Giving youth an opportunity

ARGYLE, Wis. — Eighteen-year-old Zack Moldenhauer’s passion for cows was a seed planted early by a friend who coaxed him into showing cattle when he was 10 years old.

“I loved showing,” Moldenhauer said. “It was fun. When I was 14, I started milking cows and I’ve loved that ever since.”

Moldenhauer, who did not grow up on a farm, started working for Brandon Flannery, who milks 100 cows near Argyle, when he was 15. He began by helping on Saturday and Sunday nights. Once he got his license, he started working more. Moldenhauer plans to become a firefighter, but his farm job has also developed in him a desire to continue showing cattle and helping out Flannery after high school is complete.

Moldenhauer has worked on the farm for nearly three years.

“I learned a lot here,” Moldenhauer said. “I have a lot of independence and have to be able to problem solve and think critically. Brandon isn’t always around, so I don’t always have that hand to grab if things don’t work out. I have to be able to figure things out and fix a problem.”

Flannery said Moldenhauer has grown in his abilities since he started. He can drive a tractor, haul manure, identify sick cows and calves, and take initiative when he sees something that needs to be done.

“I like working with the animals,” Moldenhauer said. “It’s different. Not everyone gets to experience working with cows every day. It’s generally better than working with most people.”

Flannery’s registered Holstein herd is milked twice a day in a tiestall barn and housed in a freestall facility. Flannery’s uncle owns the farm, and Flannery owns the cattle. The two are currently working on a transition. As Flannery’s uncle started phasing out, Moldenhauer took over his workload. Flannery also has one full-time employee and farms 2,500 acres.

“That’s where Zack really comes in big,” Flannery said. “In the fall, when we’re busy combining, I might show up an hour late. Zack could be milking all by himself until I get home, so it’s nice to have someone I know I can trust. He knows the cows, and I know the work’s going to get done. He just turned 18; that’s a lot to put on a young man.”

When he was a junior, Moldenhauer did his work on the farm through his high school’s youth apprenticeship program. He worked three mornings a week and every night, adding up to over 30 hours per week.

“I’ve had four youth apprenticeship students work here,” Flannery said. “Any kid who wants to work or farm or try something different, I’m always going to try to accommodate.”

The kids who worked for Flannery did not necessarily have farm experience, but most had some farm background. Moldenhauer grew up in nearby New Glarus. Over the summers, he worked at his uncle’s beef farm near Lomira, helping feed calves, pick rocks and do other chores. His mom grew up milking cows on that same farm when it was a dairy.

“For the youth apprenticeship, Zack is the only one really passionate about the cows,” Flannery said. “He does calf chores, milks cows, whatever needs to be done.”

Moldenhauer has also continued building his showing skills under Flannery’s guidance.

“I previously showed heifers and learned the basics of showing at Sonnenbrook Holsteins, but this was the first place I showed cows,” Moldenhauer said. “Showing cows is a whole different game.”

Hass-Acres Hanans Desire EX-90 is Moldenhauer’s prize-winning show animal. Flannery purchased the cow for Moldenhauer as a surprise at the Green County Heart of the Wheel Sale the year after they met.

“I almost cried (when I found out),” Moldenhauer said. “I had my eyes on her all week.”

Moldenhauer showed the senior 2-year-old that summer. She was reserve intermediate champion of the junior and open shows at the District 6 Holstein Show and won her class at the Wisconsin State Fair.

In 2025, Moldenhauer achieved even greater success in the ring. At the district show, Desire was grand champion of the junior and open shows and best udder. She won it all at the Green County Fair where she was supreme champion and best udder of the show as well as low somatic cell count cow. At the Wisconsin State Fair, Desire was the first-place senior 3-year-old and honorable mention grand champion of the Holstein show. Desire was recently named Reserve Junior All-Wisconsin Senior 3-year-old of 2025.

“I like being in the show ring, but I really enjoy putting in the work,” Moldenhauer said. “I’m out there walking them, washing them, and so on. When all that pays off in the ring, I can say, ‘I put the effort in; I did the work.’ I think that’s the biggest accomplishment.”

Flannery said he enjoys mentoring Moldenhauer and watching his show career advance.

“It’s rewarding to see his hard work come to fruition and for him to have success,” Flannery said. “We team up pretty well. If I think he’s doing it wrong, or I think he should do something different, he’s receptive to criticism.”

In addition to purchasing Desire that year, Flannery also bought a fall calf for Moldenhauer that was first in her class at the county fair as a fall yearling. The following year, he bought Moldenhauer another fall calf at the same sale.

“It’s an incentive,” Flannery said. “I wouldn’t say I’d do that for anyone. You can teach kids how to milk, etc., but if they don’t have the passion for it, you can tell. I appreciate Zack’s hard work here. Sometimes getting those animals is worth more than giving him the money. He works them off, but they’re kind of gifted in a way.”

Moldenhauer now owns six head, which are housed at Flannery’s place.

A senior at New Glarus High School, Moldenhauer wants to become a firefighter like his father after he graduates. He is currently attending the fire academy at Blackhawk Technical College as part of his youth apprenticeship program this school year and is also a volunteer with the New Glarus Fire Department.

He continues working for Flannery in the evenings and on Sunday mornings. When Moldenhauer was on Christmas break, Flannery said he worked more than 40 hours a week between the farm and the fire department.

“Zack is here by 4:20 in the morning,” Flannery said. “Most young kids don’t have the responsibility to get up and do something like that. To work 30-40 hours a week while going to high school — that says a lot about him, his character and his work ethic.”

Flannery said Moldenhauer’s drive for showing is impressive too.

“It might be a Sunday afternoon, and we don’t start chores until 3, but he’s here at 1 washing his cow or heifer, leading her, prepping her,” Flannery said.

Even though Moldenhauer’s future includes a career off the farm, he plans to continue showing.

“I’m too far in it now to walk away,” he said. “My goal is to make it to World Dairy Expo this year.”

Moldenhauer also plans to keep helping Flannery on the farm. Flannery said he appreciates both the quality and speed of Moldenhauer’s work.

“If Zack never does any more farm work after high school, the skills and work ethic he has will serve him well,” Flannery said. “You can’t teach that. He could work anywhere. If he has the work ethic and can move quickly and think quickly, he can do anything.”