State fairs are a big draw this time of year for millions of visitors. Whether it's getting a chance to pet a newborn calf, take a ride in a giant plastic ball or eat any number of fried foods, going to the fair is always an experience.

A line had already formed in the John Deere Agriculture Building an hour after the gates opened the first week of the Iowa State Fair.

Dozens of people waited patiently to see the butter cow, shuffling past the cordoned off displays of purple cabbages, peppers and ears of corn that were waiting to be judged. Sculpted with 600 pounds of butter on a wood and mesh frame, the bovine replica is the first stop for many fairgoers, like Amanda Hergert and Brad Blakeman from Omaha, Nebraska.

“It’s tough to describe the butter cow. It’s best to see in [person] far

See Full Page