Dairy Princess for District 3

My name is Hope Hanselman and I am the Dairy Princess for District 3 (Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and Solano counties). And, in-between graduating high school, starting college, working at my town's creamery, moving out to my employer's dairy, and still being Dairy Princess my summer has been jam-packed. But thankfully, attending events as Dairy Princess is much more a privilege than a responsibility. For four months now I have had the pleasure of being a California Dairy Princess and I can tell you honestly that I have learned more information, met more people, made more connections, and discovered more about myself than any other four months of my life. Surely when any of us started our reign as Dairy Princess we were unaware of the impact it would really have on our lives. And I feel so lucky. Let me share a few stories with you of my year thus far...

May was Rotary Club breakfasts, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and dairy tours. June was City Council meetings, fire department barbeques, and California Milk Advisory Board meetings. July was county fairs, milking demonstrations, and awards ceremonies.

My very first "appearance" as District 3 Dairy Princess was a preschool tour of a local dairy. Of course, being new at this, I was nervous. I wanted to share all I knew about milk nutrition and dairy operations and the trail from the farm to the grocery store, but I was stopped when I realized I was a good two-and-a half feet taller, and 14 years older than just about everyone around me. So I hung back and continued on the tour. When it ended it was time for some fun. So we made ice cream! Shaking a freezing baggie of milk and sugar and passing it over to a bouncing little girl, I realized we all relate to this industry in different ways. A kid may not be interested in the protein content of milk or its role in our state's economy, but she sure wants to know it makes the cheese in her sandwich, the butter on her toast, and most of all the ice cream in her cone!  The tour was a success and I can't wait to do more!

Your District 3 Dairy Princess,

Hope Hanselman