Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame: Decades of Dedication Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame: Decades of Dedication

We were excited that Karla Olson from Hoxie Feedyard was awarded the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award by the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. The following article by Suzanne

B. Bopp

for Drovers

We were excited that Karla Olson from Hoxie Feedyard was awarded the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award by the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. The following article by Suzanne B. Bopp for Drovers CattleNetwork details Karla’s work experience and dedication. We feel blessed to work with such an outstanding person. Thank you, Karla, for all you do.

We were excited that Karla Olson from Hoxie Feedyard was awarded the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award by the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. The following article by Suzanne B. Bopp for Drovers CattleNetwork details Karla’s work experience and dedication. We feel blessed to work with such an outstanding person. Thank you, Karla, for all you do.

CattleNetwork

details Karla’s work experience and dedication. We feel blessed to work with such an outstanding person. Thank you, Karla, for all you do.

Karla Olson has lived her entire life in one town: Hoxie, Kan., a small town about 1,500 residents on the north fork of the Solomon River. And for most of that time, she has worked in one job.

Karla Olson has lived her entire life in one town: Hoxie, Kan., a small town about 1,500 residents on the north fork of the Solomon River. And for most of that time, she has worked in one job.

Karla Olson has lived her entire life in one town: Hoxie, Kan., a small town — about 1,500 residents — on the north fork of the Solomon River. And for most of that time, she has worked in one job.

The Hoxie slogan proclaims its “Good crops, great families.” Here, her parents operated a dairy farm, and Olson and her three older siblings grew up milking cows with all that entails. “We were always there,” she says. “You had to be there and available and do what needed to be done.” It’s a lesson Olson absorbed early, one that taught her a work ethic that has stuck with her. The family also grew corn and alfalfa and raised pigs and chickens, and even grazed a few beef cattle, all of which they continued after they stopped milking cows.

The Hoxie slogan proclaims its “Good crops, great families.” Here, her parents operated a dairy farm, and Olson and her three older siblings grew up milking cows with all that entails. “We were always there,” she says. “You had to be there and available and do what needed to be done.” It’s a lesson Olson absorbed early, one that taught her a work ethic that has stuck with her. The family also grew corn and alfalfa and raised pigs and chickens, and even grazed a few beef cattle, all of which they continued after they stopped milking cows.

The Hoxie slogan proclaims its “Good crops, great families.” Here, her parents operated a dairy farm, and Olson and her three older siblings grew up milking cows — with all that entails. “We were always there,” she says. “You had to be there and available and do what needed to be done.” It’s a lesson Olson absorbed early, one that taught her a work ethic that has stuck with her. The family also grew corn and alfalfa and raised pigs and chickens, and even grazed a few beef cattle, all of which they continued after they stopped milking cows.

“Dad always said when I graduated out of high school, they were done with that,” she says. “And they were.” They sold the dairy cows. After high school, Olson went to a vocational school in Goodland, Kan., to learn bookkeeping (“I always liked working with numbers,” she says). She knew she wouldn’t stay on the farm. “That was not really an option after we downsized,” she says. “There wasn’t enough there to keep me going.”

“Dad always said when I graduated out of high school, they were done with that,” she says. “And they were.” They sold the dairy cows. After high school, Olson went to a vocational school in Goodland, Kan., to learn bookkeeping (“I always liked working with numbers,” she says). She knew she wouldn’t stay on the farm. “That was not really an option after we downsized,” she says. “There wasn’t enough there to keep me going.”

“Dad always said when I graduated out of high school, they were done with that,” she says. “And they were.” They sold the dairy cows. After high school, Olson went to a vocational school in Goodland, Kan., to learn bookkeeping (“I always liked working with numbers,” she says). She knew she wouldn’t stay on the farm. “That was not really an option after we downsized,” she says. “There wasn’t enough there to keep me going.”

