Nelsons Jackson
County’s top farm family
County’s top farm family
By Justin R. Lessman
The Nelson family has been named Jackson County’s “2024 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota.
The family was honored at a special ceremony at the 2024 Jackson County Fair this past July and again in August at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls.
The Nelson farm was originally purchased by Judy Nelson’s great-uncle and has been passed through the family for more than 100 years. The farm received Century Farm status in 2011.
Judy Nelson’s parents, Alien and Marine Christianson, had a diversified crop and livestock operation consisting of cow/calf, farrow-to-finish and chickens. Jerry and Judy Nelson have continued this tradition with crops, hogs, cow/calf and a few chickens through the years.
The current farm operation consists of corn, hay and cow-calf. Grandson Tanner has his own cow-calf and sow herds with an emphasis on show stock. All but the youngest grandchild have raised and shown cattle, hogs, sheep and rabbits. They’ve also shown goats, chickens and horse projects. The Nelson farm, JJ Acres, is a small 120-acre family farm.
Jerry and Judy Nelson are the farm’s owners/operators. Their son, Chad, and his wife, Charlene, have six children — Tanner, Kallee, Aubrie, Cooper, Shyann and Maisie. The whole family is active in the farm operation. The Nelsons’ daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Dan, and son, Dalton, don’t actively participate on the farm, but they have in the past.
Jerry Nelson does most of the crop farming and maintenance on the machinery. He also does artificial breeding for the cattle and checks fences with the grandkids. Jerry Nelson is a beekeeper and has had from two to five hives for the past five years. Judy Nelson is the bookkeeper and helps as needed and where able; she also collects honey in the late summer.
Chad Nelson is an over-the-road trucker who keeps up with the breeding for the cattle and hogs with Jerry and Tanner choosing sires for the cattle. When he is home, Chad Nelson does field work and fencing/maintenance around the farm. Charlene Nelson keeps up with the kids and is involved in keeping feedstocks on hand, working cattle and hogs. She also works part time.
Tanner Nelson has taken over most of the herdsman duties for calving and working with the cattle. Kallee Nelson is Tanner’s vet tech and is very interested in becoming a veterinarian. Aubrie Nelson helps when needed, Cooper is Tanner’s right-hand man, Shyann has her own pigs that she trains and shows and Maisie is in preschool.
The Nelsons have been members of the Minnesota Angus Association and the Cottonwood Cattle Producers Association. Family members are involved as leaders and members of 4-H. Chad Nelson was on the nationally qualified FFA livestock judging team in high school. Charlene Nelson is a cook with Lighthouse Children Ministries in Jackson. Judy Nelson is involved with Belmont Lutheran Church; she has served on the church council for many years. She’s also a member of the Riverbend Quilters Guild and currently works part time at the Jackson County Historical Society Museum in Lakefield.
Farm families of the year are chosen, one per county, by local University of Minnesota Extension committees based on their demonstrated commitment to their communities and to enhancing and supporting agriculture.
“These farm families are a major driver of Minnesota’s economy and the vitality of Minnesota’s rural communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of the University of Minnesota Extension. “The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these farm families for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.”
The Nelson family has been named Jackson County’s “2024 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota.
The family was honored at a special ceremony at the 2024 Jackson County Fair this past July and again in August at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls.
The Nelson farm was originally purchased by Judy Nelson’s great-uncle and has been passed through the family for more than 100 years. The farm received Century Farm status in 2011.
Judy Nelson’s parents, Alien and Marine Christianson, had a diversified crop and livestock operation consisting of cow/calf, farrow-to-finish and chickens. Jerry and Judy Nelson have continued this tradition with crops, hogs, cow/calf and a few chickens through the years.
The current farm operation consists of corn, hay and cow-calf. Grandson Tanner has his own cow-calf and sow herds with an emphasis on show stock. All but the youngest grandchild have raised and shown cattle, hogs, sheep and rabbits. They’ve also shown goats, chickens and horse projects. The Nelson farm, JJ Acres, is a small 120-acre family farm.
Jerry and Judy Nelson are the farm’s owners/operators. Their son, Chad, and his wife, Charlene, have six children — Tanner, Kallee, Aubrie, Cooper, Shyann and Maisie. The whole family is active in the farm operation. The Nelsons’ daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Dan, and son, Dalton, don’t actively participate on the farm, but they have in the past.
Jerry Nelson does most of the crop farming and maintenance on the machinery. He also does artificial breeding for the cattle and checks fences with the grandkids. Jerry Nelson is a beekeeper and has had from two to five hives for the past five years. Judy Nelson is the bookkeeper and helps as needed and where able; she also collects honey in the late summer.
Chad Nelson is an over-the-road trucker who keeps up with the breeding for the cattle and hogs with Jerry and Tanner choosing sires for the cattle. When he is home, Chad Nelson does field work and fencing/maintenance around the farm. Charlene Nelson keeps up with the kids and is involved in keeping feedstocks on hand, working cattle and hogs. She also works part time.
Tanner Nelson has taken over most of the herdsman duties for calving and working with the cattle. Kallee Nelson is Tanner’s vet tech and is very interested in becoming a veterinarian. Aubrie Nelson helps when needed, Cooper is Tanner’s right-hand man, Shyann has her own pigs that she trains and shows and Maisie is in preschool.
The Nelsons have been members of the Minnesota Angus Association and the Cottonwood Cattle Producers Association. Family members are involved as leaders and members of 4-H. Chad Nelson was on the nationally qualified FFA livestock judging team in high school. Charlene Nelson is a cook with Lighthouse Children Ministries in Jackson. Judy Nelson is involved with Belmont Lutheran Church; she has served on the church council for many years. She’s also a member of the Riverbend Quilters Guild and currently works part time at the Jackson County Historical Society Museum in Lakefield.
Farm families of the year are chosen, one per county, by local University of Minnesota Extension committees based on their demonstrated commitment to their communities and to enhancing and supporting agriculture.
“These farm families are a major driver of Minnesota’s economy and the vitality of Minnesota’s rural communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of the University of Minnesota Extension. “The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these farm families for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.”