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MPR News: What do you do with more than 200 pounds of butter that’s been carved into the likeness of your daughters’ heads and now sits in your deep freeze?
Laura Olson hasn’t quite figured out how to answer the question, but the Hutchinson woman is happy for the challenge. Her three daughters have all been finalists over the years to be Princess Kay of the Milky Way, the state’s well-known ambassador for the dairy industry unveiled each year at the State Fair. Two have won the crown.
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Minnesota’s 70th Princess Kay will be coronated Wednesday night, but it’s unknown if her lineage will match the Olsons. Besides her daughters, the extended family counts past Princess Kay finalists among aunts and cousins, putting the total of winners and finalists at seven.
While Midwest Dairy, who is in charge of the program, couldn’t confirm if the Olsons hold the record, they say their family is “a great example of how the dairy community enjoys continuing the tradition.”
The Olsons’ story, though, goes deeper. The daughters have all set on careers in the dairy and animal health fields.
“Growing up on a dairy farm, you’re always familiar with the Princess Kay program,” Sarah Olson said. “It was so cool to connect with 11 other women who felt as passionate for the dairy industry as I did. They’re very accomplished in their careers, and many are still in agriculture.”
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The Princess Kay of the Milky Way program began in 1964. First, candidates must be a county dairy princess. Then, those roughly 100 winners come together for an event and are judged for their communication skills, personality, general knowledge of the dairy community and their commitment to dairy promotion.
Ten finalists are selected and the day before the fair, the new Princess Kay is crowned.
Over the next year, Princess Kay serves as the spokesperson for Minnesota dairy farms. They speak to consumers, conduct media interviews, make classroom visits and more.
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“My mom has always told us to take pride in ourselves, to stand tall and speak clearly. And I think this was all part of it, that’s why she holds onto them [the butter sculptures],” said Lana.
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Each Olson sister said that running for Princess Kay of the Milky Way shaped the arc of their lives. It isn’t your average princess contest, it’s an investment in young Minnesota women.
“Once I moved away from Minnesota, I realized how rare that contest was,” Elizabeth said. “It has an influence on this community of young girls and women … there’s so much training and development poured into it and if you follow all the women that went through the program, they’re doing well, they benefited from it. For an industry that is typically very conservative, it’s pretty great we’ve had this for almost 70 years.”
Sarah is now vice president of marketing at Associated Milk Producers Inc. which provides the butter for the fair, Lana is a content director for an agricultural organization and Elizabeth is a drug representative for an animal health company.
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The extended Olson family is on the cusp of a new era of potential Princess Kays. Laura and Loren have seven grandchildren. Sarah has three daughters. She said if they want to be Princess Kay, she’ll be there cheering them on. Laura said she doesn’t want them to feel like they have to, but of course, she would be thrilled — and ready to make more room in her deep freeze.
The fair has always been extra special for Laura because that is where she met her husband, Loren, in 1977.
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Loren was showing his cattle and Laura was in the milking parlor working on a project for the University of Minnesota, where she was getting a degree in animal science. She later joined him on his family farm in Hutchinson, where they raised their four children, including son Luke, who did not get a butter sculpture but is an accomplished dairy judge and won at the World Dairy Expo.
Back to the question, though, of all that butter sitting in the freezer, some 200 pounds including the three 90-pound sculptures shaped like her daughters’ heads. The family has tried to make the most of it.
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Sarah had a corn roast and got through the scraps and part of her shoulders. They used some for Christmas cookies but then Laura said it got to a point of asking if this is safe to keep serving, and do I want to eat a sculpture of my daughter?
“My decision to stop feeding it to people was really based on safety more than anything,” said Laura, who later went to medical school and the University of Minnesota. “But then it was like well what am I going to do with them? Little did I know I would end up with three and I just can’t give them up.”
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From left to right, Sarah Olson Schmidt, Lana Olson Beckard, and Elizabeth Olson Hall carved out of butter.
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