After she finished her year-long bookkeeping course, she found a job at an experiment station. “It was an outside job, and I’m an outside person; that’s why I tried it,” she says. At the experiment station, they grew flowers and vegetables; her job was to help rate the plants on various characteristics. After about a year of that, an insurance office opened in town, so Olson decided to see how working there might suit her. That job didn’t turn out to be a good fit “I was totally bored there,” she says but something good came of it. The office was right next door to the office of a woman who worked at Hoxie Feedyard and kept an office in town. “She caught me one day and said, ‘Hey, how would you like to work at the feedyard?’ I said, ‘I think I’d like that.’ It was kind of an outdoor job and more in line with what I wanted to do. I applied for that job, and here I am.”

After she finished her year-long bookkeeping course, she found a job at an experiment station. “It was an outside job, and I’m an outside person; that’s why I tried it,” she says. At the experiment station, they grew flowers and vegetables; her job was to help rate the plants on various characteristics. After about a year of that, an insurance office opened in town, so Olson decided to see how working there might suit her. That job didn’t turn out to be a good fit “I was totally bored there,” she says but something good came of it. The office was right next door to the office of a woman who worked at Hoxie Feedyard and kept an office in town. “She caught me one day and said, ‘Hey, how would you like to work at the feedyard?’ I said, ‘I think I’d like that.’ It was kind of an outdoor job and more in line with what I wanted to do. I applied for that job, and here I am.”

After she finished her year-long bookkeeping course, she found a job at an experiment station. “It was an outside job, and I’m an outside person; that’s tried it,” she says. At the experiment station, they grew flowers and vegetables; her job was to help rate the plants on various characteristics. After about a year of that, an insurance office opened in town, so Olson decided to see how working there might suit her. That job didn’t turn out to be a good fit — “I was totally bored there,” she says — but something good came of it. The office was right next door to the office of a woman who worked at Hoxie Feedyard and kept an office in town. “She caught me one day and said, ‘Hey, how would you like to work at the feedyard?’ I said, ‘I think I’d like that.’ It was kind of an outdoor job and more in line with what I wanted to do. I applied for that job, and here I am.”

“Here” is at Hoxie Feedyard, some 40 years later. Many changes occurred during those years, both personally and professionally. Olson married and raised three children, Jared, Keri and Rebecca; she now has four grandchildren, also. And the feedyard grew from about 10,000 head and a dozen employees to today’s capacity of 53,000 head tended by 49 employees. Millions of pounds of feed, thousands of head of cattle Olson tracked them all, every day. Today, her job entails “more of everything,” Olson says; because the yard is so much larger, there’s more to keep track of. “The computer has also made a big difference I was not ever a computer person,” she says. “All the handwritten stuff we used to do, we don’t do anymore.”

“Here” is at Hoxie Feedyard, some 40 years later. Many changes occurred during those years, both personally and professionally. Olson married and raised three children, Jared, Keri and Rebecca; she now has four grandchildren, also. And the feedyard grew from about 10,000 head and a dozen employees to today’s capacity of 53,000 head tended by 49 employees. Millions of pounds of feed, thousands of head of cattle Olson tracked them all, every day. Today, her job entails “more of everything,” Olson says; because the yard is so much larger, there’s more to keep track of. “The computer has also made a big difference I was not ever a computer person,” she says. “All the handwritten stuff we used to do, we don’t do anymore.”

“Here” is at Hoxie Feedyard, some 40 years later. Many changes occurred during those years, both personally and professionally. Olson married and raised three children, Jared, Keri and Rebecca; she now has four grandchildren, also. And the feedyard grew from about 10,000 head and a dozen employees to today’s capacity of 53,000 head tended by 49 employees. Millions of pounds of feed, thousands of head of cattle — Olson tracked them all, every day. Today, her job entails “more of everything,” Olson says; because the yard is so much larger, there’s more to keep track of. “The computer has also made a big difference — I was not ever a computer person,” she says. “All the handwritten stuff we used to do, we don’t do anymore.”

Olson describes her day-to-day work as pretty routine as she tallies up everything that goes on at the yard. “I always say I’m a day behind. Whatever happens today, I’ll run the reports tomorrow morning.” She looks forward to harvest time, when her routine is shaken up. “They always laugh at me because they can’t believe how I like harvest time,” she says. “I say, ‘Well, it’s different.’ In corn harvest, we may have 300 trucks come across the scale in a day. It’s a busy time.”

