The story of Grassy Way Organics, located in the Arena, WI area and owned by Kallan and KayDee Maxwell is one of a life-long dream realized.
Kallan Maxwell writes, "Dean Swenson, an organic farmer for 25 years, had a farm up the road from my parents house. When I was 12 years old he knocked at our door and said he needed help unloading hay. So I said, yeah, I'll unload hay.
"I thought I was tougher than I was and I made about a load and a half and I had to quit.
"Dean gave me a hard time that he was going to have my mom pay him for babysitting instead of paying me to unload hay. And I thought well, I'll show him."
Kallan worked with Dean until Kallan was a year out of high school. He then took a job in Madison, "Just to make sure that farming is what I want." After working for a heating company for a short time Kallan discovered that the money was great but working for someone else wasn't what he wanted to do. He returned to Dean's farm. When Dean decided to retire in 2001, Kallan and KayDee purchased his dairy herd and started renting his farm.
A new vendor at the Dane County Farmers' Market this season, Grassy Way Organics sells beef, cheese, and chicken.
"We milk about 45 cows on average," says KayDee. While they typically raised around 150 chickens, "I think we're going to have to up that now that we're here at the market," she says with a laugh.
They ship their milk to Westby Creamery, in Westby Wisconsin. Explains KayDee, "They make all of the cheese that we sell at the market. We sell sharp and mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Monterey Jack with peppers. We'll be selling cottage cheese and yogurt in the future."
KayDee notes that, "Our beef is certified black angus. We sell steaks, roasts, and ground beef. We also have organic summer sausage, snack sticks, and beef jerky. No nitrates are used and it's all certified organic." She says that their cattle eat primarily grass with a little bit of supplemental corn.
As first generation farmers, the Maxwells know no farming methods other than organic. "I wouldn't know how to set a sprayer or set a fertilizer buggy," says Kallan. "I've never been licensed to apply anhydrous ammonia. I wouldn't even know how to hook it up. And I'm proud of that."
The couple raises all of their own crops, primarily hay and corn. KayDee says on a typical day, "My husband gets up at 4:30 am and he goes and gets the cows out of the pasture and brings them into the barn to milk them. Afterward, we do chores, the dairy cows go back out to pasture, we feed the chickens."
Both work on the farm full time. Additionally, KayDee has a part-time job with the township.
KayDee says, "It feels awesome to be at the market." With their selection of cheese and beef, we think it's pretty awesome as well that Grassy Way Organics is part of Wisconsin's cadre of organic farmers.
For more information:
Grassy Way Organics www.grassywayorganics.com
608-753-2399
