Five finalists, including Chamberlain resident, named for 2022 Dakotafest Woman Farmer of the Year

The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·3 min read

Jun. 30—MITCHELL — The five finalists for the Dakotafest Woman Farmer and Rancher of the Year Award have been selected. IDEAg Group, the promoters of Dakotafest, will award the honor for the third time in 2022 during Dakotafest, which will be held in Mitchell on Aug. 16-18.

The finalists include Bonnie Krogman, of Wood; Ginger Post, of Volga; Evelyn Powell, of Chamberlain; VeaBea Thomas, of Herrold; and Donna Thompson, of Estelline. These five women will be recognized at the awards ceremony as part of the Women in Ag Event, the morning of Aug. 18, at the Dakotafest grounds.

The award is based on nominations, with women considered based on their commitment to the farm, positive impact on income, yield, diversification, community involvement and passion for farming and agriculture.

Each of the finalists will receive a gift and five complimentary tickets to Dakotafest, while the winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize. The winner of the contest will be announced on Aug. 18 during Dakotafest's Women in Ag event.

Here is a look at the nominees:

* Bonnie Krogman, of Wood, is a full-time rancher and is the sole operator of her ranch near White River, with a cattle herd has been built to be one of the top herds in the region. She 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, Krogman is a western artist and a popular cowboy poet.

* Ginger Post, of Volga, grew up on a 600 head cow-calf operation and works on her family's farm, where she 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. For the last six years, she has sold beef at the local farmers market. Post has been active in the Common Ground program through South Dakota Corn and has served as a volunteer judge for FFA events.

* Evelyn Powell, of Chamberlain, grew up on her family's dairy farm and today is involved in a cow-calf operation that is primarily 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. Away from the farm, Powell is an avid promoter for water conservation, native grassland stewardship, and protecting wildlife habitat.

* VeaBea Thomas, of Herrold, works in many facets of her 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. She is active in many beef breed associations, 4-H, FFA, and works to provide youth opportunities in agriculture. Thomas is currently president of both the South Dakota Beef Breeds Council and the South Dakota Beef Industry Council.

* Donna Thompson, of Estelline, supports the family farm in many aspects, some include going on parts runs, bringing meals out to the field and operating equipment. Previously working in banking and nursing, she is active in her community serving as an EMT, with her church and working at sporting events.