Woman Farmer of the Year isn’t resting on her laurels

By LAURA COLE

The Land Staff Writer

Last year Kristin Reiman Duden of Princeton, Minn. was named Farmfest’s 2022 Woman Farmer of the Year, and she has since stayed just as busy with a continued focus on dairy and youth — as well as mental health.

Before being named Woman Farmer of the Year, Reiman Duden said she had been thrilled just to be a top five finalist. While she had not met all of the finalists prior to attending Farmfest, she did know Karen Kasper through the dairy world. “I was just tickled to be in the same category as her, especially because I know she writes children’s books and she does so much for the dairy industry,” Reiman Duden stated.

Over the past year, she shared that the congratulatory remarks she’s received have meant a lot. Receiving the recognition has allowed for making more connections with others, even with people outside of the ag industry.

Reiman Duden is a fourth generation farmer on the land her family has owned since 1933. She and her husband, Thomas Duden, bought the farm from Reiman Duden’s parents, Richard and Margaret, who continue to be actively involved in the dairy operation. While a portion of the family’s 320 acres are dedicated to pasture, they also grow corn and oats for their cows, as well as have 125 acres for hay.

Growing up on the farm and thinking about her future, Reiman Duden shared, “I figured I’d be in some aspect of the dairy industry; I didn’t know exactly what.” Also having an interest in working with youth, she earned a degree in Agricultural Education-Leadership, Training and Development with a minor in Animal Science from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Nearing graduation, Reiman Duden was strongly considering taking a dairy job in California when her dad asked if she wanted to come home to farm. She returned to her roots in order to stay close to her family, her cows, and to work with the youth in her community. “I think it’s working out great,” she stated of the decision made.

The Woman Farmer of the Year award is sponsored by the producers of Farmfest, IDEAg Group, LLC. Some of the eligibility criteria includes having “a positive impact on the farm in terms of income, yield, diversification, and/or overcoming challenges” as well as demonstrating “not only impact on the farm but also positive impact on her community.”

On the farm, Reiman Duden’s specialty is herd health, but she stated she also tag teams with her dad and they are both able to take care of what’s needed. No stranger to field work, “I really enjoy doing hay — from cutting, raking, baling, everything like that,” she stated.

Reiman Duden shared that over the years some things have changed at the farm, like making the switch from Holsteins to primarily Jerseys. They currently milk about 40 cows. They also have increased their hay sales and work with more dry hay over haylage. For safety purposes, they’ve moved from silos to using bags. For the last two years, they have rented some of their acres for corn to a neighbor, and Reiman Duden has enjoyed the benefits of working together.