The Pennsylvania Farm Show is showcasing a unique and edible piece of art: a 1,000-pound butter sculpture titled “A Table for All: Pennsylvania Dairy Connects.”
Crafted by artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, of Conshohocken, Montgomery County, the diorama embodies the 2024 Farm Show theme of “Connecting Our Communities.”
The sculpture is a representation of Pennsylvanians from urban and rural areas gathering around a meal. Highlighting local produce, it features a cityscape and farm skyline with the keystone-and-checkmark PA Preferred logo at the center, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
During the unveiling, the state dairy princess; dairy farmer Walt Moore, of Walmoore Holsteins in Chester County; Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding; and numerous PA dairy industry leaders were in attendance.
“Pennsylvania’s $14 billion dairy industry provides jobs 53,000 Pennsylvanians and makes up a third of our state’s food agriculture industry,” Redding said. “Our hardworking dairy farm families are connecting Pennsylvanians to opportunity and feeding our prosperity together.”
Moore, the outgoing chair of the state-supported Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence, stated he had pride in the sculpture’s depiction of the farmer-community relationship.
“This year’s butter sculpture illustrates the important connection between farmers and their local communities. That is very meaningful to me because I love what I do as a dairy farmer,” said Moore, outgoing chair of the state-supported Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence.
Artists Victor and Pelton, who have created 22 butter sculptures for the PA Farm Show since 1995, shared their pride in highlighting the efforts of dairy farmers and the importance of agriculture through their art.
“Creating art that showcases the hard work of dairy farmers is an immense source of pride for us,” said artist Victor.
“We also enjoy knowing that the sculpture tells an impactful story about the importance of agriculture,” added artist Pelton.
The sculpture will be on display through Saturday.
Following the Farm Show, the butter, donated by Land O’ Lakes in Cumberland County, will be repurposed at Reinford Farms in Juniata County. There, it will be converted into renewable energy in the farm’s methane digester, closing the loop in an eco-friendly manner, officials said.
For more information about the Pennsylvania Farm Show and to experience the buttery masterpiece, visit farmshow.pa.gov.
