Nuessmeier Family
Carl and Elaine Nuessmeier returned to take over the family farm in 1963 from Carl’s parents, Art and Edna. Their diversified operation included small grains and row crops, dairy cows, hens and hogs. In 1975, the farm was formally recognized as a Minnesota Century Farm. Soil conservation was a priority for Carl and Elaine, and they installed terraces on highly erodible land that were later transitioned into Conservation Reserve Program acres, providing habitat for native plants and wildlife.
Today, the farm is operated by their sons, Tim and Tom Nuessmeier. In the early 1990s, they transitioned the farm to certified organic production. They raise organic crops and heritage-bred pork without antibiotics. Their pork is marketed nationally as premium quality and sustainably raised, and they also sell directly to local customers under their brand, Pig in the Patch Pork.
The Nuessmeiers are members of the National Farmers Organization, the Minnesota Farmers Union and the Land Stewardship Project. Tom is involved in the Minnesota Farmers Union Bottleneck Project, which supports local meat processing and partners closely with the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP).