Portrait #27: Kaylee Wegner
That young people are still interested in agriculture pleases me, for I grew up on a southwestern Minnesota dairy and crop farm.
While I left the farm for an education and career in journalism, youth like Kaylee Wegner have remained true to their rural roots. I’ve known Kaylee, a classmate of my son, for a long time. She’s smart, poised, confident, driven and passionate about agriculture. This fall she begins her senior year at South Dakota State University, pursuing a bachelor of science degree in dairy production.
I last spoke with Kaylee in June of 2013 when her parents, Ron and Diane (about as salt-of-the-earth wonderful people as you’ll ever meet), hosted “A Day on the Farm” at their rural Faribault acreage. Kaylee and her older sister, Brianna, were there, too, actively involved in the event that drew some 600 visitors. Kaylee, then a Rice County Dairy Princess, posed for photos with a calf and kids. I could see how much she loved promoting the dairy industry.
Since 1937, June Dairy Month has been an annual tradition celebrating all things dairy. When you pour yourself a glass of milk, order a cheeseburger or enjoy an ice cream cone, think of Kaylee and all the other young people who still care about, and are the future of, agriculture.
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This is part of a series, Minnesota Faces, featured every Friday on Minnesota Prairie Roots.
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Great photo! Her family must be very proud of her.
I expect Ron and Diane are proud of Kaylee. And, yes, I like the photo, too.
I like that photo, too! More cheese for me, please.
Thanks, Kathleen. Have you tried the award-winning AmaBlu blue cheeses made in Faribault? Check them out here: http://www.faribaultdairy.com/
No, I haven’t! Thank you for the tip!
You are welcome. You should be able to find AmaBlu in selected metro locations. Great cheese. Plus, if you ever get to Faribault, you can buy the cheese or dine at The Cheese Cave.
I should go straight to Faribault!
You are always welcome here. Soon F-Town Brewery will open. It’s just down the street from The Cheese Cave.
What a beautiful young woman and a great choice of a school 😉
Yes, Kaylee is beautiful and I expect SDSU is the perfect fit for her. I hear lots of good things about this Brookings, S.D., college.
She is very sweet. We always have the dairy princess come to our kitchen and hand out milk and talk to the kids eating lunch. I am a lunch lady at a elementary school and the kids love when they come and be our mystery server. 🙂
What an absolutely great idea. Thank you for sharing that with us, Dawn.
Nice tribute to Kaylee who perhaps in a sense is following in her family’s footsteps and carrying on traditions which often young people abandon for city life.
We need young people to maintain an interest in rural life, so this is good to see.
Great portrait, both in photo and in writing.
Thank you, Ryan.