HARRISBURG, Pa. — A sculpture made from nearly 1,000 pounds of butter was unveiled at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the show’s iconic milk shake served by the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association.
The sculpture, sponsored by Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, takes its cue from the number one song in 1954, “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and features a family enjoying a milkshake while watching a cow couple “shake.”
Agriculture Secretary George Greig unveiled the sculpture along with Berks County dairy farmer and president of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association Lolly Lesher, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association Executive Director Dave Smith, Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess Lu-Anne Antisdel and sculptor Jim Victor.
A Pennsylvania Farm Show staple
Dairy is the largest segment of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, with milk production contributing nearly 35 percent of Pennsylvania’s agricultural income at more than $2.3 billion. Dairy farmers spend nearly 85 percent of their income close to home.
The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, together with the Valley Grange #1360 from Lewisberry, serves 140,000 of the vanilla, chocolate and mixed milkshakes each year in the show’s famous Food Court and Food Court Annex. Proceeds benefit scholarships, youth programs and agricultural education programs across the state.
The process
Crafted by Jim Victor of Conshohocken, Montgomery County, the butter sculpture creation begins in mid-December and is finished in time for the Farm Show. Victor also creates sculptures using chocolate and cheese.
At the close of the show, the butter, donated by Land O’ Lakes in Carlisle, Cumberland County, will be given to a Juniata Countydairy farm. The butter will be put through a digester and converted to about 65 kilowatt hours of electricity to help operate the farm.
