DAIRY ST R Minnesota Dairy Princess Special Edition
May 11, 2024
Her way to advocate, give back to the farmers who helped Kuball shares experiences while serving as Princess Kay of the Milky Way By Emily Breth
emily.b@star-pub.com
WATERVILLE, Minn. — Emma Kuball always had her mind set on becoming a dairy princess because she wanted to support and advocate for the dairy community and give back to the farmers who helped her. Now, she accomplished that and more as the 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Kuball said her butter sculpture that was crafted at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair often serves as a conversation starter. “(People) always ask about my butter sculpture,” she said. “It’s a great way to start.”
While a head made of butter is fascinating to others, the dairy community in general is Kuball’s inspiration. “My favorite day of the year was always our county dairy princess banquet,” Kuball said. “I loved to get dressed up and have fun with my dairy friends and see all the work the princesses were doing.” Kuball’s journey started at the farm owned by her parents, Nate and Shannon, near Waterville. The Kuballs milk 240 cows in a double-6 step-up parlor. Kuball worked with her siblings, Kelsey and Keegan, doing chores, including calf care, milking, covering the silage pile and picking rocks. “It was a character-building activity,” Kuball said. Kuball served as a dairy maid in her home county of Rice for four years. This program was offered for girls in fth and sixth grade and extended to seventh and eighth graders. When Kuball was a freshman in college, she was crowned as a Rice County dairy princess. However, her
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Emma Kuball is the 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Kuball, the daughter of Nate and Shannon, grew up on her family’s dairy farm near Waterville, Minnesota. days as a county dairy princess were short-lived. In August, Kuball had the crown for Princess Kay of the Milky Way placed on her head. “I don’t always remember a lot of that night,” Kuball said. “I do rememPHOTO SUBMITTED ber being on stage next to Makenzie AlEmma Kuball addresses aƩendees March 19 at the Ag Day Gala in the North berts. Kenzie and I were good friends End Event Center at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Kuball aƩends a variety because we were state ofcers for FFA of events during her reign, including classroom visits, on-farm events and lead- together, and that was the most special ership events. part of the night.” Being Princess Kay of the Milky
Way allows Kuball to attend a variety of events. She has or will partake in classroom visits, on-farm events — such as breakfast on the farm — and industry leadership events. “I went to the Women’s Agriculture Leadership Conference April 10,” Kuball said. “It is great to see so many incredible women in one space.” Turn to KUBALL | Page 2
Introducing the county dairy princesses for 2024
Editor’s note: The county dairy princesses featured in this special section are not necessarily going to compete for the title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way. This section serves to recognize all dairy princess at the county level.