Protein Producers Fall 2015

Page 17

Cattle CattleFeeders FeedersHall Hallof ofFame: Fame: Decades Decadesof ofDedication Dedication We that Feedyard We were excited that Karla Olson from Hoxie Feedyard Wewere wereexcited excited thatKarla KarlaOlson Olsonfrom fromHoxie Hoxie Feedyard was awarded the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished was awarded the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished was awarded the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award the Cattle Feeders Hall ofofFame. The Service Awardbyby by the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. Service the Cattle Feeders Hall Fame. The following article by Suzanne B. Bopp for Drovers The following article by Suzanne B. Bopp for Drovers following article by Suzanne B. Bopp for Drovers CattleNetwork details Karla’s work experience and CattleNetwork details Karla’s work experience CattleNetwork details Karla’s work experience and and dedication. We feel blessed to work with such an dedication. We feel blessed to work with such an dedication. We feel blessed to work with such an outstanding person. Thank you, Karla, for all you do. outstanding person. outstanding person.Thank Thankyou, you,Karla, Karla,forforallallyou youdo.do.

“Here” is isat Hoxie Feedyard, some 4040 years later. Many “Here” is at atHoxie Hoxie Feedyard, some 40 years later. Many “Here” Feedyard, some years later. Many changes occurred during those years, both personally and changes occurred during those years, both personally and changes occurred during professionally. Olson married and raised three children, professionally. Olson married and raised three children, professionally. Olson married and raised three children, Jared, Keri and Rebecca; she now has four grandchildren, Jared, Keri and Rebecca; she now Jared, Keri and Rebecca; she nowhas hasfour fourgrandchildren, grandchildren, also. And the feedyard grew from about 10,000 head and also. about and aa also.And Andthethefeedyard feedyardgrew grewfrom from about10,000 10,000head head and a dozen employees to today’s capacity of 53,000 head dozen dozenemployees employeestototoday’s today’scapacity capacityofof53,000 53,000head head tended by 49employees. employees. Millions of pounds of feed, tended byby 4949employees. Millions ofof pounds ofoffeed, tended Millions pounds feed, thousands of head of cattle — Olson tracked them thousands thousandsofofhead headofofcattle cattle——Olson Olsontracked trackedthem themall,all, all, Karla Olson has lived every day. Today, her job entails “more ofeverything,” everything,” Karla has every day. Today, her job entails “more ofofeverything,” KarlaOlson Olson haslived livedher her every day. Today, her job entails “more herlife entire life in one Olson Olson says; because the yard ismuch so much larger, there’s entire one town: says; because the yard is so larger, there’s entire lifeinin one town: Olson says; because the yard iscomputer so much has larger, there’s town: Hoxie, Kan., a more to keep track of. “The also made a Hoxie, Kan., a small town totokeep of.of.“The computer has made Hoxie, Kan., a small town more more keeptrack track “The computer hasalso also madea big a she big small town — about big difference — I was not ever a computer person,” ——about 1,500 residents — ——I was a computer person,” she about 1,500 residents — difference difference wasnot notever ever a computer person,” shesays. says. 1,500 residents — says. “All the Ihandwritten stuff we used todon’t do, we don’t ononthe fork the the handwritten stuff we used to do, we do thenorth north forkofof the on “All “All the handwritten stuff we used to do, we don’t do the north fork of do anymore.” Solomon River. And forforthe anymore.” Solomon River. And anymore.” Solomon River.she And for most ofof that time, most that time, shehas has most of that time, she Olson describes her day-to-day work as pretty routine as worked ininone worked onejob. Olson describes her work routine asas Olson describes herday-to-day day-to-day work pretty routine has worked injob. one job. she tallies up everything that goes onasataspretty the yard. “I always she tallies up everything that goes on at the yard. “I always she up everything that goes on at the yard. always say tallies I’m a day behind. Whatever happens today, I’ll“Irun the The Hoxie slogan I’m a tomorrow day Whatever happens today, I’ll thethe The Hoxie sloganproclaims proclaims say I’m a daybehind. behind. Whatever happens today, I’llrun run The Hoxie slogan say reports morning.” She looks forward to harvest itsits“Good great morning.” She toto harvest “Goodcrops, crops, great proclaims its “Good reports reports tomorrow morning.” Shelooks looks forward harvest time, tomorrow when her routine is shaken up. forward “They always laugh families.” Here, her parents time, when her routine is shaken up. “They always families.” Here, families.” her parents crops, great at mewhen because can’t I like harvest time,” time, herthey routine is believe shaken how up. “They alwayslaugh laugh operated and memebecause they can’t believe how harvest time,” operated a dairy farm, and atat Here, a dairy her farm, parents she says. “I say, ‘Well, it’s different.’ corn harvest, we because they can’t believe howI like IInlike harvest time,” Olson and her three older siblings grew up milking cows says. “I say, ‘Well, it’s different.’ In corn harvest, we Olson anda her three olderand siblings operated dairy farm, Olsongrew andup hermilking three cows older she may have 300 trucks come across the scale in a day. It’s she says. “I say, ‘Well, it’s different.’ In corn harvest, we —siblings that “We were she says. have 300 —with withallall thatentails. “We werealways there,” she says. may grew upentails. milking cows —always withthere,” all that entails. a busy time.” may have 300trucks truckscome comeacross acrossthethescale scaleinina day. a day.It’s It’sa a “You bebethere and and dodowhat needed toto busy time.” “We were always there,” she says. “You had to be there “Youhad hadtoto there andavailable available and what needed busy time.” beand It’s early, that available doOlson whatabsorbed needed to be one done.” It’s a During Olson’s tenure, the feedyard has changed bedone.” done.” It’sa lesson aand lesson Olson absorbed early, one that taught her a work ethic that has stuck with her. The family lesson Olson absorbed early, one that taught her a work ownership several times. Scott Foote, the current owner taught her a work ethic that has stuck with her. The family During Olson’s tenure, thethefeedyard has During Olson’s tenure, feedyard haschanged changed also grew corn and alfalfa and raised pigs and chickens, ethic that has stuck with her. The family also grew corn and manager, nominated Olson for the Arturo Armendariz also grew corn and alfalfa and raised pigs and chickens, ownership thethecurrent owner ownershipseveral severaltimes. times.Scott ScottFoote, Foote, current owner and even grazed a few beef cattle, all of which they and alfalfa and raised pigs and chickens, and even grazed Distinguished Service Award. “I didn’t know anything and even grazed a few beef cattle, all of which they and manager, nominated Olson for the Arturo Armendariz and manager, nominated Olson for the Arturo Armendariz continued after they stopped milking acontinued few beef cattle, all of which theycows. continued after they Distinguished about it untilService Scott called me to say he’d entered my name after they stopped milking cows. Award. Distinguished Service Award.“I“Ididn’t didn’tknow knowanything anything stopped milking cows. and I’d won,” Olson says. about Scott aboutit ituntil until Scottcalled calledmemetotosay sayhe’d he’dentered enteredmy myname name “Dad always I graduated out and I’d won,” Olson says. “Dad alwayssaid saidwhen when I graduated outofofhigh highschool, school, and I’dsays won,” Olsonwork says.habits made her a perfect fit for “Dad always said when Ishe graduated out they ofthey high school, Foote Olson’s they done with that,” “And were.” theywere were done with that,” shesays. says. “And were.” they were done with that,” she says. “AndOlson they were.” the award. “I nominated Karla because she embodies all They sold thethe dairy cows. After high school, They sold dairy cows. After high school, Olsonwent wenttoto Foote says work habits made a perfect fitfitfor Foote saysOlson’s Olson’s work habits madeher her a perfect for They sold the dairy cows. After high school, Olson the award is about. She’s consistent, very steady, very a vocational school inin Goodland, Kan., totolearn a vocational school Goodland, Kan., learn the award. “I nominated Karla because she embodies all the award. “I nominated Karla because she embodies all went to a vocational school in Goodland, Kan., to learn dedicated,” he says. “She wants her job done right, and bookkeeping always liked working with numbers,” she bookkeeping(“I(“I always liked working with numbers,” she thethe award is isabout. consistent, award about. consistent, verysteady, steady, bookkeeping (“I always liked working with numbers,” she makes sure itShe’s isShe’s done right. Hervery work ethic very isvery a good says). She knew she wouldn’t stay ononthethefarm. “That was says). She knew she wouldn’t stay farm. “That was dedicated,” he says. “She wants her job done right, and dedicated,” he says. “She wants her job done right, andshe she she says). She knew she wouldn’t stay on the farm. “That example for everyone around her.” not really ananoption after wewedownsized,” she says. “There not really option after downsized,” she says. “There