LISTEN LISTEN NOW NOWStar ListenNOW to theLISTEN NEW Dairy Podcast! LISTEN NOW LISTEN NOivW LIST TEN NOW Exclus e LISTEN NOW LISTEN TEN NOW NOWomLIST conversations fr in the foun stor LISTEN NOW LISTE LIST TEN NOW NieDasN OdW iry Star! D E L I V E R Y LISTEN NOW LISTEN NOW
Dairy
Volume 27, No. 7
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
“All dairy, all the time”™
May 24, 2025
Representing A life-saving donation Minnesota’s dairy industry Bromenshenkel gives kidney to son Finalists announced for 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Dozens of young women tuned into Facebook live May 18 to hear if their name would be called as one of the Top 10 nalists for the 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Current Princess Kay, Rachel Visser, announced the Top 10 nalists during the virtual event on Princess Kay of the Milky Way’s Facebook page, where she gave a short description of each of the young women before revealing their names. Janet Bremer, a dairy farmer from Hastings, is the Minnesota dairy princess coordinator. “It gives me a lot of pride in knowing that we have such wonderful young women representing Minnesota’s dairy industry,” Bremer said. “(The Princess Kay program) goes past the borders of Minnesota as well. We get a lot of publicity from across the country and even outside of the country. The name Princess Kay of the Milky is an amazing promotion we have here to represent Minnesota’s dairy farmers.” The nalists for the 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way are as follows: Natalie Clemenson of Zumbrota will represent Goodhue County. Her parents are Tiffany and Brian Clemenson. Monica Evers of Kellogg will represent Wabasha County. Her parents are Tammy and Jerry Evers. Paige Frenchick of Manannah will represent Meeker County. Her parents are Melissa Tessmer and Josh Frenchick. Nicole Hauschildt of Zumbro Falls will represent Wabasha County. Her parents are Stephanie and Chad Domke. Alexis Hoefs of New Prague will represent Le Sueur County. Her parents are Lisa and James Hoefs. Turn to FINALISTS | Page 6
By Tiffany Klaphake tiffany.k@dairystar.com
SAUK CENTRE, Minn. — Fathers give a lot to their sons: guidance, security and an example to follow. Wayne Bromenshenkel recently provided so much more when he donated one of his kidneys to his oldest son, Derek. “I am very grateful,” Derek said. “This was the end of my road otherwise. To nd out I had a donor in general was a huge relief, but it made it extra special because it was Dad.” Derek is a software architect and comes to the family farm on a regular basis to help Wayne and his brother, Blake, who milk 60 cows and farm 670 acres near Sauk Centre. Wayne donated a kidney to Derek April 17, giving him a second chance at life. Turn to BROMENSHENKELS | Page 2
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
The Bromenshenkel family — Wayne (front, from leŌ) and Derek; (back, from leŌ) and their wives, Pat and Heidi — gathers May 10 at the Bromenshenkel farm near Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Wayne donated a kidney to Derek, who was dignosed with polycysiƟc kidney disease.
A state-wide path of destrucƟon Communities rally to help Wisconsin dairies affected by 14-tornado outbreak By Stacey Smart and Danielle Nauman Staff Writers
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Members of the community help assess the damage May 15 aŌer a tornado destroyed the freestall barn at Elsinger Farms near Lomira, Wisconsin. An EF1 tornado with winds up to 95 mph touched down just aŌer 6 p.m.
LOMIRA, Wis. — On the evening of May 15, Brenda Elsinger came up from the basement to nd her farm’s freestall barn destroyed. The tornado that hit Lomira just after 6 p.m. was rated EF1 with winds up to 95 mph. “We’ve been here 36 years, and this dairy is my life,” Elsinger said. “We started with a stanchion barn and worked our tails off to get this herd built up and this facility humming. I just stood there, and it was all gone. … I was in shock. I lost something that was part of me.”
Turn to STORM | Page 9