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“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 18, No. 13
Harren survives bull attack By Jennifer Coyne
August 27, 2016
Hinrichs crowned 63rd Princess Kay
jenn@dairystar.com
FREEPORT, Minn. – On a dreary evening in August, Jim Harren sits around the kitchen table with his wife, Cheryl, and daughter, Kaitlin, 20. Together, they recount the horric event that ensued nearly two months ago. “It was the day after Father’s Day,” said Jim, staring through the raindrops on the window. “I remember that.” In the midst of morning chores June 22, the herd bull on the Harrens’ 60-cow Holstein dairy near Freeport, Minn., attacked Jim. That Monday morning began like any other. Jim and Kaitlin had nished milking and were letting the cows out of the barn in order to bed the tiestalls. At the same time, the herd bull was released from his pen at the back corner of the barn. Time had passed and the cows were ready to come back inside. Kaitlin watched the herd come in as Jim moved around the cow yard directing them towards the barn door. Being cautious of the risk outside, Jim always carried an aluminum bat in case the bull would become dangerous. “We A.I. everything, but we’ve always had a bull on the farm, too,” Jim said. “Bulls are threatening, though, and we have to respect that.” Standing in the barn waiting for the remainder of the herd, Kaitlin noticed that it was taking more time than usual to bring the cows inside. “I yelled [for Dad] and saw the bat lying there, and I thought ‘Oh, my gosh,’” Kaitlin said. As Kaitlin peered around the corner of the barn, Jim sat up on the other side of the now busted four-board fence; the electric wire atop was still intact. “His face was all bloody, but he told me to get the skidloader and our hired help to open the gate,” Kaitlin said. “I was worried when I saw the blood, but my instincts kicked in and I wasn’t thinking. I just knew what I had to do.” Using the skidloader, the crew chased the bull into the barn, where Jim swayed behind and pinned the bull in his pen. Turn to HARREN | Page 5
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Jim Harren is recovering from an on-farm bull a�ack with the support of his family, including wife, Cheryl, and daughter, Kaitlin. The Harrens milk 60 cows near Freeport, Minn.
MISSY MUSSMAN/DAIRY STAR
Haley Hinrichs of Goodhue, Minn. (le�) reacts to being crowned the 63rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way on Aug. 24 at the Minnesota State Fair Bandshell in Falcon Heights, Minn. Morgan Krause of Buffalo, Minn. (center) and Meghan Skiba of Cambridge, Minn. (right) rounded out the top three.
Goodhue County claims title for rst time By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. – Haley Hinrichs’ dad predicted she would be Princess Kay of the Milky Way long before she stood on the stage at this year’s coronation the night before the opening of the Minnesota State Fair. “I remember coming to the state fair when I was younger to watch my brother show cattle. My dad was eating an ice cream cone, points to the butterheads and said, ‘You can do that some day … because you live on a dairy farm you can do that someday and I bet you will,’” Hinrichs said. Someday has arrived. Hinrichs was crowned the 63rd Princess Kay of the Milky Way on Aug. 24 during a coronation at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights, Minn. The 19-year-
old daughter of Tim Hinrichs block of butter. is from Goodhue, Minn., and “I’m very excited,” Hinrepresents Goodhue County. richs said. “It’s denitely “I saw my dad shoot up something you only get to exin the air and all of a sudden perience once. If it’s hot out I everything became really real. get to be in a nice cold coolThe tingles in my hands went er and at the end of it I get a away,” Hinrichs said of the bunch of butter to take home to crowning moment when out- donate it, have a party with it going 62nd Princess Kay Kyla or give it to friends and famMauk placed the crown on her ily.” With his daughter sitting head. Meghan Skiba of Cam- in the butter booth the rst day bridge, Minn., representing of the fair, Tim is making sure Isanti County and Morgan chores get done in time to see it Krause of Buffalo, Minn., rep- all happen. “My son is doing the milkresenting Wright County were selected as runners-up. Skiba ing tonight. I told him that if was also named Miss Con- by any chance she would win, geniality and earned one of be prepared to get up early bethree scholarships along with cause we’re going to have to Krause and Sabrina Portner of milk and get back up here,” Sleepy Eye, Minn., represent- Tim said. “I’ll probably be going on little sleep, but that’s the ing Brown County. One of Hinrichs’ rst du- way it is.” Along with having a butties as Princess Kay will be to sit in the rotating cooler to have terhead, Hinrichs is excited her head carved in a 90-pound for the next 12 days where she Turn to PRINCESS KAY | Page 7