Ambassadors Share their Favorite Dairy Farm Memories!

Ambassador Maggie shares her favorite dairy farm memory for June Dairy Month:

In my younger years when I would get done with kindergarten I would go down to the barn and wait for dad to finish milking and of course I was tired from a hard day of work at kindergarten. I fell asleep in the cow towel box multiple times and got a good hour or two nap in before dad got done with milking:)

Ambassador Angela shares her favorite dairy farm memory:

When I was about four or five years old, my younger brother and I went to help my dad feed the cows. He opened the gate and told us to stand guard so none of the cows would escape while he gathered the feed. At first we made growling noises at the cows, but like all animals, their curiosity kicked in; they started to walk toward us. My brother and I tried to be brave little farmers, but after a few seconds we made a run for it. My dad came back with a load full of feed, but the cows, along with his little helpers, were gone! He was able to round up the cows. A few minutes later my dad found us hiding in the tractor, watching the whole thing!

Ambassador Molly shares her favorite dairy farm memory:

I was about four years old and had just walked into our calf barn. It was summer, so I was wearing sandals. But these were not just any sandals; they were my favorite jelly sandals! I walked in and tried to walk as carefully as I could across the gutter. I made it into the barn and looked at the calves and kittens that were also in there. However, coming out I wasn't so lucky. I slipped into the gutter and got my jelly shoes all dirty! My mom helped me to wash them off at a nearby hydrant, since I was crying and couldn't do it myself.

Ambassador Mary shares her favorite dairy farm memory:
 I don't really have exact favorite memories- i just love all of it. I have a passion for showing cows because I have soo much fun with it every year. I learned so many things at the State Fair last year with my cow. Also, my little cousin MaKenna has been coming here the last 2 years and leasing calves to show at Dairy Days, the show in New Ulm, in June. It is so fun to see how she improves with her calf, as well as seeing her grow in a passion for the dairy industry!She actually did a report on showing calves for school. I loved watching her grow in her respect for the dairy industry.

Brown County has a Finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way!

On Sunday afternoon, the Finalists for 2011 Princess Kay of the Milky Way were named! And Brown County is proud to be home to yet another butterhead! 

Congratulations to Kelsey Sellner, of Sleepy Eye!  (Pictured 1st on left, front row)

After a grueling Saturday, filled with personal interviews, mock media interviews, and speeches, a panel of judges chose these lovely 12 ladies from over 70 princesses across the state of Minnesota!  Each of these young women will have their likenesses carved in a 90 pound block of butter at the Minnesota State Fair in August!  Brown County has been home to 13 butterheads (Angela Sellner, 2010, being the most recent)...Kelsey will be our 14th butterhead! 

We are so proud of Kelsey!  Congratulations to her and her family!!!!

Competing this Weekend!

Princesses: Laura Rosenhammer, Boston Portner, and Kelsey Sellner, all of Sleepy Eye

This weekend, our 3 lovely Brown County Dairy Princesses will be competing to be a finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way!  Princess Kay is the goodwill ambassador of the dairy industry in Minnesota, as a finalist, 12 young women will get the opportunity to compete to be come Princess Kay, but all will have their likeness carved in a 90 pound block of real Minnesota Butter (made here in Brown County at AMPI of New Ulm!).  If you would like to know more about these proud dairy farmers' daughter, check out their articles in the latest issue of Dairy Star on page 2-3!  They are some very talented and bright young women!  We are VERY proud of them & wish them well this weekend!

Preschoolers Visit Local Dairy Farm

This past week area preschoolers had the opportunity to get in touch with dairy farming.  Area farmers, Brian and Jill Nelson of Olmar Farms, hosted the preschoolers.  Activities included visiting with Brown County Dairy Princess Kelsey Sellner; visiting the milk parlor, barn, and calf barn; petting a cow; and feeding a calf.  Check out the pictures on our Facebook page to see the fun they had!

Preschool Farm Tours this Week!

Brown County Dairy Princess Kelsey Sellner will be helping with a Preschool Dairy Farm Tour this week!  This is a great opportunity for kids and parents as well, to learn from a real dairy farmer on a real dairy farm.  Typically Orange Patch Dairy hosts these tours, annually, but this year Brian and Jill Nelson have graciously offered to host the kids.  Please stay tuned for pictures from this fun event! 

What is a Dairy Princess?

Since this blog is all about dairy princesses and ambassadors, let's start at the beginning....What is a Dairy Princess? 

In Minnesota we have a great program, funded by Minnesota Dairy Farmers, called Princess Kay of the Milky Way.  Princess Kay serves as the goodwill ambassador of the entire dairy industry in Minnesota, but for counties, such as our own...we have our own princesses.  Princesses are at least a senior in high school, while our 9th-11th graders serve as ambassadors.

In order to be a dairy princess or ambassador, you first must be a daughter of a dairy farmer or dairy employee, or work as a dairy employee.  This year we have 7 young women who are proud dairy farmers' daughters.  Princesses are selected based on their communication skills in a mock media interview, prepared speech and a personal interview.  The county dairy princess plays a critical role as an extension of Princess Kay, so she needs to be able to communicate well.  Princesses and ambassadors are able to discuss the 5 key messages for consumers:

• Dairy cows are well cared for.
• Dairy farmers work hard to care for their land and environment.
• Dairy is important to the Minnesota Economy.
• Milk and dairy products are safe, wholesome, and nutritious.
• Dairy farmers and thier families are proud to feed the world.

Our county dairy princesses' roles have evolved over the years, changing into a role as an advocate for the industry instead of serving as a "pretty face".  Princesses work hard all year doing a variety of events ranging from school visits, to visiting health fairs.  At the end of their reign, each princess takes a little piece of the role with them, to continue spreading the positive messages of dairy farming....check out our archived blogs to learn more about those princesses of the past.

New Pictures on our FB Page!

Nicollet & Brown County 2010 Butterheads: Megan Herberg, Ashley Swenson, Angela Sellner

Milk does these bodies good!

2010 and 2011 Brown County Dairy Princesses

Angela Sellner has some fun with her butterhead ;)

2011 Advocates for Dairy...ambassadors and princesses!

We added some new pictures from our January Dairy Princess Banquet...be sure to check them out here!

New 2011 Brown County Dairy Princesses!

Well, 2011 is going to bring some new changes to this blog...first, since we have celebrated our 50th Anniversary, we are now going to focus on celebrating our future in the dairy industry.  Brown County's long tradition of dairy princesses will continue, and to highlight that we will be using this blog to feature those young women, throughout the year.  We anticipate guest posts from the canidates as well as updates and summaries from yearly happenings.  So...in our latest news, we celebrate the coronation of our newest dairy princesses.

2011 welcomes our Princesses Kelsey Sellner, Boston Portner and Laura Rosenhammer, all of Sleepy Eye.  We know they will do an excellent job serving our industry!  Stay tuned for more information about and from these lovely ladies!