The new Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Malorie Thorson, plans to eventually return to her family’s farm as a sixth-generation dairy farmer. But in the meantime, Thorson will be representing her fellow dairy farmers wearing a tiara on her head.

The Waverly native was crowned at a ceremony that took place at the Minnesota State Fair Bandshell Aug. 20 on the eve of the state fair’s opening day. “I feel like I’m in fever dream,” Thorson said. “I’ll maybe feel like it’s real when I wake up tomorrow morning so I can go into the butter booth.”

Thorson told her parents, Andrew and Colette Thorson, from a young age that she wanted to farm. Thorson’s family’s farm is Diers Corporation which milks 250 cows. The dairy is located near Waverly and has been in the family since 1874 when her great-great-great-grandpa started it.

“It’s my home, and I’ll call it home for the rest of my life,” Thorson said.

The new Princess Kay, who hails from Wright County, will be a junior this fall at South Dakota State University while pursuing a degree in dairy production.

Thorson was crowned next to runners-up Alexis Hoefs of New Prague, representing Le Sueur County, and April Klaphake of Sauk Centre, representing Stearns County. This year’s Miss Congeniality, a recognition voted on by the finalists, was awarded to Lauren Steffl of Sleepy Eye.

Midwest Dairy, which coordinates the Princess Kay of the Milky Way Program, also gives three $1,000 scholarships to three finalists based on their leadership, dairy activities participation and future goals. This year’s scholarship winners were Hoefs, Natalie Clemenson of Zumbrota and Nicole Hauschildt of Zumbro Falls.

Thorson will spend the first 12 days of her reign at the Minnesota State Fair. She said she is excited to meet fairgoers and exchange stories with them.

“I really want (fairgoers) to walk away with knowing how much a dairy product is a family-to-family product,” Thorson said. “My family is working every single day, 365 days a year to make a high-quality product. … When you’re purchasing dairy, you’re directly affecting me and my future and my family. And, you’re also affecting the future and nutrition of your family as well.”

Thorson grew up milking cows each morning at 3 a.m. Her time in the milking parlor started first in the playpen while her mom milked; she graduated into more duties as she got older. “As soon as she could, she was milking cows, and she loved that,” Colette said.

There in the barn Colette, who was a Princess Kay finalist herself in 1996, said they would sing, talk and discuss Thorson’s future — both her running for dairy princess and her plans to come back to the dairy farm.

“(She) always has loved the dairy industry, everything about it, from the people to the animals,” Thorson said. “Her passion for it has been what’s been the driving force behind everything that she does.”

Thorson’s dad said he has also seen his daughter’s dedication to dairy farming. “She knows what it’s going to take to operate a dairy farm and the time and all the things involved with it,” Andrew said.

As he thinks about his daughter returning to the farm, Andrew is both happy and understands his role in her dream.

“You’re trying to do what you can to keep that business sustainable and profitable … to give them that opportunity,” Andrew said. “You certainly cherish the opportunity that your kids want to do that, but it’s also a heavy weight to carry because it’s really about something bigger than yourself.”

Using her own family farm as an example, Thorson said sustainability is one of the key messages she plans to share with consumers in the next year.

“My family is committed to (be) financially, community and environmentally sustainable,” Thorson said. “All those pillars go together and we work together …. to make sure our farm is the absolute best that it can be.”

Thorson said she is thankful for the dairy farmers of Minnesota who she will be a goodwill ambassador for.

“I cried during my interview when they asked me why I was impacted by the dairy industry,” Thorson said. “It’s because each and every single one of you have impacted my journey. No matter if I physically met you or not, I have felt your support. I could not be more grateful to represent you.”

One of the things Thorson is eager for is to connect with consumers over her year-long reign.

“I’m really excited to meet everyone,” Thorson said. “I’m a chatterbox for sure. Talking with my mom every single morning during milking has made me an outgoing person, so I’m really excited to channel that energy into every single interaction.”

Source: DairyStar.com / Amy Kyllo