At the New York State Fair, the butter sculpture is more than just a tradition—it’s a moment. Every summer, fairgoers line up to catch a glimpse of 800 pounds of butter transformed into something magical. Sculptures over the years have celebrated everything from Olympic athletes to chocolate milk to trains with cow conductors.
But the story doesn’t end when the Fair gates close.
Each year for the past decade, the annual butter sculpture has been sent to a working dairy farm in Western New York, where it gets a second life—this time as energy. On the 2nd of September, Noblehurst Farms will recycle their 10th consecutive butter sculpture.
This year, dairy farmers Chris Noble and Jack Klapper, co-owners of Noblehurst Farms, mark 10 years of recycling the New York State Fair butter sculpture into renewable energy.
Chris Noble and Jack Klapper, co-owners of Noblehurst Farms, feel “extremely honored” to have their farm be the official recycler of the New York State Fair butter sculpture. “It’s a point of pride—not just for the farm, but for what it says about how far dairy has come in innovation and sustainability,” Jack says.
A decade ago, their butter recycling effort started as a creative solution to disposing the 800 pounds of inedible butter by feeding it into the farm’s anaerobic digester. An anaerobic digester uses microbes to break down organic material like food waste and manure, creating renewable energy in the process.
“It’s basically a giant vat,” Jack explains. “You mix in food waste, cow manure, let the gases settle out over about 28 days, and then we generate electricity.”
That electricity powers Noblehurst Farms and also feeds into the local grid, helping supply energy to nearby homes. And while the butter sculpture alone can power a home for roughly three days, the real story is the bigger picture.
“When we first started, we were recycling about 500 tons of food waste per month,” Chris says. “Now we’re recycling more than 100 tons a day.” As a result, that dramatic increase in food waste processing has significantly increased the farm’s electricity production. “What used to power about 300 homes, now powers more than double that.”
That growth is thanks in part to a new packaging removal system, known on the farm as the “tiger machine.” It allows the farmers to remove packaging from expired or unsellable food from grocery stores, cafeterias, and food manufacturers, dramatically expanding the amount of waste they can process.
“It’s been a really great step forward for us—taking more food waste out of landfills and turning it into power,” Chris says.
For Chris, this 10th anniversary milestone is about redefining how dairy farms operate in a world that increasingly demands environmental responsibility.
“It’s really important to focus on the whole life cycle of the cow and the products it’s making,” Chris says. “We’re not just producing milk. We’re also managing manure, recycling food waste from our communities and generating renewable energy that’s used to power the farm and surrounding homes.”
At Noblehurst Farms, sustainability starts with the herd. From producing high-quality milk to contributing manure for renewable energy, every cow plays a role in the farm’s full-circle approach to environmental stewardship.
Chris Noble unloads what’s left of a Butter Sculpture where it was transformed into renewable energy through the farm’s anaerobic digester.
Chris Noble and Jack Klapper stand in front of Noblehurst Farms’ anaerobic digester in Pavilion, New York, where food waste and manure are transformed into electricity to power the farm and local homes.
Still, it’s the butter sculpture that gets people talking—and Chris points out that even this visual centerpiece of the Fair plays an important role. “We calculated that the 800 pounds of butter powers a home for roughly three days. Multiply that by ten years, and you’ve got nearly a month’s worth of electricity from just the sculptures.”
Jack, who now leads the butter sculpture recycling event each year, shares Chris’s enthusiasm for what the partnership represents. “For us at Noblehurst, we take pride in being stewards of our land and our community,” Jack says. “By diverting food waste from landfills and using our manure to create renewable energy, it’s really helped push the farm forward into the next generation of farming.”
Ask either farmer to name a favorite butter sculpture they’ve recycled, and you’ll get a smile. Jack chooses the 2023 sculpture—a detailed train scene complete with a cow conductor and children enjoying dairy. “It was very artistic,” he recalls.
The 2023 New York State Fair butter sculpture, “Get on Track,” featured a whimsical train scene highlighting dairy’s role in fueling healthy journeys and is one of Jack Klapper’s favorites for its artistry.
Promoting chocolate milk as the ultimate post-workout drink, the 2022 New York State Fair butter sculpture “Refuel for Greatness” ranks among Chris Noble’s favorites.
From helping their dad bring the butter sculpture home years ago to now growing into young women—daughters Isla, Adelaide, and Emilie, pictured with their mom, Jen, have been part of Chris Noble’s favorite memories surrounding the butter sculpture recycling events.
Chris, on the other hand, leans toward the sports-themed creations. “The gymnast on the balance beam, the soccer players—those stood out. One year I even brought my kids along to help bring the sculpture home. Those memories stay with you.”
And so does the sense of purpose. Noblehurst Farms isn’t just the final destination for the butter sculpture—it’s part of a bigger story about how dairy farms can lead in sustainability.
“I think it capitalizes on the innovation of dairy farms. What we’re able to do on farms today is incredible. You know, over the last 20 years, there’s been a lot of technology introduced to the agricultural sector, and this is just one highlight of it. And we’re proud to be recyclers,” Jack says. “When the 57th Annual Butter Sculpture comes down after the Fair, the real transformation begins. And 10 years in, Noblehurst Farms is just getting started.”
And if the past 10 years are any sign of what’s ahead, the best is yet to come.
