AGRONOMY
Vinkemeiers of NYA named 2018 Carver Co. Farm Family of the Year
Seven C Dairy is a fi tting
name for the farm of Jeff and
Christina “Tina” Vinkemeier
in Norwood Young America.
It was originally chosen
because of the seven people
in the family whose names
start with “C.” Coincidentally,
the farm also has all seven
breeds of US dairy cows, and
it’s moving toward the sev-
enth generation of family
Photo by Starrla Cray
Collin Vinkemeier, 19, is pictured with his 14- ownership.
The Vinkemeiers home-
year-old sister, Cadee, and his dad, Jeff . They
are with Carrot, one of their heifers.
steaded the property in 1859,
and Jeff and Tina took over in
1997 as the sixth generation. Now, their 19-year-old son, Collin, is
studying dairy management at Ridgewater College in Willmar with
plans to continue the family tradition someday.
Contributions in Carver County
Seven C Dairy was recently chosen as the 2018 Carver County Farm
Family of the Year by the University of Minnesota Extension. The pro-
gram honors farm families from throughout the state for their contri-
butions to the agriculture industry and their local communities.
The Vinkemeiers are members of several dairy breed organiza-
tions, and they have a long history of involvement in dairy promo-
tion activities and 4-H.
“Basically, anything with 4-H and dairy, we’re there,” Jeff said.
All six children have shown and judged dairy cattle for 4-H, and
Jeff has coached dairy judging for the past six or seven years. Jeff
joked that “an overgrown 4-H project” is the reason they have all
seven breeds of dairy cows.
The family also leases animals to other 4-H participants, in order to
give more kids a chance to learn about dairy. For this arrangement,
the cows and calves usually live on the Vinkemeier farm, and partici-
pants go there to get the animals ready for showing.
When Jeff and Tina took over the farm, the family was milking
45 cows in a tie-stall barn. A year later, they installed a double-four,
step-up parlor. Since then, they’ve upgraded to a 73-head free stall
barn and added a calf/heifer barn.
The Vinkemeiers currently milk 150 cows twice a day, employing a
few high school students part time. Having the parlor has been a big
time-saver, according to Jeff .
“It’s so much more labor effi cient,” he said.
Broll and Grimm named Princess Kay fi nalists
Kerkhoven, representing Kandiyohi County, were selected as run-
ners-up.
Katherine Gathje of Richmond, representing Meeker County, Ash-
ley Maus of Freeport, representing Stearns County and Julia Mullen-
bach of Rose Creek, representing Mower County were named schol-
arship winners. Lindquist was also named Miss Congeniality.
Throughout her yearlong reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way,
Paskewitz will make public appearances to help connect consum-
ers to Minnesota’s dairy farm families. She will work to bring dairy
to life through conversations, classroom visits and various speaking
engagements.
Paskewitz’s fi rst offi cial duty as Princess Kay was to sit in a rotating
cooler in the Dairy Building at the Minnesota State Fair Aug. 23 for
nearly six hours to have her likeness sculpted in a 90-pound block
of butter. This year marks butter sculptor Linda Christensen’s 47th
Laura Grimm, 20, Waconia, Carver year carving the Princess Kay of the Milky Way winner and fi nalists
Amy Broll, 21, Chaska, Carver
at the Minnesota State Fair. Other fi nalists who had their likenesses
County
County
sculpted were:
Courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association
• Melendy Miller, Plainview, representing Wabasha County;
Rebekka Paskewitz, a 20-year-old college student from Brower-
• Laura Grimm, Waconia, representing Carver County;
ville, representing Todd County, was crowned the 65th Princess Kay
•
Julia Mullenbach, Rose Creek, representing Mower County;
of the Milky Way in an evening ceremony at the Minnesota State Fair-
•
Amy Broll, Chaska, representing Carver County;
grounds Aug. 22.
•
Megan
Hollermann, Burtrum, representing Todd County;
Paskewitz will serve as the offi cial goodwill ambassador for near-
•
Blaize
Dankers,
Plainview, representing Wabasha County;
ly 3,000 Minnesota dairy farm families. She is the daughter of Alan
•
Ashley
Maus,
Freeport,
representing Stearns County;
and Vicki Paskewitz, and attends the South Dakota State University,
•
Katherine
Gathje,
Richmond,
representing Meeker County;
where she is pursuing a degree in agricultural education.
•
Catherine
Thompson,
Plainview,
representing Olmsted County;
Twelve county dairy princesses from throughout Minnesota com-
•
Korissa
Lindquist,
Kerkhoven,
representing
Kandiyohi County;
peted for the Princess Kay of the Milky Way title. Blaize Dankers of
and
Plainview, representing Wabasha County, and Korissa Lindquist of
• Calissa Lubben, Edgerton, representing Rock County.
www.midcountycoop.com
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