Fair sparks love and romance for area couple

Minnesota’s largest county fair produces more than just fair food, fun and exhibits. It also produces love and romance.
Just ask Andy Jacobson and Kelli Naatz, former Steele County 4-H members who grew up showing at the Steele County Fair in Owatonna. Just two days before Christmas, Jacobson and Naatz made a trip to the 4-H Food Stand at the fairgrounds where he got down on his knees to ask Naatz to marry him.
“It was a complete surprise,” Naatz said. “I was caught off guard,” she added.
She admitted it was a little “weird” as to how he lured her to the fairgrounds in the middle of winter. He told her he wanted to put Christmas lights on his brother’s memorial outside the 4-H Eat Stand. Naatz’s sister was hiding in the area snapping photographs of the big proposal.
Jacobson’s brother, Evan, was a fair lover when he was tragically killed in a farm accident on the family farm near Ellendale in 2009. Evan was 14 years old. His family placed a memorial of a picnic table and a tree outside of the 4-H Eat Stand in an effort to keep Evan’s spirit alive at the fair.
Jacobson proposed to Naatz by the picnic table. “It was pretty creative, sneaky,” Naatz said.
Ironically, Naatz found herself attracted more to Evan than Andy. “I thought his brother was way cuter,” Naatz said with a chuckle. She added she hung out more with Evan at the fair when he was alive.
 The couple met 10 years ago while they were both involved in the 4-H program. They both showed beef cattle at the fair. They remained friends throughout 4-H, but didn’t start dating until they were in college together at South Dakota State University in Brookings. They graduated from SDSU in 2016.
After college, they returned to the area. Jacobson works for Cybex in Owatonna while Naatz is the director of the Blooming Prairie Youth Club. Jacobson is a 2011 graduate of Owatonna, and Naatz graduated from Blooming Prairie in 2012.
Naatz said her pending marriage is bringing everything full circle. “We have so many memories and connections through 4-H. That was a huge part of our lives,” she said, adding she hopes their children will also be involved in 4-H.
A June 15 wedding is planned at First Lutheran Church in Blooming Prairie with the reception taking place at the fairgrounds.
“We met there, got engaged there and may as well have our wedding there, too,” Naatz said of utilizing the fairgrounds.
The couple resides near Hartland where they spent the past few years refurbishing an old farmhouse.
“I told him I’m never redoing a house again,” Naatz said. “If we can get through this, everything else will be easy.”