Celebrate National Ice Cream Month with the Iowa Dairy Princess

By Amber Hammes, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds Marketing Intern

At this point in the year, most Iowans are counting down days until the Iowa State Fair. July is chalked-full of county fairs, vacations and preparing campers and livestock trailers for another trip down to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Kate Stewart, 2015-2016 Iowa Dairy Princess, has been just as busy celebrating National Ice Cream Month!

Kate is a fifth generation dairy farmer from Oelwein, Iowa, where her family milks 150 Holstein cows three times per day and farms 290 acres of alfalfa and corn. She grew up following the footsteps of her four older siblings by becoming active in 4-H, FFA and the National Junior Holstein Association.

“Whether it be showing cattle at the fair or testing my dairy knowledge in dairy quiz bowl contests at the state and national level,” Kate says, “these incredible organizations have given me countless opportunities to grow as a dairy enthusiast.”

In 2014, Kate served as the Fayette County Dairy Princess. She spent the year serving frozen yogurt at local schools, throwing cheese sticks in parades and educating 2^nd grade classrooms about the role dairy plays in a healthy lifestyle. After having these amazing experiences, she wanted to continue to reach more people and advocate for the Iowa dairy industry. In August 2015, Kate was crowned 2015-16 Iowa Dairy Princess.

The Midwest Dairy Association created the Iowa Dairy Princess position over 60 years ago to be a public figure that advocates on behalf of dairy farmers. Kate and Leslie, along with the Midwest Dairy crew, promote the importance of getting three dairy servings per day with the #Dairy3ForMe pledge.

“The 2015 Dietary Guidelines have come out and they are still recommending that we get 3 servings of dairy every day to help us live healthy lives,” Kate said. “So make sure to grab a cheese stick for a snack on the go, celebrate ice cream month with a serving of ice cream, and grab a glass of milk after a workout – it just so happens to be the best way to rehydrate and refuel your body post-exercise!”

Kate’s adventures as the Iowa Dairy Princess take her across the state, serving as an ambassador for the dairy industry. She gets to attend Iowa dairy farmer’s open houses, county fairs and dairy community events. Sadly, Kate’s term will end in August. She will be handing over her crown to the 2016-2017 Iowa Dairy Princess on August 10^th at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The public is welcome to attend the coronation and show support to contestants who work hard to advocate for the Iowa dairy community. For more information, visit the Iowa Dairy Princess Facebook page and stay up to date on Iowa Dairy Princess appearances throughout the year.

About National Ice Cream Month

July was established as National Ice Cream Month in 1984 by the American Dairy Association in conjunction with President Ronald Reagan. The third Sunday in July (this Sunday, the 17^th!) is National Ice Cream Day. This year, Kate and Alternate Iowa Dairy Princess, Leslie Sivesind, will be attending an Iowa Cubs baseball game and throwing the first pitch. If you’re headed to Principal Park on Sunday, be sure to stop and say “Hi!” to Kate and Leslie! You can also talk to Kate at the Iowa State Fair, where she can be found working the dairy cattle shows, Midwest Dairy Association booth and Butter Cow exhibit.

Kick your boots off, scoop up a dish of dairy-licious ice cream and enjoy the remainder of the summer with Kate and all of us at Latham!

Wondering where you can get your ice cream fix at the Iowa State Fair? Here’s a list of all the vendors and their locations on the fairgrounds!