When it comes to promoting the dairy industry in Freeborn County, it’s all in the family this year. The Wangen family, that is.

Mary Wangen is serving as Freeborn County Dairy Princess and her sister, Rachel, is the Freeborn County Milk Maid.

As part of their duties during June Dairy Month, they’ll be promoting dairy at Northbridge Mall on June 18 and passing out dairy samples at Hy-Vee on June 19. They’ll also ride in the July 3 parade in Albert Lea and the July 4 parade in Blooming Prairie.

Rachel will also be going to day care centers to read the book written especially for the Milk Maid — a position only Freeborn County has — and the children of Freeborn County by 1967 Freeborn County Dairy Princess Charlotte Thompson Nelson. “Daisy” tells the story of a calf who wants to be many other animals, including a chicken, pig, sheep, horse and finally a cow, because she can make milk.

“Everyone in the barnyard has something to offer the farmer,” Mary said of the story she also read when she was the Milk Maid.

The book was illustrated by Elaine Miller and includes animals made of felt. It has been signed by every Freeborn County Milk Maid since Brenda Koziolek in 1979.

Each Freeborn County Milk Maid has been the “caretaker” of the one-of-a-kind book for one year.

Mary said she always knew she’d eventually be the Freeborn County Dairy Princess, especially since there are fewer dairy farmers in the county. Her parents, Matt and Sharon Wangen, have about 40 Holstein cows. They have a sister, Elizabeth, 16, who has also been a Milk Maid, and a brother, Josh, 14.

Mary feeds the cows corn and often gets the cows ready for milking. She also helps bale hay.

Rachel feeds the calves in their hutches and has helped bottle feed calves, too.

They’re both proud to represent the dairy industry, they said.

“Growing up on a farm, you become proud of what you do,” Mary said. “I want people to know that our dairy animals are well taken care of. I also want people to know how important dairy is to people.”

In addition to serving as Dairy Princess, Mary has taught figure skating, worked at the rock gym and as a lifeguard at the City Pool and taught Spanish. She is now on a trip to Costa Rica with the Albert Lea High School Spanish Club.

Mary, a 2009 graduate of Albert Lea High School, plans to attend the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus and study pre-med and Spanish.

Rachel, 10, will be a fifth-grader at Sibley Elementary in Albert Lea this fall.

The sisters share these favorite family recipes that use dairy products.

Cream cheese party mints

8 oz. cream cheese

2 lbs. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. flavoring (mint, vanilla or almond)

food coloring (the color you want)

Soften cream cheese and mix with powdered sugar to form a dough.

Add flavoring and color. Knead dough with extra powdered sugar until dough is no longer sticky. Chill.

Dip molds into granulated sugar, coating each one well, and shake off the excess.

Press dough, rolled into balls the size of marbles, into molds and invert mints onto waxed paper.

The mints should dry two to four hours covered with a dry cloth only. When dry, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Gramma Jo’s ‘White’ Soup

4 cups diced, peeled potatoes

1 cup finely diced carrots

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 tsp. salt

1 cup diced ham

Put all of the above in a large kettle. Cover with water and cook until tender. Do not drain. Set aside while making white sauce from 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup flour and 3 cups whole milk.

Melt butter in heavy Dutch oven. Add flour. Slowly whisk in milk and stir until thick over medium heat. Stir in cooked vegetables and liquid and ham. Heat through, but do no boil again. Season to taste. Serves six. (Evaporated milk can be substituted for the whole milk.)