Olson describes her day-to-day work as pretty routine as she tallies up everything that goes on at the yard. “I always say I’m a day behind. Whatever happens today, I’ll run the reports tomorrow morning.” She looks forward to harvest time, when her routine is shaken up. “They always laugh at me because they can’t believe how I like harvest time,” she says. “I say, ‘Well, it’s different.’ In corn harvest, we may have 300 trucks come across the scale in a day. It’s a busy time.”

Olson describes her day-to-day work as pretty routine as she tallies up everything that goes on at the yard. “I always say I’m a day behind. Whatever happens today, I’ll run the reports tomorrow morning.” She looks forward to harvest time, when her routine is shaken up. “They always laugh at me because they can’t believe how I like harvest time,” she says. “I say, ‘Well, it’s different.’ In corn harvest, we may have 300 trucks come across the scale in a day. It’s a busy time.”

During Olson’s tenure, the feedyard has changed ownership several times. Scott Foote, the current owner and manager, nominated Olson for the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award. “I didn’t know anything about it until Scott called me to say he’d entered my name and I’d won,” Olson says.

During Olson’s tenure, the feedyard has changed ownership several times. Scott Foote, the current owner and manager, nominated Olson for the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award. “I didn’t know anything about it until Scott called me to say he’d entered my name and I’d won,” Olson says.

During Olson’s tenure, the feedyard has changed ownership several times. Scott Foote, the current owner and manager, nominated Olson for the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award. “I didn’t know anything about it until Scott called me to say he’d entered my name and I’d won,” Olson says.

Foote says Olson’s work habits made her a perfect fit for the award. “I nominated Karla because she embodies all the award is about. She’s consistent, very steady, very dedicated,” he says. “She wants her job done right, and she makes sure it is done right. Her work ethic is a good example for everyone around her.”

Foote says Olson’s work habits made her a perfect fit for the award. “I nominated Karla because she embodies all the award is about. She’s consistent, very steady, very dedicated,” he says. “She wants her job done right, and she makes sure it is done right. Her work ethic is a good example for everyone around her.”

Foote says Olson’s work habits made her a perfect fit for the award. “I nominated Karla because she embodies all the award is about. She’s consistent, very steady, very dedicated,” he says. “She wants her job done right, and she makes sure it is done right. Her work ethic is a good example for everyone around her.”

Foote bought the yard and moved to Hoxie in 1997, right after graduating from Kansas State University. He says Olson helped him make the yard successful from day one. “Karla became really sort of a mother figure,” he says. “I was 21 years old. There was a lot of change happening, and Karla was a person I could rely on. I learned a lot about the feedlot business from her, about what should happen in a feedyard. She has done a lot for me through the years.”

Foote bought the yard and moved to Hoxie in 1997, right after graduating from Kansas State University. He says Olson helped him make the yard successful from day one. “Karla became really sort of a mother figure,” he says. “I was 21 years old. There was a lot of change happening, and Karla was a person I could rely on. I learned a lot about the feedlot business from her, about what should happen in a feedyard. She has done a lot for me through the years.”

Foote bought the yard and moved to Hoxie in 1997, right after graduating from Kansas State University. He says Olson helped him make the yard successful from day one. “Karla became really sort of a mother figure,” he says. “I was 21 years old. There was a lot of change happening, and Karla was a person I could rely on. I learned a lot about the feedlot business from her, about what should happen in a feedyard. She has done a lot for me through the years.”

After four decades at the feedyard, Olson has outlasted everyone — no one is left who was there when she started. That’s a distinction she will continue to hold because Olson has no plans to retire.**

After four decades at the feedyard, Olson has outlasted everyone no one is left who was there when she started. That’s a distinction she will continue to hold because Olson has no plans to retire.**

After four decades at the feedyard, Olson has outlasted everyone no one is left who was there when she started. That’s a distinction she will continue to hold because Olson has no plans to retire.**