Life as a Hansen:
Local Farm Produces Great Things
by Kylee Sallee | Class of 2021 | Mar. 1, 2018
If you live in the Cedar Valley, you most likely you have heard of Hansen’s Dairy Farm.
The 400-acre dairy farm has existed for over 150 years and has been passed down through seven generations.
The Hansen’s have made their name known by selling products including milk, butter, ice cream, meat, and cheese curds.
There are currently 17 places their products are available for purchase, including two of their own stores. In addition there are 47 towns that are either using or serving Hansen products.
The family is just as famous as the farm. There’s at least one Hansen in every grade from kindergarten to 11th grade. In total, there’s 15 grandchildren, 11 of them attending Hudson Schools.
“There’s never a dull moment when you’re around family at the farm,” said freshman Sam Hansen, the fourth oldest grandchild in the family.
Unlike most of the cousins who live “just a field away,” Sam lives in town rather than the country. He thinks he gets the best of both worlds.
“(Going to the farm) is fun,” said Sam. “It’s like going on vacation except the destination is only a few minutes away.”
The grandchildren all enjoy their adventures out on the farm.
Freshman Sara Hansen, Sam’s cousin and third oldest grandchild said, “You never know what you can find on the farm.”
“There’s a new surprise every day,” Sam added.
The Hansens also enjoy surprising others. Appearing on their logo is a kangaroo. The family decided to really give the people
that tour the farm a unique experience.
“A small town in Iowa having a few kangaroos,” said Sara, “You just don’t expect that.”
The kangaroo has been the Hansen’s mascot ever since Blake Hansen, Reese and Beckett’s father, traveled to Australia and grew the desire to have a kangaroo as a pet.
The family has had many laughs with the kangaroos, including watching them run around the house in diapers- certainly not your average day at the dairy farm.
Some of the kids’ favorite memories come from sledding behind four wheelers, cousin sleepovers, intense games of cops and robbers, and playing a variety of games with the entire family from racquetball to large group card games.
But work comes before play. The cousins don’t have official jobs, but they do help out wherever and whenever needed. That is, after all, what a Hansen does.
“We’re the support staff,” laughed Sam, who has done everything from riding tractors to feeding the calves.
Sophomore Morgan Hansen, the second oldest grandchild and Sam and Sara’s cousin, however, really enjoys meeting new people rather than just hanging with her family so she prefers to work in the Waterloo store on weekends.
Morgan believes everything they do is not only good for the farm, but also for them.
“We have a lot of responsibility, and I think that’s going to help in our later life,” said Morgan.
“We are truly blessed,” said Sara.