Our grandfather Hugh (H.A.) Matt owned several farms around Carroll, Iowa in addition to his retail furniture business. His daughter and our mother Mary Ann recalled pheasant hunting with her dad on his farmland when she was a child as his “retriever dog.” Mom inherited two of the adjacent farms that her dad had purchased in 1934 and 1937. She held onto these farms to have her own business and with the thought that she could always move her family onto the farms and live off the land if all else failed. Thank God that never happened!
Mom consolidated the two farms along the way and successfully managed the farm for over 50 years with the help of our brother Jim as her health declined in her later years. She enjoyed the farming business, and kept it simple. As to playing the commodities market, she used to say that she knew it was time to sell “when she needed the money.” The farm is now held by Matt Farms, LLC and is managed by Papa Hugh’s grandchildren and Mary Ann’s sons Bill and Dick Mikos. We are proud to be the third generation of Matt farmers on the family farm and honored to be its caretakers!