Keller brothers' family farm near Nerstrand twinkles with lights, holiday cheer
Holiday lights are on full display across the state right now, and just south of the Twin Cities you'll find a Christmas light show that's been around for more than half a century.
For 170 years, Keller's family has farmed near the town of Nerstrand. And in the light of a December day, their place looks like any other farm. But when the sun goes down, a transformation takes place.
"It's probably technically 60 years ago since we hung one light and made a couple of homemade candles, and it just grows every year from that," said Craig Keller, who has lived on the farm his whole life.
Initially, the goal was to have lights on every building and have a few friends stop by to check it out. But as the years went by, Keller and his brother Keith, kept adding things. It became their holiday hobby. Today, the Kellers have more than a million lights and 30 different displays. Their set-up begins when fall harvest ends.
"When we get the crops out of the field. This year was about the first of November," said Keith Keller. "Every day, we put something up."
And by up, Keith Keller means way up. One of his jobs is to decorate every step of the 60-foot silo.
What they grow on this farm is Christmas cheer. Instead of driving a sleigh, Santa drives a tractor. Instead of delivering corn, grain carts deliver a holiday message.
"We have a couple of cattle panels up there which we always print out a Christmas carol," said Craig Keller.
Much of what you see on the farm, the Kellers made themselves. And some of their decorations have been around for decades.
"The star up there, dad made that. That was the first thing that was made," said Craig Keller.
As their display grew, the brothers turned the farm into a free Christmas light drive-thru. They estimate a few thousand people now come to the farm every year. Some even bring gifts that the Kellers put to use.
"They get sick of putting up Christmas lights, they say here, you put them up," said Keith Keller.
Because their light show is in the middle of the country, roads need to be plowed and the prairie winds mean they frequently have to fix their displays. But these are farm chores the brothers always look forward to.
"I just hope they can come out and enjoy it and get a little bit of the spirit of Christmas in them. It's when the kids come and you can hear them laughing and having fun in the car, that's what makes it all worthwhile," said Keith Keller.
Keller Farm is located a few miles east of Faribault. The display is free, and anyone can drive through between the hours of 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.. It runs through Jan. 6. They say their busiest nights are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.