Emma Kuball grew up outside of Waterville and is the sixth generation to live and work on their dairy farm. Their family purchased the farm in 1903 and built the barn still sued for milking in 1920. The Kuball family farms 1,200 acres and milks 240 Holsteins in a double six parlor.
Growing up on the farm Emma was involved in many ways in the family business. She started feeding calves before she was old enough to go to school. 4-H started her in cattle showing where she found out how fun dairy judging could be. Emma worked with her sister and brother on the farm each summer but also had time for fun activities like climbing in the cottonseed pile and making an obstacle course out of hay bales. She served as a Rice County Dairy Maid during her fifth through eighth grade years. After joining FFA she raised calves as her supervised ag experience. Emma also served as the Minnesota State FFA president this past year.
Emma had always looked up to the Princess Kay candidates and wanted to participate when she was able. Her aunt was a finalist in 2002 and her sister Kelsey became a butterhead in 2021. Those who are not familiar with the Princess Kay of the Milky Way pageant, each finalist gets to have her head and shoulders carved in a life size block of butter during the Minnesota State Fair. There were four young women who are Rice County dairy princess in 2023 and Emma was selected as one of the ten finalists in the state selection process in May. She was surprised to make the final cut but her name was the second one chosen so the suspense was over soon.
Emma graduated high school in 2022 and is currently attending the University of Wisconsin at River Falls where she is pursuing her license to teach as an agricultural educator. She is looking forward to coming back to teach and hopes to find a position in the area where she can be involved in the farming operation somehow. Her brother Keegan is a junior in high school and very active in the family farm. Keegan also won the state heavyweight wrestling title this year.
