The 2025 butter sculpture at the Pennsylvania Farm Show was unveiled last week.
The large butter display showcases a celebration of the state’s dairy industry under the theme “From Moo to Marvel: Dairy Cows Power Pennsylvania.”
The sculpture is open to the public at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg through Saturday, Jan. 11.
This year’s exhibit was crafted by artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, of Conshohocken, Montgomery County, and features a life-sized dairy cow and a methane digester against a backdrop of a Pennsylvania farm and a cityscape.
“We’re honored to bring the story of Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers to life through butter,” said Victor. “This sculpture celebrates the incredible dedication and creativity of farmers who feed our communities and champion sustainability,” added Marie Pelton. “Creating art that highlights agriculture’s vital role in our lives is truly a labor of love.”
The sculpture was created using over 1,000 pounds of butter donated by Land O’Lakes in Carlisle, of Cumberland County.
The butter sculpture is supported by the American Dairy Association North East, Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
According to officials, the sculpture highlights how dairy cows support the production of renewable energy through their waste using methane digesters.
“Cows are truly superheroes,” said dairy farmer Kacie Hershey of Ar-Joy Farms in Cochranville, Pennsylvania. “They not only produce nutritious milk that nourishes us, but they also upcycle food scraps, enrich soil, and, with digesters, turn their waste into renewable energy. It’s a marvel of nature and ingenuity!”
After the exhibition concludes, the butter used in the sculpture will be recycled at Reinford Farms in Juniata County, where it will be converted into renewable energy through a methane digester.
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding noted the importance of the Farm Show.
“The importance of the Pennsylvania Farm Show goes far beyond being the nation’s only mid-winter State Fair,” Redding said. “It is an opportunity to celebrate the New Year with the people of Pennsylvania agriculture whose products enhance our quality of life every day and sustain our environment and our communities year-round. It is a chance to learn about the agricultural legacy that has made Pennsylvania a national leader, and the innovative people and cutting-edge technologies powering Pennsylvania’s future.”
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