Sarah Pratt and the Butter Cow (Iowa State Fair photo)
A popular display at the Iowa State Fair that celebrates the dairy industry will pay tribute to an Iowa-based feature film this year.
Iowa State Fair spokesperson Lori Chappel says the iconic Butter Cow will have some company in its 40-degree cooler.
“This year, the Iowa State Fair is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Field of Dreams and a butter sculpture of that will accompany the butter cow,” Chappel said.
Much of the 1989 movie Field of Dreams was filmed on a farm near Dyersville. It remains unclear exactly how Field of Dreams will be depicted in butter. “Plans are still being finalized, but you can expect to see baseball players and it’s a good bet you’ll see some corn fields,” Chappel said.
Sarah Pratt of Norwalk has served as the Iowa State Fair’s “butter cow lady” since 2006. “Sarah plays a big part in deciding the sculpture,” Chappel said. “It has to be something she’s comfortable with and Field of Dreams has been on our list for a few years. With all of the celebration going on this year, it just seemed fitting that this would be the year Sarah would carve it.”
The butter cow and Field of Dreams sculptures will be on display in the John Deere Agriculture Building throughout this year’s Iowa State Fair, scheduled for August 7-17 in Des Moines.