Dairy farming since she could walk

ZUMBROTA, Minn. — Natalie Clemenson’s favorite memories growing up on the farm include making water balloons out of used rubber milking gloves, making jokes with her brothers during chores, and watching calves grow up to be milk cows.

Now, Clemenson will be adding another dairy memory to her repertoire: being named a finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way.

“It’s always been a dream of mine,” Clemenson said. “I grew up going to the coronation with my grandma. … When I was announced a finalist, it really was excitement and then just blessedness to have this opportunity.”

Clemenson, the daughter of Brian and Tiffany, grew up on a dairy farm near Zumbrota. There, Clemenson’s parents, grandparents and siblings work together to milk 85-90 cows and care for their youngstock.

In her role as a finalist, Clemenson said she is ready to advocate for the dairy industry.

“One of the most important aspects (of being a princess) is really sharing our story as a dairy community,” Clemenson said. “It’s something that not everyone has that background and experience in. … It’s super fun to see consumers light up when they understand and connect that information.”

Clemenson is active on her family’s dairy, helping feed calves, caring for young stock, checking for heats, making breeding choices and assisting in treatment protocols.

“(My) responsibilities have grown as I got older,” Clemenson said. “My mom had me with her in the barn before I could walk. So as soon as I could walk and hold a bottle, the calves were my thing.”

She said feeding calves is her favorite chore and she likes that the calves each have their own personality.

“It’s fun to watch those as they grow,” Clemenson said. “Taking care of them from day one to seeing them calve in with their own calves is super special. You see that work that you put in with them as such a little calf pays off when they get to that later stage.”

She also helps with fieldwork: hauling bales, chopper boxes and grain carts.

Clemenson said she plans to share about her experiences on the dairy as a finalist.

“Being able to advocate on behalf of all things dairy is something that I’m really passionate about and really grateful for,” Clemenson said. “It’s important to have somebody to speak on behalf of dairy, because a lot of our farmers and those behind it don’t often have the time to do it.”

She said the primary messages she plans to share if chosen as Princess Kay revolve around cow comfort and sustainability practices such as no-till, crop rotation and water reuse.

She said her biggest focus is connecting to school-age students who are the next generation of consumers.

“Being able to educate them about where their food and dairy products come from is super important,” Clemenson said. “Not all of them are going to have that background knowledge. So being able to share that story of farm to store and farm to table is super valuable for those ages.”

Clemenson has already shared about agriculture and youth development to students through her role as the 2024-2025 Minnesota FFA reporter. In the role she connected to a variety of ages as well as legislators, corporate donors and more. She said her experience connecting with diverse audiences is a strength she brings to being a finalist for Princess Kay.

As the only state officer on her team with a dairy farm, Clemenson said she was able to teach her team more about dairy through a visit to her farm.

“It made me realize that not everybody has this background and this experience,” Clemenson said. “Some of the things that I take for granted and view as common knowledge, some people have never experienced before.”

When it comes to the butter sculpture she will be receiving, Clemenson has not fully decided what she will be doing with the entire 90-pound buttery likeness. She plans to use the scraps for her family’s annual holiday baking at her grandma’s house, where the family makes dozens of types of cookies.

“We fill her dining room table and two card tables,” Clemenson said. “It’s way more cookies than anybody needs, but we all enjoy baking, so it’s a fun time.”

As she looks towards the end of August and the Minnesota State Fair, Clemenson is excited to connect with fairgoers at The Great Minnesota Get-Together.

“Being able to be an advocate at such a large-scale event is a really unique opportunity,” Clemenson said. “The butter heads always draw in a really big crowd. … A lot of them are coming in just to see the butter heads, but they’re able to learn so much more within that dairy building, whether it’s the finalist that’s getting carved, talking and telling their story, or the promotion items that are up.”