Once, always a farm girl

NERSTRAND, Minn. — Growing up on her family’s dairy farm, Kathy Zeman was active in the dairy industry through 4-H, FFA and Minnesota Junior Holstein Association. All those endeavors led her to be crowned the 23rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way in 1976.

“I (ran for Princess Kay) for the cows,” Zeman said. “I enjoyed raising the calves on our farm and talking about cows.”

Farming is still a way of life for Zeman as she owns and operates Simple Harvest Farm Organics, a pastured livestock farm. She raises dairy goats, sheep, ducks, turkeys and chickens, and sells the products, including homemade goat milk soap, directly to local customers as well as to a couple of wholesale markets.

“I grew up a die-hard registered Holstein girl; now, I milk dairy goats,” Zeman said. “I used to have two Jersey cows, but now I just milk the goats.”

Zeman also serves as the executive director of the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association, where she teaches classes to fellow cottage food producers, helps communities start a farmers market and lobbies with state legislators. She credits her time as Princess Kay and Steele County Dairy Princess 50 years ago with giving her public speaking confidence.

“As a Steele County dairy princess, we had to do a weekly 5-minute radio show,” Zeman said. “So, I had to practice talking a lot.”

Zeman grew up on a 32-cow dairy farm near Owatonna. Her main responsibility on the farm was raising the youngstock, a job she took pride in.

“I loved that job,” Zeman said. “I stayed up late at night quite a few times to make sure the cows would calve OK. There were about 10 years when we didn’t lose a calf on our farm.”

Zeman was one of 12 children, all of whom were involved with showing and judging cows with 4-H, FFA and Minnesota Junior Holstein Association. Zeman and two of her brothers were on the Steele County 4-H dairy judging team that won the state contest in 1976.

Zeman also was named the Minnesota Holstein Girl and then National Holstein Distinguished Junior Member in 1977. Zeman was one of four Steele County dairy princesses and one of three butterheads in her family. The Zeman sisters participated in the Steele County Dairy Association’s “Charm School” prior to the county contests that was put on for all dairy princess candidates to teach the girls how to walk, talk, sit and eat at a table with a napkin and silverware as well as practice interviewing and giving speeches.

Her sister, Liz, was a Princess Kay finalist in 1988, and her sister, Kateri, was a finalist in 1992. All three Zeman butterheads were displayed in the local grocery store, Duffy’s, for one week. Then they were each divided, with one half being donated to their high school and the other going to their elementary school.

In those days, the blocks of butter weighed 92 pounds, Zeman said. She clearly remembers her day in the butter booth.

“The day I was in the freezer, it wasn’t working properly, so it was freezing cold,” Zeman said. “I was so freezing cold that my butt froze to the chair, and Linda (Christensen) was struggling to get my carving done.”

Throughout her year as Princess Kay, Zeman made appearances at other regional dairy princess banquets, schools, industry banquets, grocery stores and Dairy Night at the Met (Metropolitan Stadium). She even flew to Wisconsin in a 2-seat airplane to make an appearance with Alice in Dairyland.

“I put on a lot of miles that year,” Zeman said. “I think I taught a million kids how to make butter in a jar.”

Doing school visits along with attending the Dairy Night at the Met were Zeman’s favorite events, she said.

“Minnesota Twins’ Bobby Randall won the cow milking contest, and I got a signed ball from Tony Oliva,” Zeman said. “I was playing with the Steele County 4-H softball team at the time, so that was a big highlight for me.”

After putting on thousands of miles and making countless speeches and memories, Zeman is thankful for the opportunity to talk about her cows.

“It was never about the crown for me; it was always about the cows,” Zeman said. “It was fun. I loved traveling and talking to people about my cows. It is still influencing me today in my current role.”