Olsens featured on Hatteberg's People
By JESSICA BERNHARDT
Staff writer
Their 15 minutes of fame happened at approximately 10:15 Sunday night on KAKE-TV 10.
Larry Hatteberg made the one-hour trip to Marion earlier in the week to do a feature story about Larry "Farmer" and Deana Olsen.
The Olsens live west of Marion and are known for their miniature horses. "We've been raising miniature horses sine 19991. We started Tiny Trails about five years ago," said Deana.
Tiny Trails is an operation on their farm that allows people to come out and lead a horse through a mile of trails around the farm. Their other horse operation, Cottonwood Miniatures, allows the Olsens to breed, train, and sell horses.
Deana said right now they have 46 miniature horses and two full horses on the way.
Outside of working with horses, Larry farms and Deana works at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro.
Deana said Hatteberg found out about them through word-of-mouth. "Somebody wrote to him about us and suggested that he should at least talk to us."
The couple said the opportunity was exciting. "We felt pretty fortunate to be chosen as one of his projects. We were a little bit anxious because we didn't know what we were supposed to do at the right time and what he wanted us to do," said Deana. "He (Hatteberg) is a really nice person and very knowledgeable and knew how to make us comfortable in an unfamiliar world."
Deana said anything that puts a spotlight on Marion is good. "We feel honored to be chosen as Hatteberg's People. It's something that happens to other people, not you."
See the Olsen segment of Hatteberg's People at www.kake.com.
