---

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - While interning with Midwest Dairy Association at the Illinois State Fair, Katelyn Orth was glad to have her favorite cow, Charm, with her - even if she was just a replica.
Charm was used as the model for the traditional sculpted butter cow, sculpted by artist, Sharon BuMann, at the Illinois State Fair held Aug. 12-21 in Springfield, Ill. Orth grew up on a 55-cow dairy near Lewiston, Minn., owned by her parents, Jim and Laurie. She is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls majoring in agriculture marketing communications with a minor in dairy science, and spent the summer as the MDA industry relations intern.
"I knew nothing about it," Orth said about Charm being the model for the butter cow. "My parents sent a picture of Charm to my supervisor without me knowing."
The Tuesday before the fair started, Orth was around the butter booth when she noticed pictures on the door.
"They looked a lot like Charm ... after a close examination I figured out Charm was indeed the model for the butter cow. I was very giddy and really excited," Orth said.
The 9-year-old Jersey is a special cow to Orth, who has been showing Charm since she was a calf. At the Winona County 4-H dairy show in 2005 and 2006, Charm won the title of supreme champion. Over the years, Charm has also earned the titles of reserve supreme champion, junior supreme champion and champion Jersey.
BuMann usually chooses the type of a Jersey cow when sculpting the butter each year, which takes more than 60 hours over five days to finish.
"As she was sculpting it looked kind of like a cartoon, but at the end it just came to life," Orth said.
As Orth spent time away from her home farm this summer, she was glad to have "Butter Charm" as a reminder of the real thing.
"There were times when I would just sit there and watch the case go around and around. I got to spend my fair with Charm," she said.[[In-content Ad]]

---