Outside of pageantry or large community event duties, it’s not every day that you get two Princess Kay of the Milky Way in the same room.
Last Thursday, Feb. 26, Tri-City United High School was paid a planned visit of the current and 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way Malorie Thorson from Wright County. Thorson was invited by 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way Emma Kuball of Waterville.
Both princesses come from long-standing farming families and ones that have supported the dairy industry for some time.
For Thorson, her family has been farming in Minnesota since 1873 with primarily focusing on dairy cattle since the 2000’s. Today her family has 250 head of dairy cattle. She’s the sixth generation in her family farm. Thorson’s mother, Colette (Diers) Thorson, was also a finalist in 1996 for the competition.
For Kuball, her family has been farming in Minnesota since 1903 and started with dairy cattle in the 1960’s.
Dairy princesses do a lot of stops around the state to help promote the dairy industry. Kuball said, “I think I was at 95.” Those include educational stops at schools, appearances in parades and at festivals, reading to younger children, and various other items they are both requested at and seek out.
When asked why Princess Thorson visited here, she said, “Emma Kuball, she is student teaching here, and she wanted me to come in and talk to three foods classes and an animal science class, to just basically explain to them more about dairy and dairy farming. Obviously, Montgomery and the Tri-City United area is very agricultural-based, and I love that, but to also give them a little more hands on experience to the dairy farming and opening their eyes to that industry as well.” Kuball primarily student-teaches with agriculture teacher Hayley Sowieja at TCU.
Thorson talked about...
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The 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way Malorie Thorson talks to the 5th period foods class about the dairy industry and sustainability. The 70th Princess Emma Kuball sits at the desk of that same class which she student-teaches for.
