Butter Up!: Pennsylvanians invited to participate in second-annual butter sculpture contest
Together with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association is spreading joy this season through its second-annual Butter Up! butter sculpture contest.
鈥淓very year, millions tune in to see the unveiling of a 1,000-pound sculpture to kick off our annual Pennsylvania Farm Show,鈥� agriculture secretary Russell Redding said in a news release. 鈥淣ow everyone can get in the act and show off their artistic flair with one of Pennsylvania鈥檚 favorite products.鈥�
For decades, folks across the commonwealth have ogled at the artistry of butter sculptures on display at the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show 鈥� including the 2020 sculpture of mascots Gritty, Swoop and Steely McBeam tailgating with a dairy delicious spread.
Last year, the PFMA was forced to cancel its annual butter sculpture due to the pandemic, but buttered up the disappointed public with a unique opportunity to create and share butter sculptures from the comfort of home.
鈥淓very year, the butter sculpture is a favorite element of the farm show. It gets this tremendous media coverage all over the world,鈥� said Shannon Powers, press secretary for the Pennsylvania DOA. 鈥淲e were trying to be creative and think of ways that we could bring Pennsylvania agriculture into people鈥檚 homes. Last year, (we) came up with a home butter sculpture competition. It was wildly popular.鈥�
Butter sculptors of all ages are invited to create their own unique work of art using up to five pounds of butter and chicken or sculpting wire to support the design. Powers encourages artists to sculpt with local butter; packaging is marked with a PA Preferred logo or a bar code beginning with 鈥�42.鈥�
Dye and coloring of any kind to enhance the butter is prohibited.
鈥淲e are a huge dairy-producing state,鈥� Powers said. 鈥淢ost of the dairy produced in Pennsylvania is actually produced on small family farms. You鈥檙e supporting a family in your community and feeding your local economy.鈥�
The virtual contest began Friday, and entries will be accepted through noon Dec. 10.
鈥淧eople got in the act last year and enjoyed it so much,鈥� said Powers, who was surprised when 130 entrants submitted sculptures to the contest.
The sculpture contest, a social media sensation, was featured on podcasts. Powers said a state trooper even created a funny production video for the virtual competition.
鈥淭he entries blew me away,鈥� Powers said, marveling at the complexity of submissions like a butter-creamy cactus, a statue of Harry Potter battling a dragon and a bust of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 鈥淭hey really capture something.鈥�
To enter, contestants should take a photo of their original sculpture beside a handwritten paper stating entrant鈥檚 first and last name, age, and 鈥�2022 Butter Sculpture Entry.鈥�
Send the photo to agcontests@pa.gov with the subject 鈥淏utter Up Entry.鈥� Email must include entrant鈥檚 name, age, county, phone number and favorite dairy product (no bonus points if that product鈥檚 dairy!).
A parent or legal guardian must submit any entries for minors 17 and younger.
Voting begins Dec. 13 on the Pennsylvania Farm Show Facebook page, where winners will be selected by the number of reactions to each photo. Voting closes at noon Dec. 17, and winners will be announced via Facebook on Dec. 20.
鈥淚t was tremendous entertainment last year. Entertainment with a little education,鈥� said Powers. 鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping for the same thing this year. We hope everyone will join the fun.鈥�
For more information on the farm show or sculpture contest, visit https://www.farmshow.pa.gov/pafarmshow/Pages/Butter-Up!-.aspx.