Kimberly Kester has been named as the 2014 Waupaca County Honey Queen.
Serving as a representative of the beekeeping industry fits right in with her goal to attain more knowledge of every aspect of Wisconsin agriculture.
“I felt that getting more experience with bees and the industry would give me more of a diversified background,” she said, “while also helping to promote an unrepresented industry within the state.”
Wisconsin is ranked No. 10 in the U.S. for honey production and bees are vitally important to the pollination of crops, according to Kester.
“I am really excited for the coming year and all of the knowledge I am going to gain,” she said. “The most exciting part is that I will be able to give that knowledge back to school children and to the general public at various events.”
“We are thrilled to have Kimberly as our honey queen because she is so well qualified,” said Sandra Marcy, Ogdensburg, honey queen coordinator for the Waupaca County Beekeepers Association.
This is the first time in over 30 years that the local association has sponsored a honey queen. Even then, it never would have happened if Kester hadn’t volunteered.
She first contacted the state beekeepers association, which directed her to contact the Waupaca County Beekeepers that have members from throughout Central Wisconsin. They agreed it would be a great opportunity.
Kim Kester, 21, is a 2010 graduate of Nekoosa High School and is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has a double major in dairy science and poultry science.
The daughter of James and Barbara Kester hopes to get a master’s degree and eventually work as a county extension agriculture agent.
To attain her goal, she is working to gain knowledge of agriculture through education and hands-on experience.
She has worked as a calf caretaker, pheasant management intern, communications & marketing intern for the UW-Madison Dairy Science Department, and as a genomics intern at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station. She currently is employed as part of the animal care crew for the UW-Madison Dairy Cattle Center & Livestock Lab.
The past 4-H member has worked with horses, rabbits, dairy cattle, llamas, and most types of poultry.
At UW-Madison, Kester is an active member of the Badger Dairy Club, Association of Women in Agriculture, and is the current president of the university’s Poultry Club.
Her past experiences include serving as the 2012 Central Wisconsin State Fair Fairest of the Fair.
Kester will vie for the title of Wisconsin Honey Queen at the Beekeepers State Convention in November.