Since 1963, a fresh-faced farm girl wearing the Chenango County Dairy Princess crown and sash has served as the chief ambassador of the county’s largest industry. As the wholesome representative for the local dairy industry, the reigning princess has graced parade floats, helped educate children about agriculture and served milk punch at countless meetings and events.
This year, however, when the reign of 2008 Dairy Princess Katy Kemmeren came to an end in May, there was no successor to crown.
“This is the first year there isn’t an actual princess,” explained Terry Ives, who chairs the Chenango County Dairy Promotion Committee and oversees the Dairy Princess Committee.
As a result, the duties and responsibilities Kemmeren has fulfilled for the last year have fallen on the shoulders of the county’s seven Dairy Ambassadors: Hannah Ives, Kaitlyn Stoltman, Elizabeth Brown, Malorey Muzzy, Emma Ives, Logan Stoltman and Eli Stoltman.
In order to wear the dairy princess crown, a candidate must be between the ages of 16 and 24 and be either the daughter of a farmer or sponsored by a farmer. While three of the current ambassadors are qualified to be princess, two will be going off to college this year and the other heavily involved in high school sports. None feel they have the time to commit to serve as princess.
“It is quite a commitment to attend all of the events,” said Ives, something to which Kemmeren can attest.
Her year as dairy princess was a busy one, according to Kemmeren. “I went to school programs, local farm meetings and to community events,” she explained. At times it was difficult to balance the responsibilities of her position with her schoolwork, but the Bainbridge-Guilford senior was able to fulfill her duties without compromising her grades. And there were also her chores on her family’s farm in Bainbridge.
Luckily, if she was unable to attend an event, a member of the Dairy Court was often able to fill in.
Kemmeren said her favorite part of the “job” was meeting and talking with young children, who were often awestruck by her crown and sash. Other aspects were more challenging, like educating people about the importance of incorporating dairy into ones diet.
As she looks back at her year as Dairy Princess, Kemmeren said she learned things that will help her as she goes off to college and in later life.
“I did a lot of public speaking,” she said, which she had not had the opportunity to do before. “(Being) Dairy Princess me more comfortable in front of a large audience.”
Kemmeren was inspired to run for dairy princess by her mother, Dianne, who had held the title during her youth in Allegheny County. She is concerned that there isn’t anyone to fill her crown this year.
“I think it is really important that we recognize the dairy industry in our county,” she explained.
Ives said he is confident that this will be the only year Chenango County will be without a Dairy Princess, explaining that one of the younger ambassadors has already expressed an interest in running next year. And in the interim, the Ambassadors will do their part to continue to raise awareness of the dairy business and agriculture in general.
Anyone interested in more information on Chenango County Dairy Promotion, or the Dairy Princess program, should contact Ives at 895-6641.