HUGO - Katie Miron has a humble side, a trait she recognizes in the dairy producers she would like to represent as Princess Kay of the Milky Way.
She became one of 12 finalists in May.
"Being Princess Kay isn't about the title or the crown and sash. It's about the farms and producers," said Katie, 19.
She has promoted the dairy industry since second grade and is currently a Washington County dairy princess.
"We're princesses that don't live in a castle. Our castle is in the barn," she said.
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It's hard for her to take in that she could be the next Princess Kay.
"It'll give me the opportunity to travel the state and promote the dairy industry and explain how we take care of animals and the land," she said. "...I really do enjoy meeting new people and talking."
Her sister Ann was Princess Kay from 2007-2008 and is now Washington County's dairy princess coordinator. She described Katie as capable of giving people a positive, personal connection to the dairy industry.
"Katie is a very energetic person, who really shares her emotions with others well," she said.
Their family farm's proximity to the Twin Cities - just a half hour drive from St. Paul -prepared them to speak with the public about the dairy industry, she said. So many people they interact with on a regular basis aren't from farms.
Katie is enjoying this summer at home in Hugo.The Mirons milk 65 to 95 Holstein cows, depending on the season. They grow corn, soybeans, small grains and alfalfa on a little more than 700 acres. They own 280 acres and rent the rest.She helps with milking, feeding, gardening and upkeep of their home.
"I love to cook and I love to bake and I have plenty of brothers to appreciate it," she said.
Their house is rarely quiet. Her parents, Fran and Mary Ann, have six children- four boys and two girls- ranging in age from 28 to 17. One of Katie's brothers, Paul, 24, farms full-time with Fran.Katie and her siblings are the farm's fifth generation.
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She couldn't be home much last year as she juggled time between her freshman year at the University of Minnesota and serving as the state's FFA vice president.
She traveled Minnesota as an ambassador for FFA and agriculture. She grew more comfortable speaking with new people and led events.
"I really experienced that personal growth," she said.
She earned a bronze emblem in the 2009 National FFA Prepared Public Speaking Career Development Event, after being named state champion.
"It was a great experience," she said. "I was excited to be at nationals."
She also earned her Minnesota FFA Degree in 2009, the highest level of recognition the state FFA can give.
She's working toward a degree in agricultural education at the U of M. She would like to be an ag teacher, like her oldest brother, Mike. He was one of her teachers at Forest Lake High School.She also has a love for political science- her father is Hugo's mayor on top of being a full-time farmer- so her future career might involve that, too.
She's a member of the university's agricultural education club and the sorority Beta of Clovia, which has many members with rural, agriculture backgrounds, she said.
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Another thing to add to Katie's summer schedule is wedding preparations. Shewill be maid of honor in Ann's wedding to Brian Tauzell, a police officer in Maplewood, right before the next Princess Kay is named in August. In the fall, she'll be a bridesmaid when her brother, Paul, marries Kristy Mussman, who was Princess Kay from 2008-2009.
"It's a little bit of a roller coaster ride," Katie said.
