The U.S. Custom Harvesters Hall of Fame

INDUCTEES OF USCHI HALL OF FAME

Wendel & Lynne Nelson, Hawarden, IA - (2004)

Wendel was a World War II veteran. He harvested with his brother until he passed away in 1981.

In 1947, when the “Harvest Brigade” was in place, and machinery was in short supply, Wendel and his brother purchased 2 used 21 MH combines and accumulated enough supporting equipment to go south to the wheat harvest. They only had one truck. They found another gentlemen that owned a truck who hauled one of the machines and then he hauled all the grain.

They ran those 2, 21 MH’s until 1959. They bought a new super 92 MH and a New “A” Gleaner.

Wendel and Lynne were married in January 1957. They had two children.

Wendel owned 3 “A” Gleaners altogether, but by 1966 they went back to Massey’s with the purchase of 2, 410 MF diesels. We went from 410’s to 510’s to 750’s throughout the coming years. We once had as many as four machines.

We had 2, 6620 JD side hill combines, which turned out to be our last machines. We still harvest some corn and soybeans around home in the fall. We quit going to the wheat harvest in 1991.

It was a good life and we have few regrets.