Nick Nelson, a 37-year-old farmer from Kentucky, is the sole provider of mint for the Kentucky Derby's mint julep cocktails. His farm produces around 10,000 pounds of a special spearmint variety for the Derby season, accounting for around a quarter of the farm's annual revenue. Nelson took over the operation in 2019 from his mentor, Bill Dohn, who supplied mint to Churchill Downs for four decades. His business, Nelson Agriculture Farm, has expanded and expanded following Dohn's death from a nine-year kidney cancer battle. Each year, Churchill Downs serves over 125,000 mint julesp cocktails, each topped with a fresh sprig of mint.