makes sure it is done right. Her work ethic is a good makes sure it is done right. Her work ethic is a good was not really an option after we downsized,” she says. wasn’t there toto keep going.” wasn’tenough enough there keepme going.” example forforeveryone around her.” “There wasn’t enough there tomekeep me going.” Foote bought the yard and moved example everyone around her.”to Hoxie in 1997, right after graduating from Kansas State University. He says After Aftershe shefinished finishedher heryear-long year-longbookkeeping bookkeepingcourse, course,she she Foote bought thethe yard and moved 1997, right After she finished her year-long bookkeeping course, she Olson helped him make the yardto successful from day one. Foote bought yard and moved toHoxie Hoxieinin 1997, right found a job at an experiment station. “It was an outside found a job at an found an experiment experimentstation. station.“It “Itwas wasananoutside outside after graduating from Kansas State University. He says “Karla became really sort of a mother figure,” he says. after graduating from Kansas State University. He says “I job, why it,” job,and andI’m that’s I tried it,”she she Olson job, and I’mananoutside outsideperson; person;that’s whyI tried was helped 21helped years old. There was asuccessful lot of change happening, him make thethe yard from day Olson him make yard successful from dayone. one. says. experiment station, they grew flowers and says. experiment station, they grew flowers says.AtAtthethe experiment station, they grew flowers andand “Karla and Karla was a person I could rely on. I learned a“Ilot became really sort ofofa mother figure,” hehesays. “Karla became really sort a mother figure,” says. “I vegetables; her job was plants onon various vegetables; her job wastotohelp helprate ratethethe about the feedlot business about what should vegetables; her job plants various was 2121years old. There was afrom lot ofher, change happening, was years old. There was a lot of change happening, characteristics. a year ofof that, anan insurance characteristics. Afterabout about year ofthat, that, an insurance and happen in a feedyard. hasrely done aI lot for me characteristics.After aa year insurance Karla was a person IShe could learned a lot and Karla was a person I could relyon.on. I learned athrough lot office opened in town, so Olson decided to see how office opened in town, so Olson decided to see how the years.” office in town, so Olson decided to see how about thethefeedlot business from her, about what should about feedlot business from her, about what should working her. That job didn’t turn out toto working there might suit her. That job didn’t turn bebe happen workingthere theremight mightsuit suit her. That job didn’t turn out happeninina feedyard. a feedyard.She Shehas hasdone donea lot a lotforformemethrough through a agood fit — “I was totally bored there,” she says — but totally bored bored there,” there,” she she says says — — but but theAfter four decades at the feedyard, Olson has outlasted a good good fit fit — — “I “I was was totally years.” the years.” something good came The office was right next door something The office was right next everyone — no one is left who was there when she started. somethinggood goodcame cameofof ofit.it. it. The office was right nextdoor door the office of a woman who worked at Hoxie Feedyard That’s adecades distinction will continue has to hold because toto the office of a woman who worked at Hoxie Feedyard to the office of a woman who worked at Hoxie Feedyard After four atattheshe feedyard, After four decades the feedyard,Olson Olson hasoutlasted outlasted and kept an office in town. “She caught me one day and Olson has no plans to retire.** and kept an office in town. “She caught me one day and and kept an office in town. “She caught me one day and everyone — no one is left who was there when she everyone — no one is left who was there when shestarted. started. said, ‘Hey, how would you like work the feedyard?’ said, toto the said,‘Hey, ‘Hey,how howwould wouldyou youlike like towork workatat at thefeedyard?’ feedyard?’I I That’s a distinction she will continue to hold because That’s a distinction she will continue to hold because Isaid, said, ‘Ithink think I’d like that.’ Itwas was kind of an outdoor job said, ‘I ‘Ithink I’dI’d like that.’ It Itwas kind ofof anan outdoor job like that.’ kind outdoor job retire.** Olsonhas hasnonoplans planstoto retire.** and more in line with what I wanted to do. I applied for Olson and more and moreininline linewith withwhat whatI wanted I wantedtotodo. do.I applied I appliedforfor thatjob, job, andhere here I am.” 17 1717 that that job,and and hereI am.” I am.”


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Protein Producers Fall 2015 by doctalktv - Issuu