Miss America, The Farm Girl

I loved watching the Miss America pageant as a little girl. All my friends did too. I think secretly we all thought, one day that will be me! The closest I ever got to being Miss America was being crowned Washington County Dairy Princess. Don't get me wrong, as that too was a huge honor, but I never got to be serenaded by host Bert Parks. 

Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell didn't get to be serenaded either, as Bert Parks retired before Betty was even born! Did you notice I called her Betty. Yep, we're on a first name basis. You see Betty is one of us, a farm girl.  

Here I am with Miss America. Who would have thought...

 I met Betty at her recent visit to  Wolf Creek Dairy a dairy farm in Dundas, Minnesota owned by the Liebebstein family. Betty's platform, "Healthy Children, Strong America" encourages children to make healthy choices and stay physically active. It is in partnership with the American Farm Bureau Foundation For Agriculture.

Miss America and Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Kyla Mauk, touring with Mary Liebenstein.

This partnership brought her to Minnesota to visit schools in the area that participated in the First Peas To The Table contest.  This national competition for schools encourages children in kindergarten through fifth grade to plant, raise and harvest peas this spring. What better way to learn, than to get your hands dirty!

This farm girl loves cows!

 So why not visit a few farms while you're here promoting agriculture?

Betty not only talks-the-talk for agriculture, Betty walks-the-walk. After our lunch at Wolf Creek Dairy, she shared about her life growing up on a 700 acre farm in Georgia, her journey to becoming Miss America, (she watched the contest only one year before competing!) and she sang for us (Jesus Take The Wheel). Finally, Betty shared her passion for "Healthy Children, Strong America".

Betty learned to drive a tractor at the age of 9.

  Princess Kay, Kyla Mauk, then had the opportunity to share about a similar program we dairy farmers are passionate about, Fuel Up To Play 60. This program, sponsored by The National Football League and dairy farmers across America, also encourages healthy eating and exercise. 

Miss America greets Dakota County Farm Bureau members.

Here's what Miss America, Betty Cantrell, said on Face Book about her recent visit to Minnesota, "Spending my day in my kinda territory, with our Minnesotan farmers thanks to my partner with my platform, the American Farm Bureau Federation. 🚜 I feel right at home!" ‪

Thanks for visiting Betty! You're welcome back any time...any time at all!