The Iowa State Fair begins on Thursday at Des Moines and a popular feature is the butter cow.  Sarah Pratt is the sculptor of the famous butter cow and says this year, the butter cow will represent the Jersey dairy breed.  In addition to the butter cow, Pratt has traditionally sculptured another scene made of butter.  This year she has chosen to honor the Iowa-based musical, “Music Man.”  You may not see 76 trombone players made of butter, but Pratt tells of the scene she has selected from the Broadway musical and movie that are made with butter.  Pratt is assisted by her twin daughters with the sculpture project.  She says a total of 1200 pounds of butter will be used for the entire butter sculpture.  Pratt says the older recycled butter is actually easier to work and sculpt.  The butter cow sculptor says she will continue to work on her butter project through the first few days of the state fair.  The famous butter cow can be viewed inside the Agriculture Building.

(photo courtesy of the Iowa State Fair.)