It\u2019s January, and that means one of Pennsylvania\u2019s grandest spectacles is back again: the annual Farm Show butter sculpture.<\/p>\n
Every year, in Harrisburg, a new 1,000-pound sculpture is unveiled to the public at the Farm Show Complex, a 1-million-square-foot event space that hosts the long-running show. Some years, the sculpture features mascots, like Gritty<\/a>. This year\u2019s sculpture is titled, \u201cA Toast to Our Nation\u2019s 250th Anniversary: Inspired by Founders. Grown by Farmers\u201d in honor of America\u2019s Semiquincentennial<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe butter sculpture is a people-pleasing favorite every year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show,\u201d Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said in a press release. \u201cIn this America250 year, it takes on a deeper meaning reflecting how agriculture has been the roots of our nation\u2019s growth and prosperity for 250 years, and how Pennsylvania farmers will continue to lead us forward.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been to the show, with its live calf births, livestock shows, concerts, and dizzying array of food options, then you know. If you haven\u2019t been there, it\u2019s time to call out sick and hit the Pennsylvania Turnpike<\/a>.<\/p>\n The show began on Friday, and runs daily through Saturday, 1\/17. The butter sculpture, which has been part of the Farm Show for over half a century, is enclosed in a large, refrigerated case.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s sculpture is a 1776 Philadelphia tableau, featuring Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, complete with a celebratory toast with milk. The Liberty Bell and Betsy Ross make an appearance, too. <\/p>\n Like most years, the butter sculpture was created by Conshohocken<\/a> artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton. They\u2019ve worked with chocolate, cheese, and ice over their careers, but butter\u2019s brought them the most acclaim.<\/p>\n The butter is often donated by large national producers like Land O\u2019 Lakes or Keller\u2019s, and no, it can\u2019t be melted and drizzled on popcorn.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s waste butter we get from plants,\u201d Pelton told The Inquirer in 2020<\/a>. \u201dIt\u2019s stuff that\u2019s been extruded or cleaned out, or stuff that\u2019s been damaged, or generally can\u2019t be sold to the public.\u201d<\/p>\n