2008 Brown County Dairy Princess Susan Hillesheim enjoyed working with children as a princess, especially on farm tours.
Susan, pictured with fellow Dairy Ambassadors at a farm tour for preschool children.
2008 Brown County Dairy Princesses: Rebecca Sellner, Susan Hillesheim, Valerie Mohr, and Melissa Lax.
Parents: Jim and Cindy Hillesheim, Springfield
Currently: Rochester, MN
Susan’s favorite memory was “going on the farm visits with pre-schoolers. For many of them, it was the first time being on a farm and up close to cows and calves. It’s where we had the chance to first get them excited about cows and the dairy industry. It was also fun to see them touch their first cow and feed their first calf.” Susan is in the nursing program in Rochester, currently between her 2nd and 3rd semester. She still comes home for some weekends and winter and summer breaks. Susan works at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Springfield as a CNA when she’s available and also enjoy babysitting and helping on the family farm in her free time. To current princesses, Susan says, “Even though the dairy industry is struggling in the economy currently, stay positive and keep promoting our pure, wholesome product with pride. Show consumers we treat our animals with respect, like one of the family, despite what critics show the few, extreme situations are like. Most of all have fun and make the most of every encounter you have with consumers and fellow promoters!” When asked how she continues to promote the dairy industry, Susan shares, “Being around college students, I see many people who don’t get their 3-A-Day or would rather just take a calcium supplement. I try to convince them how important the true product is for their health and that it’s recommended they have 3 servings/day. I set an example by consuming dairy products myself. I also support the dairy industry in times of dispute over what some people see on TV or the internet. I explain to them that what they see on TV or the internet is not what is happening on every dairy farm. Critics seem to find one extreme place far and few between and blow it up into a huge story. “
