You’ve seen him in a green tutu, dressed as Santa Claus and wearing nothing at all, but you’ve never seen Gritty quite like this: made entirely out of butter! Yes, this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show Butter Sculpture includes Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers’ beloved orange fuzzy mascot, as well as two other PA sports team mascots, Philadelphia Eagles’ Swoop and and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Steely McBeam.
The theme of this year’s jaw-dropping butter creation is “East Meets West at the Pennsylvania Farm Show,” and shows the mascots from different sides of the state enjoying a tailgate celebration together. It was unveiled on Thursday, January 2, at 11 a.m. in the Main Hall by Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman and Secretary of Agriculture Russell C. Redding.
According to a story on Billy Penn, Lt. Governor Fetterman is the one to thank for Gritty’s inclusion in the sculpture. In that article, it’s reported that Fetterman thought the social media-famous mascot’s presence would be, “a way of encouraging people in Philadelphia to come to the Farm Show.”
Lt. Governor John Fetterman, and Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding
“This year’s Farm Show theme is ‘Imagine the Opportunities’, and it’s meant to be taken to heart by both producers and consumers,” said Secretary Redding. “Opportunity is waiting to be imagined in Pennsylvania agriculture, and producers can score big when they act on their dreams and innovate. Consumers who take every opportunity to support their neighboring farmers contribute to a winning economy for Pennsylvania.”
Philadelphia Eagles’ Swoop, and Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding
All of the PA Farm show butter sculptures since 2008 have been made by Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, an artist husband-and-wife team who are based in Coshohocken, PA. The duo, who specialize in food sculpture (they’ve made works of art from cheese, chocolate and produce), completed this sculpture over a two-week period with over 1,000 pounds of butter scraps donated by Land O’ Lakes in Carlisle, PA. After the Farm Show, a methane digester at Reinford Farms in Juniata County will recycle the half-ton of butter.
The butter sculpture is about more than just a spectacle, though. It’s meant as a reminder to Farm Show-goers of how important Pennsylvania’s dairy industry is to our state’s agriculture identity and economy. Dairy farmers Tim Kurtz from Kurtland Farms in Elverson, PA, and Marie Canon from Canon Dairy Farm in West Middlesex, PA, say, “The butter sculpture is a creative way to highlight the state’s dairy farm families, how hard they work and the nutritious product they produce for their communities.”
If you’re attending the Farm Show, do not miss the Butter Sculpture — it’s truly one of the centerpieces of the entire impressive event!
- Video, feature photo and Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding & Lt. Governor John Fetterman photos: PA Cast
- Butter sculpture and detail photos: Alan Johnson for PA Eats
