Beyond the Classroom: Dr. Nelson Raises Longhorns
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Dr. Nelson and wife Darlene
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Haybale, Chili Pepper, Rainmaker, and Ortho, named after his orthopedic surgeon, are the new "heads" of Dr. John Nelson's household. Beginning in 1998 with two cows, Dr. Nelson has transformed his interest in cattle into a full-fledged herd of Texas Longhorns complete with cows, calves, bulls and steers. So in addition to his worldwide travels to expansive soil conferences and meetings with other engineers, he is now traveling across the U.S. to Longhorn conventions and shows.
As a youth, Dr. Nelson spent summers in Minnesota working dairy cows. His enthusiasm for Texas Longhorns developed 10 years ago, when he became interested in cross breeding for horns. What better breed to invest in than one in which a normal horn span can surpass 5 feet! Though known primarily for these horns, Texas Longhorns are also characteristically very fertile, calve easily, eat anything, and usually display a gentle disposition. They come in a wide variety of colors, from reds and brindles to black and white, and their meat is very low in cholesterol and fat, with less fat than that of chicken. With such low maintenance and high rewards, Longhorns were an easy choice.
The Nelson herd is pastured in Wellington, Colorado, on Cloverbloom Ranch, named after his grandmother's farm in Minnesota. Just this past month, Dr. Nelson and his wife, Darlene, traveled to Texas for the annual International Texas Longhorn Association convention, meeting with other breeders from a multitude of states.
Today, when not busy driving cattle, Dr. Nelson stays active driving all over the United States teaching two-day short courses on expansive soil design. As expansive soils continue to plague all parts of the U.S., especially the West, experts such as Dr. Nelson are integral in educating fellow engineers on this growing topic. Dr. Nelson travels year-round to work with engineers from Minnesota to Reno. He also serves as an expert witness on expansive soil litigation through his consulting practice at MFG Inc.
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Montano, Dr. Nelson's favorite bull |
During his 32 years as professor of civil engineering at Colorado State, Dr. Nelson has been very active at the University, and served as department head of civil engineering from 1986 to 1991. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the Professional Engineers of Colorado Engineer of the Year Award, and the College's Abell Faculty Teaching Award. He was also recognized as the Hometown Hero by the Coloradoan in 2001 for his work organizing tailings and mine waste conferences. Though he is now teaching just one semester a year as he nears retirement, Dr. Nelson still has his work cut out for him, both in the pasture and on the conference circuit.
Photo courtesy of Erik G. Thompson