|
| | ||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT US | SUBSCRIBE | NEWSSTAND LOCATIONS | ||||
| ||||
|
|
| | |
Dairy Princess Jacki Tveten's future found on parents' farm Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Agri News staff writer
LEWISTON, Minn. -- Princess Kay of the Milky Way finalist Jacki Tveten's dairy farm is her past, present and future.
She grew up on Tveten Dairy, where her parents, Dave and Kristi, currently milk 40 cows, mostly Holsteins. They have 40 acres with pasture and grow corn and winter rye. She has two older brothers -- Mike, 30, and Paul, 26 -- who both work in the agriculture industry.
As a recent graduate of Rushford-Peterson High School, Tveten, 19, will attend Rochester Community and Technical College in the fall. Her goal is to land a career as a health unit coordinator and return to the farm.
"I'm the fourth generation on our farm," Tveten said. "I'd like to keep it in the family."
Since she was 12 years old, she's been building her own herd of Milking Shorthorns. She already has four cows and five heifers in her name and has taken them to cattle shows. She's been exhibiting dairy cattle since she was six years old and says she's earned a trip to the state fair every year since she was in sixth grade.
As a Princess Kay finalist, reigning Winona County Dairy Princess and future dairy farmer, she's ready to promote the industry.
"I love the dairy industry and I think it's important," she said. "And I love to tell people about the dairy industry and I'm a people person."
Her dairy promotion experience started in fourth grade, when she was selected as a junior ambassador to travel with Winona County's Little Red Barn to local events and hand out dairy products.
She always wanted to be a Winona County Dairy Princess. She earned her crown in March, after her first run for the title. So far, she's been back in the Little Red Barn to hand out dairy products and attended a Rochester Honkers baseball game to distribute ice cream, "Got Milk?" stickers, and steady a cow during a milking contest between team managers.
She was selected as a Princess Kay of the Milky Way finalist during the Dairy Princess Promotion Training and Selection Event May 17 at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. Of approximately 90 county dairy princesses who attended, Tveten was one of 66 who chose to be judged for the state dairy princess position, and one of 12 to be selected as a finalist.
"I thought I would give it a shot," Tveten said, adding everyone there was a great ambassador for the industry.
The Midwest Dairy Association hosts the event and sponsors the dairy princess program with checkoff funds. The young women were judged on a written application, personal interview, mock media interview and a speech.
Tveten's speech was about growing up on a dairy farm. She loves that farm life allows family members to work together. She's also proud that her family's operation can feed people around the world.
Her summer will be filled with parades, helping with just about anything on the farm and working at a child care program. She's also on Winona County's 4-H Dairy Judging Team, which practices and competes during the summer.
"I think it's really helped me with public speaking," she said.
Prior to graduation, she was also on the Rushford-Peterson FFA Dairy Judging Team. She served as chapter reporter for one year and vice president for two years.
The 2009 Princess Kay will be selected and crowned the night before the Minnesota State Fair begins.
"We are so excited," Tveten's mom, Kristi, said. "It's such an honor to watch your little girl represent something that Dave and I have done all our lives. It's pretty special."
|
| | |
| |
Copyright 2009 Agri News
All Rights Reserved
