Butter Cow Theme Announced!

If you have ever attended the Iowa State Fair, I am sure that you have heard of the butter cow sculpture. The butter cow has stood the test of time, as many people consider this sculpture to be the highlight of the Fair. If you have never had the chance to attend the Fair, or haven’t seen the butter cow, pack up your bags and make a trip to the 2019 Iowa State Fair!

The first butter cow sculpture was created in 1911 by J.K. Daniels. Through the years several people have had the opportunity to take over the sculpting duties. In 2006, after 15 years of apprenticing, Sarah Pratt of West Des Moines became the Fair’s fifth butter sculptor. Sarah has continued to do an amazing job each year, and we have no doubt she will succeed again.

The Butter Cow starts with a wood, metal, wire and steel mesh frame and 600 lbs. of low moisture, pure cream Iowa Butter. The sculpting takes place inside of a 40 degree cooler, and layers of butter are applied until a life-size butter cow emerges.

To put this sculpture in perspective: A real dairy cow weighs more than 1,000 pounds, but the buttered version comes in at around 600 pounds and measures 5 1/2-ft high and 8 ft long. With that amount you could butter about 19,200 slices of toast which would take an average person two lifetimes to consume!

This year’s butter cow will be a big hit with the kids! Keeping the butter cow company will be characters from Sesame Street. The Iowa State Fair has a rich and long-lasting relationship with Iowa Public Television. We are excited that we will get to honor the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street, but also the 50th anniversary of Iowa Public Television

The butter sculpture will be on display for the duration of the Fair which runs from August 8-18. Stop in at Agriculture Building to see this iconic sculpture!

_ Maggie Mathiasen