Goodbye winter, hello spring

As winter hopefully begins to wind down and we look ahead to spring, we can all agree to think warm thoughts. Hopefully rest is on the horizon for many of us before spring planting begins. I’m looking forward to my spring break which is fast approaching. Until then, there has been no break in my appearances, including some very unique ones this past month.
I started the month of February with the Winter Carnival Parade where, as always, I was joined by Minnesota State Fair mascots Fairborne and Fairchild. This was the torchlight parade, so we all wore fun lights and spent the evening waving at all of those who were there to watch. Having never participated in a night parade before, I enjoyed being able to have this experience.
Later in the month, I was part of the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Farm and Food Book Week. Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom invited a series of celebrity book readers including those who play for professional and college sports, as well as other individuals who are well known in Minnesota. I read to more than 500 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. We had a question and answer session where we talked about cows, our favorite dairy foods and our favorite books along with any other pressing questions the students had. This was so much fun for me, and I hope this event continues.
I also made butter with young students at Immanuel Lutheran School in Hamburg, Minnesota. We tested out a new method, in which the heavy cream was placed in a milk test vial. This made for less spills, and each student had their own container. They also thought the vial was a fun souvenir from my visit with them. I also shared a book with them while they enjoyed their fresh butter on crackers. Though everyone was tired by the end, they agreed the work was worth it.
I ended the month speaking at the Peanut Butter and Milk Festival banquet, celebrating 50 years of their exchange with students from an FFA chapter in Minnesota and students from an FFA chapter in Alabama. During the exchange, the Alabama delegates experience a Minnesota winter, winter activities and tour organizations that are involved in agriculture. I enjoyed hearing what the favorite part of each delegate’s week was as well as amazing them by showing some pictures of my butter sculpture.
March for so many college students like myself means spring break is near. This gives students time to reset before the craziness of finals picks up in May, and for many students, the break is an opportunity to travel. In most farming student’s case, spring break is a time to go home and help on the farm. This year, it is especially important for everyone to take their own spring break even if it’s just for an hour or two. Whether that means spending time with your family, getting coffee or taking a well-deserved nap, we all need a break sometimes. Regardless if you are a student or haven’t been a student in years, take time for yourself this month. Before the warm weather comes and we all have a million things on our to-do list, recharge. This will help to welcome the spring season in better spirit with sufficient rest and maybe even an additional helping hand if you have a college student coming home on break to help. As we near another busy season in our lives, it’s important to not only prepare our farm and equipment but also our minds and bodies as well. So, goodbye winter. Hello spring.
Princess Kay of the Milky Way Anna Euerle serves as the Minnesota dairy community’s goodwill ambassador. Princess Kay is very active doing school visits, representing dairy farmers at the Fuel Up To Play 60 activities in conjunction with the Minnesota Vikings, and sharing the importance of dairy farming and dairy foods at appearances across Minnesota.
Euerle grew up in Litchfield, Minnesota, working on her family’s dairy farm. She will soon graduate from Ridgewater College in Agribusiness with a dairy emphasis. In her free time she enjoys cooking, baking and being outdoors.