Posted: 09.17.2010

Any plans for July of 2013?  Most of us would answer "no" - unless you're Alex and Mary Olson of Breezy Hill Dairy.  They've been announced as hosts of the 2013 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days Show!

Thursday, Barron county officials and the media got their first chance to meet the family and learn more about this multi-generation operation that's had to overcome some major obstacles just to be in operation.

Alex Olson said the farm has been in the family since 1949.  Mary and Alex actually took over ownership of the family farm in 2001, with the goal of trying to expand.  In 2002, Olson's purchased an adjacent farm and then in 2003 the pair added a flat barn parlor and expanded their herd to 300 milk cows.

"Life was great," Alex Olson says, "up until 2007 when we experienced a barn fire that destroyed our milking parlor."

With the help and encouragement of neighbors, Alex says it was then that they made the decision to rebuild, and expand the herd again.  Today, this family farm has 485 cows with 410 replacement animals.

Olson's own 480 acres - with just over 200 additional rented acres that support the farm. 

Alex Olson says right now there's really no formal plans to expand or add between now and the 2013 show.  Breezy Hill Dairy houses all their milk cows at one facility with the replacement animals housed at the adjacent farm just north of the home base.  Athough details are still beig worked through - Alex Olson says they're already talking about giving visitors to the 2013 show a chance to see the dairy herd up close with tram tours similar to this years show in Pierce county.

Tim Jergenson, Barron county extension agent, said their FTD executive committeee visited five local farms in consideration of hosting the show before deciding on Breezy Hill. The show is scheduled for July 9-11, 2013. 

Wisconsin Farm Technology Days dates back to 1953 and is considered the states largest outdoor agriculture event.  The 2011 show will be in Marathon county with Outagamie county hosting the 2012 event.

Thank you to Bob Bosold of WAXX-WAYY, Eau Claire for assistance on this story.

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