Nelson Grass Farm

Nelson Grass Farm

Pasture-raised chicken, eggs & pork — raised on living soil north of Minneapolis since 2012

— Ogilvie, MN

Ryan & Desiree Nelson

Ryan grew up on a crop and beef farm in northwestern Minnesota. Desiree studied biology and always knew she wanted to work with animals — she just thought it would be exotic ones. After years managing a sheep operation together, they started their own farm in 2012 with 200 broiler chickens, 50 hens, and 8 pigs. They've been growing slowly and learning ever since — and they can now see the difference their regenerative practices have made in the soil they walk on every day.

WHAT SETS THEM APART

  • Pasture-raised
  • Soy-free grain feed
  • Regenerative practices
  • No antibiotics
  • Farm visits welcome

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

"Our farm starts with the ground we walk on — the soil. From day one, our passion has been to do right by the soil, the animals, and the people in our small food web. Nature is where it's at, and we try to mimic it to the best of our human ability."

—  Desiree & Ryan Nelson, Nelson Grass Farm

Daily pasture moves

Broiler chickens move to fresh pasture every single day in large mobile coops — never confined to one spot.

Rotational grazing

Hens rotate through fresh quarter-acre paddocks every 4–6 days. The same ground is only grazed once or twice per season.

Soy-free, organic grain

All animals are supplemented with soy-free, organically raised grain — in addition to everything they forage on pasture.

Pigs in the woods

Pigs root and forage in wooded lowlands, moved to new pasture every 7 days so the land has time to recover.

Year-round laying hens

Hens stay on the farm through Minnesota winters — with access to the outside whenever temps are above zero.

Ask us anything

Transparency is core to how they operate. Farm visits are welcome — just reach out to schedule a time.

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