Who will be the next Asparagus Queen?

SHELBY — Two women are vying for the 2015 Asparagus Queen title during the National Asparagus Festival’s Banquet and Pageant set for Saturday, June 6, at 6 p.m. at Shelby High School.

The formal evening includes a spectacular dinner, music and entertainment. Tickets will be available on the merchandise page of the NAF web site prior to the event and at the door that evening.

The festival takes place the following weekend, June 12-14.

Here are the queen candidates:

Konnie Vandervelde

Konnie Vandervelde is sponsored by Michigan Freeze Pack in Hart. Konnie describes herself as, “loving, optimistic and dependable.” She grew up in the Mears/Silver Lake area, living most of her life in Oceana County.

She has wanted to be asparagus royalty since she was young, following in the steps of her Great-Aunt Lorena who was Mrs. Asparagus in 1993. She has a degree in early childhood education from Baker College and currently works for Graphics House in Muskegon in the accounting department. Konnie’s free time is spent with her husband, John, her family and her hobbies which are sewing and scrapbooking. She also loves spending time outdoors. Konnie’s favorite way to eat asparagus is in “pasta, in soup and deep-fried.”

Courtney Kokx, is sponsored by Eugene Kokx Farms LLC and Gayle’s Salon & Spa in Hart. Courtney describes herself as “motivated, personable and passionate.” She was born and raised

Courtney Kokx

on her parents’ fruit and vegetable farm in Hart, where they grow 275 acres of asparagus.

She has followed asparagus production her entire life through local growers and has participated in NAF since her childhood. Courtney graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor of arts in health administration and she currently works at Spectrum Health in Ludington.

For fun, she enjoys hunting, camping, sports and anything outdoors. Courtney loves to cook asparagus in a variety of ways, but her favorite is “on the grill or in an omelet.”

Courtney’s sister, Danielle Kokx, is the reigning 2014 Asparagus Queen.