Farm Family of the Year

Crow River Farms, LLC:  2024 Meeker County Farm Family of the Year

L to R: Sara Nelson, Winton & Kris Nelson, Stephanie & Darin Hansen, Elizabeth Koivisto, Darik Hansen

Crow River Farms was purchased in 1976 by Winton and Kristine Nelson. A year later, an irrigation system was installed. In 1980, the family built a 4,000-head farrow-to-finish hog operation, which operated for 10 years.

Currently, Crow River Farms is a diversified cash grain farm producing corn for ethanol, food-grade soybeans for export, and organic crops that include alfalfa and fresh market sweet corn for stands in Litchfield and Dassel.

Winton and Kirstine are the owner/operators of the farm. Their daughter, Stephanie, and her husband, Darin Hansen, and the couple's daughter, Sara Nelson, are partners in the operation. Stephanie and Darin's son, Darik, and his girlfriend, Lizzi Koivisto are also partners in Crow River Farms.

The Nelson family are members of First Lutheran Church in Litchfield. They are members of the Meeker County Corn Growers Association and the Heartland Ethanol Plant. Winton was also a 15-year vocational ag instructor at Litchfield High School.

Click here to see other Farm Families of the Year throughout the State of Minnesota.