The Butter Up! contest whipped up some at-home excitement before the Pennsylvania Farm Show officially kicked off earlier this week.
In December, the PA Farm Show and Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) partnered for the second amateur butter sculpting contest. The interactive at-home contest is a nod to the popular 1,000-pound butter sculpture revealed at the start of each PA Farm Show.
Garret McCall of Cambria County earned the top spot for the second straight year. Congratulations to all the Butter Up! winners:
- 5 and under: Winner, Natalee Amundson, Northumberland County
- Elementary: Winner, Sophia Amundson, Northumberland County; runner-up, Thaleia Custer, Dauphin County
- Middle school: Winner, Laura Amundson, Northumberland County; runner-up, Joey Gow, Berks County
- High school: Winner, Yseult Barbedette, Schuylkill County; runner-up, Faith Decker, Somerset County
- Adult: Winner, Garret McCall, Cambria County; runner-up, Pamela McConnell, Lawrence County
Entries were submitted mid-December from across the state. The nine winners, voted on by friends of the PA Farm Show Facebook page, showed their sculpting skills by depicting produce, dairy and animals. Each winner and runner up received a gift card donated by members of PFMA.
“We were thrilled to participate in this fun virtual experience for Pennsylvanians once again, and the results did not disappoint,” said Alex Baloga, president and CEO of PFMA. “These entries helped to celebrate and recognize the work put in by our friends at the Farm Show and in the dairy industry. Thank you to all who entered and to our PFMA members for donating prizes.”
The Butter Up! contest first started in January 2021 to create engaging online activities during the virtual PA Farm Show. “Pennsylvanians anticipate the unveiling of the 1,000-pound sculpture signaling that the Pennsylvania Farm Show has arrived,” added Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “In 2021 and 2022, the Butter Up! contest has been one more way to tell the story of the hardworking people of the PA dairy industry who feed our economy and our families day in and day out. Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association members are part of that story.”
The 2022 PA Farm Show butter sculpture highlights strength in diversity and unity. Sponsored by the American Dairy Association North East, it features urban and rural agriculturalists coming together while toasting glasses of milk.
PFMA was pleased to support the event, the Farm Show and our partners in agriculture and dairy. A special thanks goes to our members The GIANT Company, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Wegmans, Square One Markets and Giant Eagle/GetGo for contributing prizes.
