Heath Nelson
Family: Wife, Tonya; and son, 14-year-old Aidan
Hometown: Between Elm Springs and Cave Springs, Ark.
In Town: “I own Nelson Feed Store in Gentry, Ark. We were in business in our Elm Springs location for two years. We decided to move to Gentry and closed the Elm Springs store. We have been in business here in Gentry for two years now. Our current location in Gentry has provided feed service since 1946. Nelson Feed Store is a full service feed store with an extensive line of whatever a cattle or local farmer may need. “I was an electrician for seven years before I bought this store. We started traveling with the electrician business and I am a home-body just like most of the people around here. We were on the road for three months. Traveling was just not what I wanted to do. My son plays ball and I was gone all summer. I came home, bought the Elm Springs store and went from there. I bought the feed store so I could be back with my family, have a farm life and be closer to home. No more big towns.”
Country Life: “We have a farm between Elm Springs and Cave Springs, Ark. We run 45 momma cows. We have a mix of Black Angus, Beefmaster and a few Charolais. We have two bulls, one is a Simangus and the other is Hereford. We cut and bale our own hay. I’ve been running cows for 20 years. I did rodeo for a while, but not anymore. My son, Aidan, has his own cattle. He started with one cow and now he has eight. Aidan is starting to excel in sports too. I lettered in every sport in school and Aidan seems to be following in my footsteps and I wanted to be here for him while he plays sports.”
Future: “I want to be here running the feed store for the next 30 years. I’d like to make this a family business and pass it on to my boy. I want to build him a future here and at home on the farm.”
