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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 19, No. 13

August 26, 2017

Annexstad crowned 64th Princess Kay of the Milky Way

New dairy ambassador comes from Nicollet County By Krista Kuzma

krista.k@dairystar.com

ST. PAUL, Minn. – As a young girl, Emily Annexstad made it a goal to one day wear the crown that represents the dairy farmers in Minnesota. “Ever since I gured out what Princess Kay was and saw her butter sculpture, I’ve been dream of standing up here on this stage,” Annexstad said. On Aug. 23, 19-year-old Annexstad, from St. Peter, representing Nicollet County, stood on the stage and was crowned the 64th Princess Kay of the Milky Way during

ANDREA BORGERDING/DAIRY STAR

Emily Annexstad of St. Peter, Minn. waves to the crowd aŌer being crowned the 64th Princess Kay of the Milky Way on Aug. 23 at the Minnesota State Fair Bandshell in St. Paul, Minn.

a coronation at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, Minn. “I was not expecting that crown to be placed on my head but I’m so excited to be given this opportunity,” Annexstad said of the moment outgoing Princess Kay Haley Hinrichs placed the crown on her head. “I feel so happy I am able to represent my family and all Minnesota dairy farmers as the 64th Princess Kay of the Milky Way.” Jessaca Zuidema of Blomkest, representing Kandiyohi County, and Margaret Socha of Corcoran, representing Wright County, were selected as runners up. Annexstad and Zuidema were awarded scholarships, Turn to PRINCESS KAY | PAGE 5

Upgrades lessen workload for Middendorfs Parlor efciency, cow comfort focus of retrotted facility By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com

LONG PRAIRIE, Minn. – Donnie and Carolyn Middendorf have two passions – dairy farming and their children. With recent upgrades to their animal housing and milking facilities, the Middendorfs are able to make time for both. The Middendorfs and their three children – Rachel, 17, Hannah, 15, and Landon, 11 – hosted a University of Minnesota Extension eld day on their 100-cow dairy farm near Long Prairie, Minn., on Aug. 8. Throughout the morning, fellow dairy farmers toured the Middendorfs’ farm, taking note of the tiestall barn retrotted to a parlor, as well as a recently-built freestall barn and manure pit. “Since the rst time we milked in the tiestall barn, we talked about an expansion and upgrade project,” Carolyn said. The Middendorfs began milking 50 cows at this farm site in 1995, but

JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR

Donnie Middendorf (leŌ) talks with other dairymen about the benets of retroƫng his Ɵestall barn into a swing-8 parlor. Middendorf and his family hosted a University of Minnesota Extension eld day on their 100-cow dairy near Long Prairie, Minn. seriously considered a farm remodel ve years ago. They wanted an efcient parlor and housing facility that maximized cow comfort and lessened their workload. “By then, we were really having back problems from working in the

tiestall barn and knew something needed to change,” Carolyn said. Donnie agreed. “Before we could keep on going, we had to really look at our options,” he said. After researching building designs

and touring other dairy farms, the Middendorfs decided to retrot their 52-stall tiestall barn into a swing-8 parlor. “We wanted a milking facility that Turn to MIDDENDORFS | Page 6