The New York State Fair opens tomorrow, but today was the fair’s annual butter sculpture unveiling.
The sculpture, named “Dairyville 2020,” shows how technology on the dairy farm helps provide for a greener community. It is made of 800 pounds of unsalted butter donated by Wegmans Food Markets. The butter sculpture is sponsored by the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council.
On one side is a dairy farm with 14 cows, a barn and an anarerobic digester. On the other side of the sculpture is Dairyville, which is powered by electrical lines carrying power made from the cow manure.The exhibit shows how the manure from these cows can be used to generate electricity using the digester, how composted manure can be used as natural fertilizer and, of course, how these cows produce nearly 50 gallons of milk a day.
“The town is a playful way of how the dairy industry is doing sustainable agriculture,” said Jim Victor, one of the designers for Dairyville 2020.
Victor and his wife, Marie Pelton, came up with the concept for a sustainable farm after a lengthy brainstorming session and a trip to California.
The sculpture showcases a bold “Dairyville,” sign inspired by the couple’s trip to Hollywood.
After laying out the still structure of Dairyville, the couple spent roughly three days sculpting the butter farm details. They worked under strict temperatures, no hotter than 55 degrees to prevent the butter from melting.
After the fair, students from the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse will convert the butter into biofuel to fuel the college’s buses. This is the third year the butter has been used for biofuel. Before that, the butter was tossed out at the end of the fair.
Source: The Post-Standard
Photo Credit: Nicholas Lisi, The Post-Standard
3 Comments on “NY State Fair Unveils Butter Sculpture”
I would like to see a set up like this that actually works. Can someone recommend a place to visit? I do realize it will be 1000 or more cows not 14 to power a town.
I would like to see a set up like this that actually works. Can someone recommend a place to visit? I do realize it will be 1000 or more cows not 14 to power a town.
I would like to see a set up like this that actually works. Can someone recommend a place to visit? I do realize it will be 1000 or more cows not 14 to power a town.