Minnesota and Wisconsin are agricultural states. There are a lot of cows in these two states. And a lot of dairy farmers. Most of the children of these farms belong to various dairy related organizations like 4H and such. They also belong to the American Dairy Association, whom I think sponsors an annual contest for the daughters to find and crown Princess Kay of the Milky Way. (I'm not making this shit up!)
Although a thorough knowledge of cows and milk is required, it is basically a beauty contest for ugly farm girls so they don't feel left out. Well, that's my opinion anyway.
Each year these various clubs elect their own Dairy Princess who is then eligible to compete for the crown of Princess Kay. The winner is announced at the Minnesota State Fair. Along the way to winning the crown, the girls get to have their likeness sculpted in a giant block of butter.
Like this one in progress:
It takes several hours to complete one. The girls sit in a chamber where the temperature is around 32 F while the artist sculpts their likeness. In my experience, they never look like the actual girl in question. Only the hairstyle changes. They all have this weird open mouth look and are slightly caricuristic in appearance.
Whichever one is crowned in real life gets a small tiara placed on her butter sculpture head as well.
Once the fair is over, the girls are free to take their butter busts home with them. I have heard it told that some of them save them for their wedding receptions, letting guests carve their faces into smithereens. The best story I have heard is that one girl sponsored a charity corn roast and allowed people to butter their corn by rolling it around on her bust of butter. I would love to smoosh a cob of corn into some of these myself.
There were not a lot completed when we attended the fair, in fact just one! So here she is. Ms. Wadena County in butter.
But wait, there's more! Here she is in all of her glory......Princess Kay of the Milky Way 2008!
I took this picture from a little distance away. I hear they kick.
9 comments:
Finally. My Princess Kay fix. As you know from my blog, I had my Minnesota fix -- at the Oregon State Fair. Not quite the same, though.
Very Interesting! i read a book a few months ago--fiction--and the main character went back home to compete as a butter princess--I didn't realize it was an actual event!
Good grief - now I've heard EVERYTHING!
All I can say is OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love it! my kids used to ride in the Butter and Eggs Parade in Petaluma, but there were never any Butter Princesses, there should have been butter princesses. Do you think someone has a 30 year old butter bust in her freezer somewhere, that would be spooky.
We used to laugh at the idea of the Dairy Princesses at the county fair, but this is better.Thanks for sharing.
regards,
Theresa
please tell me you tried the walleye fries, the chocolate-covered bacon, the peanut-butter hotdogs and the macncheese on a stick!
(I'm listening to Prairie Home Companion live from the Minnesota State Fair and Garrison just did a tasting on stage)
Hope your casita is doing well - this side of Gustavo we've been really lucky. Florida and Cuba are getting most of the wind and rain and of course, Cuba is being HAMMERED right now. Our thoughts are with them.
steve: you still haven't told me what ridiculous foods you ate and if you went on any carneval rides!
jamqueen: it is very real and taken very seriously by the contestants.
babs: you only think that! There is always something new and crazy just around the corner.
jackie: what can I say? You said it all in 3 letters!
theresa: scary thought indeed! I would not be the least bit surprised though if there were a 30 year old bust somewhere!
harvestmoon: I'm not really big on trying the weird stuff offered at the state fair. I did have alligator on a stick once. Yuk. The weirdest thing I ate this year was deep fried dill pickly chips (very good!) and the chocolate covered bacon. About grossed me out. Floppy underdone bacon dipped in chocolate at one end. Served cold too! I had to have another 32 oz bucket of french fries to get the taste out of my mouth!
You have to look and see if they have deep fried battered strawberries. I guess it's a little late for that, so go for the deep fried corn on the cob!
i thank you for you pics of butter princesa.i see the pics only today.i haveing the many problems wit mi computer old,i need the new.*Thomas
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