Submitted photo Ruth Klossner of Lafayette was recently named Minnesota Holstein Association’s Person of the Year.

LAFAYETTE — The Minnesota Holstein Association recognized Ruth Klossner of rural Lafayette as a Person of the Year during the 2022 Minnesota All-Breeds Convention Banquet on March 11 in Willmar.

This year’s award was given in memory of Bernie Schmitz, a longtime and active Holstein association member who dairy farmed in rural Eden Valley. Schmitz passed away in November of 2021.

Klossner, an avid photographer and member of the Holstein association, went to the banquet with the expectation of taking photos of award winners she personally knew. Instead, she was a recipient of an award.

Klossner’s love for dairy started at a young age on her family’s dairy farm in rural New Ulm in western Nicollet County. She was active in 4-H and showed dairy at the Nicollet County Fair and the Minnesota State Fair. She was awarded the Minnesota Holstein Girl Award and had the honor of representing Minnesota as the National Holstein Girl in 1968.

Klossner is considered a supporter of “all things dairy” by serving as the announcer of the Nicollet County 4-H, open class and Future Farmers of America shows for many years; served as a member of the County Fair Board, served as president and secretary of the Nicollet County Holstein Association and participated in and recorded many dairy events via photos and articles, both during and after her years as a county extension agent, newspaper reporter and editor.

For 38 years, Klossner has been the official photographer of 4-H livestock champions, 4-H judging teams and the Dairy Showcase at the Minnesota State Fair. Furthermore, she has co-chaperoned the Minnesota delegation to the National 4-H Dairy Conference and assumed the role of the conference photographer the first year she attended.

At the 2021 Minnesota State Fair, she received the Bruce Cottington Friend of Dairy Award from the Minnesota Milk Producers Association for her involvement and promotion of dairy in the state.

Klossner is best known as the official curator of “Ruth’s Cow Collector Moo-seum” with nearly 20,000 cow-related items. The ‘moo’-seum is in her house and has been written

about in articles and featured on television.

She loves to share her collection with others by offering tours of the ‘moo’-seum, with people visiting from as far away as Europe.

“It is easy to say this about the recipient of tonight’s award — wherever 2 or more people gather for a dairy event you can be sure that tonight’s award winner will soon follow — the state show, field day, National Holstein Convention, a youth dairy show, and more! She has received numerous awards and accolades, both in and out of agriculture circles, all of which are too numerous to mention tonight. However, they are all well-deserved for her service to her community and many non-profit organizations,” said Kenny Mueller of Arlington, presenter of the award on behalf of the Minnesota Holstein Association Board of Directors.

Amanda Bedtke, of Plainview, Minnesota, was also a recipient of the Person of the Year Award in honor of Schmitz.