AUGUST 18, 2022:
VeaBea Thomas from Harrold has been chosen as the Dakotafest Woman Farmer/Rancher of the Year for South Dakota.
The announcement was made today (Aug. 18, 2022), the last day of this year’s three-day show.
She says she’s learned from working with two other women in her family.
Thomas was modest and thankful while accepting the recognition.
The other finalists were:
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Evelyn Powell of Chamberlain
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Bonnie Krogman of Wood
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Ginger Post of Volga
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Donna Thompson of Estelline
IDEAg Group, LLC., producers of Dakotafest, says judges selected the top five women whose nominations demonstrated a high level of commitment to the farm or ranch in terms of hours dedicated, positive impact on income, yield, diversification or challenges, community involvement and passion for her farm and the ag industry.
Courtesy photo.
AUGUST 17, 2022:
The third annual Dakotafest Woman Farmer/Rancher of the Year Award will be announced tomorrow (Aug. 18, 2022) and among the finalists are three women from central South Dakota.
The five finalists are:
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VeaBea Thomas of Harrold
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Evelyn Powell of Chamberlain
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Bonnie Krogman of Wood
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Ginger Post of Volga
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Donna Thompson of Estelline
These five women will be recognized at the awards ceremony as part of the Women in Ag Event during the last day of this year’s Dakotafest show near Mitchell.
IDEAg Group, LLC., producers of Dakotafest, says judges selected the top five women whose nominations demonstrated a high level of commitment to the farm or ranch in terms of hours dedicated, positive impact on income, yield, diversification or challenges, community involvement and passion for her farm and the ag industry.
More about the finalists from the Dakotafest website:
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VeaBea Thomas worked as an LPN at McKennan Hospital, now Avera Hospital, before graduating from Garden City Community College with an RN degree. She continued working as a nurse and ranching for years before deciding to ranch full time with her family. VeaBea wears many hats working on the operation, including managing daily ranch practices, cattle genetics, running cattle through their annual sale, book-keeping, and the Quarter horse breeding program and rodeo horses. VeaBea is active in many beef breed associations, 4-H, FFA, and works diligently to provide youth opportunities in agriculture. She is also a Farm Bureau member, the president of the South Dakota Beef Breeds Council, and she is the current President of the South Dakota Beef Industry Council.
“She is a testament to what South Dakota prides itself with: Hard work, genuineness, and a vision that provides an opportunity to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.”
Courtesy photo.
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Evelyn Powell grew up working on her family’s dairy farm, and returned to farming full time after years working at the State Capital. She transitioned the farm from milking cows, eggs and hogs to row crops and beef cattle. Evelyn currently runs a cow/calf operation consisting of mainly Angus cattle. Her duties include daily chores, calving, fixing fence, spraying pastures, making breeding decisions, grain marketing, equipment maintenance, and management of the row crops. Within the community she is an avid promoter for water conservation, native grassland stewardship, and protecting wildlife habitat.
“After running her operation for over 60 years and overcoming the challenges that come along with it, her experience and knowledge of the ever-changing ag climate is something to truly admire.”
Courtesy photo.
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Bonnie Krogman is a full time rancher and is the sole operator of her ranch in White River. Her cattle herd has been built to be one of the top herds in the region, with their calves consistently topping the market when sold. Bonnie handles all cattle duties from calving to feeding the herd, as well as putting up hay and maintaining the ranch machinery, buildings and fences. In addition to being a rancher, Bonnie is a western artist and a popular cowboy poet. Her poetry is considered factual and hilarious as she draws from personal experiences on the ranch. She is also known for helping neighbors with their needs and ranch operations.
“She is literally an icon in the world of women ranchers and that will be verified by anyone that knows and has witnessed her capabilities.”
Courtesy photo.
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Donna Thompson graduated from college with degrees in Agriculture Banking and Nursing. She worked at a local bank and was an RN at Estelline Clinic and Estelline Nursing & Care Center. Donna supports the family farm in many aspects, some include going on parts runs, bringing meals out to the field and operating equipment. She is active in the Estelline Alumni Association, volunteering to run the official score clock for basketball and volleyball games. She has been a EMT and an officer on the Estelline ambulance service for several years, and is active in her church the United Church of Christ in Estelline.
“She always shows how important it is to keep faith, farming, family and friends a high priority in the community.”
Courtesy photo.
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Ginger Post graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in Ag Journalism and minors in Animal and Range Sciences. She grew up on a 600 head cow/calf operation and works on her family’s farm. Ginger milks the cattle, mixes feed, and cuts and bales hay. Her primary focus is calf care, where she can have up to 40 head of calves in hutches at any point. She started selling locker beef in 2016, and has since grown that endeavor to sell retail beef at the local farmers market. Ginger is active in her community, participating in the Common Ground program through SD Corn for several years. She was the dairy representative on the bus for farm tours and booth at events like Expo for Her and Ag Day at the Pavillion, as well as a volunteer judge for FFA events.
“She puts her 20 plus years of experience and knowledge to use every day, whether it is helping her husband and children with farm activities or helping a customer understand different farming practices.”
Courtesy photo.
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