Nelson Family
The Nelson farm was originally purchased by Judy's great-uncle and has been passed through the family for over 100 years. The farm received Century Farm status in 2011. Judy'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 have continued this tradition with crops, hogs, cow/calf and a few chickens through the years.
The current farm operation is corn, hay and cow-calf. Grandson Tanner has his own cow-calf and a sow herd 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 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 is a beekeeper and has had from two to five hives for the past five years. Judy is the bookkeeper and helps as needed and where able, she also collects honey in the late summer.
Chad 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 does field work and fencing/maintenance around the farm. Charlene keeps up with the kids and is involved in keeping feedstocks on hand, working cattle and hogs. She also works part-time.
Tanner has taken over most of the herdsman duties for calving and working with the cattle. Kallee is Tanner’s vet tech and is very interested in becoming a veterinarian. Aubrie 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 very involved as leaders and members of 4-H. Chad was on the FFA National Livestock Judging Team in high school. Charlene is a cook with Lighthouse Children Ministries in Jackson. Judy 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. Judy currently works part-time at the Jackson County Historical Museum.