Dairy advocacy like a sunrise

Malorie Thorson, 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way

Matt Addington/Midwest Dairy

We officially reached spring. I still cannot comprehend that I have been serving as your 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way for these past seven months. It has flown by with early mornings, late nights and long drives, but I have loved every second.

The busyness of it all has made me reflect on the spring season. Spring brings a new sense of life as the sun shines longer, and I personally believe morning milkings go faster. While in high school, I vividly remember watching the sunrise as I switched the groups of cows for milking time. It was one of my favorite views, seeing the different colors in the sky, the skid loader passing by, and all my animals eating in the feed lanes. This view became a part of my routine, one that I miss while watching the sunrise out of the window at my college home. Yet the sunrise in spring still means there is a new day ahead, just like there is new life in spring.

Advocacy in action

My second favorite time to experience sunrises and even sunsets was when I drove to my various Princess Kay events this past month. These drives served as an opportunity to prepare for a night of advocacy or to reflect on the moments I shared with students, consumers and farmers.

Sharing moments of recognition was the highlight of the Minnesota All-Breeds Convention. After enjoying conversations over a delicious meal, I was given the opportunity to express my gratitude to dairy farmers for their dedication to the community. While some dairy breeds are more popular than others, the diversity in breeds is just one way the dairy community is diverse. That diversity opens the door for learning opportunities, establishes connections and lets us all build our own legacy.

Dairy farmers have all built a legacy, one that is worth sharing. During my spring break, I was blessed with an opportunity to visit three different schools. While their location, grade level and classroom settings may have been different, the dairy story stayed the same. I shared about the legacy of dairy and how that translates to farm practices.

At Cherry School in Iron, Minnesota, and Janesville-Waldorf- Pemberton school, students collaborated and fueled their competitive spirits with dairy jeopardy. Each category was a different area within dairy and teams chose their answers based on their confidence and curiosity. It was exciting to see the interaction of students of all ages and have them ask follow-up questions to learn more.

Finally, my visit to Watertown-Mayer Elementary School was less competitive but more captivating. As I read my favorite dairy books, “Click Clack Moo” and “Tales of the Dairy Godmother,” students eagerly raised their hands to tell me about their experience with dairy. While I listened to their stories, I also asked them questions about dairy to test their listening skills. I am proud to say that all of them passed perfectly.

Finally, to conclude my spring break I attended Ladies in Leadership in Monticello as a panelist and the Ag Day Gala in St. Paul to provide the milk salute. Both events provided an opportunity to speak on behalf of dairy farmers and how farmers strengthen Minnesota communities.

I finished off my busy month filled with advocacy by attending the Minnesota Junior Holstein Association Convention. My heart was full as I walked into the banquet hall of 150 junior Holstein Association members anxiously waiting for the evening’s activities to begin. Before I gave the invocation, I shared a few encouraging words to all attendees and thanked them for joining an organization that is building the next dairy leaders.

Wow, March was busy. Yet in the busyness there were countless moments of laughter, smiles and learning, but most importantly, gratitude — gratitude for the teachers who invited me, the students who quizzed me, and most importantly, the dairy farmers who have shared their stories with me.

Your stories are like spring and sunrise. They are the life and light behind my season as Princess Kay.

Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Malorie Thorson, serves as the Minnesota dairy community’s goodwill ambassador. Malorie grew up in Waverly, Minnesota. She attends South Dakota State University majoring in Dairy Production with plans to return to her family farm as the sixth generation. Malorie loves trying out new recipes and baking, swing dancing, reading, and spending quality time with her family during early morning milking shifts. Her parents are Andrew and Colette Thorson.

Princess Kay is active doing school visits and events representing dairy farmers, and sharing the importance of dairy farming and dairy foods at appearances across Minnesota.