ROYAL HONOR

Morgan O’Brien, daughter of Patrick and Emma O’Brien of Kasson, was crowned the 2015 Dodge County dairy princess last Friday night at the annual Dairy Princess banquet at the Milton Township Hall.
She was crowned by the 2014 dairy princesses, Taylor Reber and McCayla Thoe.
Before relinquishing their duties to O’Brien, Reber and Thoe gave a review of the many activities they participated in during their year representing Dodge County dairy farmers.
During the past year, Reber said, they visited schools to talk with children about dairy and farming; participated in the Dodge County Expo and the Dodge and Olmsted County Fairs; worked at the malt stand; and participated in a school visit at the Albert family’s dairy farm.
“They (the kids) come in to get a hands-on experience,” Reber said.
“It was a great experience for me to run as dairy princess, and I’m glad to hand it over to my cousin, Morgan,” Reber said.
Reber said that with her year as dairy princess concluded, she intends to attend college in Iowa, majoring in dairy science.
Thoe added that they participated in a Honkers game in Rochester that included a milking contest and bale throw.
“The Honkers game was so much fun,” she said.
For Thoe, there was the added experience of participating in the Princess Kay of the Milky Way competition. Thoe was chosen as one of 12 finalists for the title, which is awarded the night before the beginning of the Minnesota State Fair.
Although she did not win the Princess Kay title, as a finalist Thoe still had the experience of having her likeness carved in butter during the fair by Linda Christianson and participating in numerous fair events.
Now attending college at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, Thoe was recently named Miss Fond du Lac.
The new dairy princess grew up on a dairy farm outside Kasson. She has two older sisters, an older brother and two younger brothers. In addition to her parents, she was joined at the banquet by her grandparents, Francis and Eileen O’Brien. Her maternal grandmother, Nanda Reber, lives in West Concord.
“We have a ton of cats,” she said, “and my dog, Katie, is like my little sister.”
The family has 110 milking cows and 300 head total, she said. Her job, she added, is to take care of the calves.
O’Brien was sponsored by the Carriage House Animal Hospital, Dr. Ross Bailey, in Kasson. She is a freshman at RCTC in Rochester, where she is studying to become a veterinary tech.
The banquet is held annually by the Dodge County American Dairy Association and was catered by Omar’s Kitchen Catering of West Concord.
ADA officers include Chairperson Susie Thoe, Vice Chair Paul Daley, Secretary Madge Alberts, Treasurer Angie Alberts and Princess Coordinator Karen Naatz.
Bulk Tank Sponsors of the dairy princess program in Dodge County include 1 Stop Realty, AgStar, Paul J. Kiltinen, Attorney at Law, Hyland Systems, Leth Electric, Inc., Minnesota Ag Group, Kasson Northland Farm Systems, R&M Steel, AMPI, Central Valley Cooperative-Hayfield, Dodge Center Chiropractic Daley Farms-Pine Island, Reber Dairy-Mantorville, Stevenson Insurance Inc., Alberts Pine-Shelter Farms-Pine Island, Naatz Dairy-Mantorville and Owen Locker Plant.
Milk Can Sponsors include Ag Partners, Alberts Pine-Shelter Farms, Byron Milk Transport, Citizens State Bank-Mantorville, Claremont Farmers Mutual, Dodge County Farmer’s Union, Durst Brothers Dairy and Minnesota Select Sires.
Gallon Sponsors include Currier Brothers-Mantorville, Creekside Farms (Hahns)-Hayfield, Dodge County DHIA, Dodge County Farm Bureau, Ellingson Drainage-West Concord, Farmer’s State Bank-West Concord, Dan and Muriel French, Hodgman Drainage Co.-West Concord, Hutton Services LLC-Mantorville, Jimmy’s Pizza, KM Telecom, Kreofsky Building Systems-Plainview, Maxson Electric-Mantorville, Pine Island Bank, Rick Davis-Pioneer Seed-Kasson, Security State Bank of Wanamingo and SEMA Equipment Inc.