natural breeding has proven more successful than artificial insemination. Olson noted that the hybrid vigor and Angus genetics translate into good feed utilization and additional pounds.

“We market the milk and fat cattle through NFO just as my grandfather had done,” Olson said. “Gary Norby was our NFO rep when I first started; he was a great guy. We now sell fats at Independence; it’s a graded sale only 30 minutes away. Our cattle do better there than selling them on the hoof.”

Olson knows he is fortunate to be surrounded by mentors. His uncle, who has taken over the original Olson dairy milking Brown Swiss cattle, and his neighbor are available to answer questions and lend a hand when needed.

All About Family

Olson’s wife, Alex, has her hands full with two young boys and as a schoolteacher. Sam is three, and Noah recently had his first birthday; all three enjoy more time with the cattle during the summer.

“Having cattle at home gives us more time and opportunities to do things together,” Olson said. “As the boys become more independent, it will be great having them more involved.” Currently, the operation is designed around Olson being the only one to work full-time year-round, but he is mindful of building in flexibility for the future.

“My family pitches in some, which is great. That gives us some flexibility for family activities. My dad helps when he can and enjoys working on the tractors. He will lend a hand with odd jobs. My younger brother, Jacob, who is 16, is involved in sports during the school year but works full-time on the farm during the summer,” Olson noted. Jacob enjoys field work and is quite the mechanic, making them a good team since Olson prefers the cattle. “Jacob is great help, he works hard, and I am excited to see what he decides to pursue after school.”

“One of the toughest things about farming is getting started. You really need opportunities to get your foot in the door. You also need mentors willing to put their arm around you and help you,” Olson said.

Building in Flexibility

Decisions are made with thoughts of what the future might bring. “I want to give my brother and my kids the opportunity to be involved in the dairy if that’s what they want,” Olson said. The new barn was designed to easily accommodate an addition and house twice the number of milk cows should Olson’s brother or kids want to join him in the dairy industry.
“Milking is like a marriage. You have to be committed. It would be easy to sit inside with the boys and watch cartoons, but I consider myself lucky to have cows and be milking,” Olson noted.

Little did Olson know that those early experiences with his grandparents would lead him down a path to own a dairy and raise his boys with similar experiences on the farm. Olson is excited about the future. “Over the years many people told me I really didn’t want to farm. Actually, I did. Dairy farming is challenging. But no matter what, there is always tomorrow presenting you the opportunity to improve on today.”