The Hansen Family – Jeff, Andrea, Savannah May and Russell – have been named the 2019 Family of the Year by the Nevada County Fairgrounds Board of Directors. The Board chose the Hansen Family for their ongoing support of local youth in agriculture and their volunteer efforts and dedication to the Nevada County Fair.
Jeff and Andrea, who both grew up in Nevada County, have been attending the Nevada County Fair since they were kids and have been active with the Junior Livestock Auction since they started dating. They married in 2004 and now love sharing these annual traditions with their two children, Savannah May, 12, and Russell, 10. This year, both kids will have livestock entries at the Fair – Savannah May has been raising a market steer and heifer while Russell has been raising a market hog.
“We all love the Nevada County Fair,” says Andrea. “Each year, the kids and I scour the Fair’s Competition Handbook as soon as it’s released to circle all the still exhibits and livestock entries we want to enter. Some of the kid’s yearly goals revolve around the Fair and its judging.”
In addition to entering livestock and exhibits at the Fair, the Hansen family volunteers at the auction each year and the four of them work at the Meadowlarks Pasty Booth. Savannah May loves doing barn duty and working in the red barn and Russell loves camping during the Fair and being with friends.
When asked about their favorite part of the Fair, Andrea says it’s the livestock. “We love the auction and supporting the auction,” she says. “Watching the kids on Sunday is so emotional because we know the dedication and commitment that goes into the care and raising of each animal. Now that our own kids are showing, it adds a whole new dynamic to our experience.”
Andrea says that the family was so surprised and honored to be chosen as the Fair family of the year and to represent their favorite county event. “Fair is a huge cumulation of people’s hard work – not only from people’s exhibits but also from fair employees – and it’s so fun to see all the moving parts and seeing it all on display. The Fair provides a unique, invaluable experience and life skills for our kids, and it provides friendships and a place for our children to meet others who have the same passions they do.”
While not at the Fair, Jeff operates Hansen Bros. Enterprises, serves on the Nevada Joint Union High School Ag Advisory Board and loves to hunt. Andrea is a teacher at Clear Creek School, where Russell and Savannah May attend, and she also serves as a Meadowlarks project leader. Savannah May plays basketball and volleyball and Russell enjoys riding dirt bikes, swimming and playing with his two dogs, Ketchup and Levi. Both kids also love spending countless hours with their animals in the barn.
The Hansen Family will be honored at the Fair’s opening ceremony and will also receive a family portrait by Shaffers Originals of Grass Valley. This year’s Nevada County Fair is August 7 – 11.
