Three seek West Otter Tail County dairy princess crown

For the Journal

Published Thursday, March 27, 2008

The West Otter Tail County Dairy Princess contest is scheduled Saturday, April 5 at Sverdrup Church in Underwood. Candidates for the contest this year are Hana Cardwell of Rothsay, Melissa Curfman of Pelican Rapids and Rebeka Freitag of Fergus Falls.

Dairy princesses serve as goodwill ambassadors for the dairy industry.

The candidates will be judged on a personal interview, a prepared speech on a dairy-related topic, and participate in mock radio interviews.

If chosen as a county dairy princess, the candidate will be eligible and encouraged to attend a statewide dairy promotion training seminar at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph May 16-17, where they will learn lifelong skills in areas such as public speaking, media relations and dairy message delivery.

At the seminar, the candidate may choose to apply to be a finalist for the 2008 Princess Kay of the Milky Way title.

If selected, 12 finalists will advance to the Princess Kay contest held in St.Paul, August 18-20.

For more information on the West Otter Tail County Dairy Princess program or to schedule a visit with a dairy princess, contact the princess Coordinator, Daria Marty, at 218-736-2608.

The candidates

• Hana Cardwell, 18, is the daughter of Curtis and Jennifer Cardwell. She will be attending Minnesota State Community Technical College, majoring in Human Resources.

Hana's farm is located five miles northeast of Rothsay. She is active in Girl Scouts, 4-H, church, and is also a Just For Kix dance coach.

Being a dairy princess is a way of showing her compassion toward an industry that has made such an impact in her life so far, she said.

• Melissa Curfman, the daughter of Richard and Christy Curfman, lives on a 48-cow registered holstein farm in Pelican Rapids.

She has been actively involved in 4-H since kindergarten and has shown cows at the Minnesota State Fair for five years. She also is the secretary of the local FFA Chapter.

She has competed at state FFA three years, and her team won fourth place at state in 2006.

Melissa participates in many activities at school including the National Honor Society, Knowledge Bowl, Students agaist Destructive Descions and has been in 14 school plays and musicals.

Most nights she spends in the barn milking cows with her mom and brother. Her favorite chore is feeding grain to the cows. She is very excited to compete for the county dairy princess role and is planning on competing for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way title in May.

• Rebeka Freitag is the daughter of Michael and Gisele Freitag of Elizabeth. She is 22 years old and a 2004 graduate of Fergus Falls High School. She has attended Ridgewater College, Willmar, graduating with a diploma in dairy management. While attending Ridgewater College, she was active in Post Secondary Agriculture Students. Holding an office for two years an competing in state and national competitions.

Rebeka is a student at Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls. She will be transferring to North Dakota State University this fall to pursue a degree in agricultural education. Her future plans are to either to teach or work in Extension Service.

She worked on the family dairy farm while growing up. She is working on the Paul, Darlene and Brad Johnson dairy farm in Orwell Township.

Rebeka was involved in 4-H for many years and enjoys helping her cousins with their livestock projects. She continues to help on the family farm. She enjoys riding and working with her horse.

Being the Otter Tail County Dairy princess would be another way for her to stay actively involved in the dairy industry.

She would also have the opportunity to meet other young women who share the same interest in the agricultural business.