NELSON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — In the weeks leading up to Derby 152, mornings on a Nelson County farm began around 4:30 a.m. — long before the crowds arrive at Churchill Downs, long before the first julep cup is filled.
Low to the ground, cut by hand, spearmint grows across the rolling hills of New Hope, Kentucky. It is the signature scent and flavor of a mint julep — and one family is responsible for every sprig that makes it to the track.
Nick Nelson and his brother Nathan grew up in this work. They started as kids, helping cousins, uncles, and their father on a mint farm in Louisville, learning the craft one bundle at a time.
"I think he was 12 when he started, I was 15 when I started, and I'm the only one that got addicted to it enough to try to make a career out of it," Nelson laughed.
After decades of harvests, the rhythm of the work is deeply familiar.
"It's like riding a bike," Nelson said. "We know real close to what we want as far as weight, just how it feels in the hand. And we want the same height, band nice and tight, not too high not too low, so it looks good and works in transport."
The harvest window runs two to three weeks. During that stretch, the crew cuts 300 to 500 bundles a day in a pace that rivals a thoroughbred's stride: cut, gather, toss, repeat. Two hired hands help out, along with what Nelson calls a small stampede of free labor — all of them Nelsons.
"We've got four kids as well, so we're slowly getting them to working age and introducing them to it as well," Nelson said.
Even with a full crew, the work is painstaking. Precision matters. A handful makes a bundle. 120 bundles fill a tray. More than 230 trays ship to Churchill Downs — enough to fuel 120,000 mint juleps over Derby weekend.
"We can teach somebody how to pick up pretty quick…but can't teach 'em how to count and get the count right," Nelson said.
The physical toll adds up fast.
"By the end of this, the end of 2 weeks, we will be shot," Nelson said. "I can't even put my hands in my pocket. It'll hurt so bad, our knees will be worn out and it'll take a week or so to recover, but obviously it's worth it."
Worth it — because Derby Day does not wait.
"Yeah it's definitely stressful, and I definitely have nightmares about it still," Nelson said, laughing.
After cutting, the mint gets a cool shower to lock in freshness before handling. Spearmint is hardy but thrives when kept moist.
"So we just like to get them cool and wet before we handle them," Nelson said.
Local newspapers wrap the bundles to hold in moisture until julep time. From there, the mint moves down a conveyor belt, gets dunked and doused, and goes into cold storage — just hours from the track — where it waits until it ships to Churchill Downs for the big day.
There, one by one, each sprig finds its way into a silver cup and into the hands of racing fans.
For the Nelsons, it is more than farming. It's family and a beloved Kentucky tradition.
"It's special for sure," Nelson said.
