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Volume 26, No. 7
May 25, 2024 M
“All dairy, all the time”™
Dairy Accomplishing a dream royalty in Terning establishes the making milking herd Finalists announced by 22 for the 71st Princess By Emily Breth Kay competition emily.b@star-pub.com By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com
ST. PAUL, Minn. — On May 13, Midwest Dairy released the names of the 10 nalists in the running to be crowned this year’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Candidates were selected during the annual May Leadership Event May 10-11 at the Delta Hotel in Minneapolis. Each year, the event offers leadership workshops, networking and educational sessions for dairy princesses from across Minnesota in preparation for their service as goodwill ambassadors for dairy farming. This is the 71st year of the competition, which is sponsored by Midwest Dairy and funded by dairy farmers through their promotion checkoff. The current Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Emma Kuball from Rice County, met the nalists during the leadership event and posted a video on the Princess Kay Facebook page where she gave short introductions about each candidate. Selena Corona of St. Joseph will represent Stearns County. Her parents are Ross Lemke and Kelly Corona, and Steve Corona. Paige Gerads of Albany will represent Morrison County. Her parents are Jamie and Becky Gerads. Katie Ketchum of Altura will represent Winona County. Her parents are Mike and Mary Ketchum. Mackenzie Moline of St. Peter will represent Nicollet County. Her parents are Rob and Gail Moline. Turn to PRINCESS KAY | Page 8
DASSEL, Minn. — On Aug. 22, 2022, Dylan Terning began milking a herd of 60 Holstein cows at the age of 22. The 24-year-old’s herd is now averaging 70 pounds of milk per day with tests of 3.9% butterfat and 3.2% protein. Cows are milked in a tiestall barn that Terning rents from Don and Peter Settergren near Dassel, and milk is shipped to First District Association in Litcheld. “The biggest reason I didn’t start earlier than I did was because I was too scared to call the creamery,” Terning
EMILY BRETH/DAIRY STAR
Dylan Terning takes a break during milking May 9 at his farm near Dassel, Minnesota. Terning started milking his own herd Aug. 22, 2022. said. “You know, you have this big dream of doing this your whole life, and you did it your whole life but not on your own. I did not want to get the answer, ‘No.’”
Terning milked cows on his family’s farm since the age of 7. He worked at a local dairy for more than three years before leaving to pre-
pare a barn for his own herd of cows.
Turn to TERNING | Page 6
Special delivery Strnad assists laboring heifer on Gagnows’ farm By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Tracy (from leŌ), Kurt and Jacob Gagnow and UPS delivery driver Jon Strnad gather May 14 around Joni, the calf Strnad delivered on the Gagnows’ farm in between delivering packages April 15, near Seymour, Wisconsin. The Gagnows milk 50 cows and farm 350 acres.
SEYMOUR, Wis. — Jon Strnad went above and beyond his duties as a driver for the United Parcel Service when he delivered a calf in between delivering packages April 15. When driving past KJ Farms near Seymour around 2 p.m., Strnad noticed a heifer on pasture giving birth that seemed to be struggling. The calf was halfway out with the sack over its head, and neither the calf nor the heifer were moving much. Turn to STRNAD | Page 2