September 2006 Dave and Pam Bolin Receive Ralph Keeling Award

ASHLEY NIMTZ
BECCA BAHL
Sisters Sarah Bahl, 19, and
Becca Bahl, 17, of Dubuque,
Iowa, are both royalty this
year. They are the daughters
of Swiss Valley Farms members Martin
and Linda Bahl.
A senior at Wahlert High School,
Becca was crowned the 2006 Dubuque
County 4-H Fair Queen. She helped to
Ashley Nimtz, 16, of
Monticello, Wis, was
crowned the 2006-2007
New Glarus Dairy Queen
and went on to win the Green County
Dairy Queen title after an all-day
interview process. She is the daughter
of Swiss Valley Farms members Jeff
and Julie Nimtz.
The Green County competition
ended with one big question in front of
the over 200 people in attendance. “If
you could meet anyone dead or alive,
who would it be? And why?” “I told
them I would like to meet my great
grandfather,” she said, “because he
was a very hard working dairy farmer.”
Ashley looks forward to her year as
Green County Dairy Queen. “This
promote the fair around the county and
was also busy during the fair passing out
show ribbons, helping out during Kid’s
Day and basically making appearances
everywhere she could throughout the
fair.
On the family’s farm, Becca helps
with the calf feedings. After graduation,
she plans to attend college and study
either dentistry or accounting.
Sarah Bahl, the Dubuque County
Dairy princess alternate, participated
in the Iowa State Dairy princess
contest in August, where she finished
in the top five. She also was voted
“Miss Congeniality” by her fellow
contestants.
Sarah is a sophomore at Clark
College in Dubuque, where she is
studying nursing and biology. She
occasionally works at a nursing home.
When asked what she does on her
parents’ farm, she laughed, “What don’t
I do on the farm?”
“I help milk the cows, I help with
is fun for me because I get to do the
two things I love to do best: such as
promoting the Agricultural Industry, as
well as the Dairy Industry.”
Ashley helps out on her family’s
farm by keeping track of vaccination
records, herd health, feeding the cattle,
as well as mowing hay all summer long.
She is a junior at New Glarus High
School, where she was recently inducted
into the National Honor Society. She
is very active in the New Glarus FFA
Chapter, the New Glarus High School
Band, athletics and Student Council.
She is currently President of the New
Glarus 4-H Club.
She hopes to attend the University
of Wisconsin, Madison and eventually
become a large animal veterinarian.
field chores, mix feeds, haul manure
and handle the records. The sky is the
limit!”
Sarah explained that her father had
knee surgery this summer and she got
to plant oats for the very first time. “It
was fun. I hope they’re in right!”
SARAH BAHL
SEPTEMBER JULY 2006 2006 page 9