Life is too short: eat ice cream first

Malorie Thorson, 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way

Matt Addington/Midwest Dairy

I am sure you have all heard of the saying, “Save the best for last.” My mom commonly said this to me, as I have a reputation for eating dessert, aka ice cream, before dinner. To no one’s surprise, I always rebutted that with, “Life is too short to live by that rule.” After that, she always moved to another conversation because she knew it was a true statement.

This is similar to the true statement she told me the night of August 23, 2025, after the Princess Kay of the Milky Way crown was placed on my head: “This will be the fastest year yet.” And to no surprise, she was right. This year, as your 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way, my year has flown by in the blink of an eye. From the first 12 days spent at the Great Minnesota Get-Together to celebrating National Ice Cream Month around the entire state, I cannot believe it is coming to an end.

Yet, this dream and these past months would have never been possible without you.

Dairy advocacy

After all the excitement and preparation for National Dairy Month, I entered July with the same excitement and mentality that my last full month as Princess Kay will be the best for last. Throughout this month, events not only included ice cream consumption but also a variety of opportunities to share the dairy story.

To begin the month, I met with Children’s Theater Company to preview the production of Princess Kay of the Milky Way the Musical. It was a joy to see the actors bring characters to life and share my “why” for returning to the family farm, in hopes that the passion and emotion are communicated to future audiences.

In the same week I also traveled close to home for a Harvest Bank customer appreciation ice cream social. Some of my favorite moments from this event were visiting with the Adult Training and Habilitation Center residents and a consumer’s excitement when she found out that she could enjoy real dairy with lactose-free ice cream.

Finally, to complete the first full week, we held our July orientation for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way finalists. I loved learning about their backgrounds with dairy and seeing the excitement grow for the upcoming coronation.

Towards the end of July, I attended many events centered around fun for the whole family. Kids days at the Chisago and Isanti County fairs were a hit as children of all ages filled their bags with dairy goodies as I quizzed them on dairy knowledge. In the same way, Todd County Breakfast on the Farm brought consumers of all ages excitement as they participated in six dairy-related activities to win a swag bag. Similarly, Night on the Farm in Brown County showcased a variety of agriculture, including a milking demonstration where consumers asked questions about a cow’s life outside of working 8-10 minutes a day.

Next the greater Minneapolis area showed its excitement to witness agriculture and dairy foods at the upcoming Minnesota State Fair during the Minneapolis Aquatennial Torchlight Parade alongside Fairborne and Fairchild.

Finally, my last event to round out National Ice Cream Month was to visit the birthplace of the well-known Dilly Bar in Moorhead. As consumers came to enjoy a dairy treat while donating towards the Stanford Children’s Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, they were greeted by me and Penny, the calf. What a great way to conclude National Ice Cream Month.

So as my reign is coming to an end, I am more than grateful. I am blessed, blessed to be a part of the dairy community that brings our hometowns together with countless activities that have become my fondest memories. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for always welcoming me, pushing me outside of my comfort zone and teaching me how to embrace every interaction and moment. It is because of each of you that I know my forever home is not a place, but a community. This is a community that is dedicated, supportive and built on individual legacies that come together to write a story that is worth advocating for.

Life is short and this year went by fast, but I didn’t save the best for last. Instead, the best was found at every event, in every conversation and with every mile, because the best began with you.

Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Malorie Thorson, serves as the Minnesota dairy community’s goodwill ambassador. Malorie grew up in Waverly, Minnesota. She attends South Dakota State University majoring in Dairy Production with plans to return to her family farm as the sixth generation. Malorie loves trying out new recipes and baking, swing dancing, reading, and spending quality time with her family during early morning milking shifts. Her parents are Andrew and Colette Thorson.

Princess Kay is active doing school visits and events representing dairy farmers, and sharing the importance of dairy farming and dairy foods at appearances across Minnesota.