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Winners Announced in Cabot(R) Creamery Cooperative's 'Butter Up The World' Poetry Contest

CABOT, Vt., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The results are in - three Vermont middle-school students have come out on top in Cabot Creamery Cooperative's "Butter Up The World" Poetry Contest. The call for entries went out in November, asking 5th-8th grade students in the New England area to write an original poem on the topic of dairy farming. Hundreds entered, but only three finalists were selected, with one first prize poem to be featured on Cabot butter boxes set to hit stores in mid to late April.

First prize went to Jackson G., a fifth grade student at Hinesburg Community School in Hinesburg Vermont, whose untitled poem delves into the symbiotic relationship between cows and dairy farmers. Eighth grader, Cierra F. of Georgia Elementary & Middle School in St. Albans, VT took second place with a beautiful poem entitled Got Milk?. Third place was awarded to Sadie D., a seventh grade student at The Sharon Academy in South Royalton, VT for her poem, Ode to Glorious Milk.

"I am extremely impressed with the quality and poetry talent that our New England students demonstrated during the 'Butter Up the World' Poetry Contest," said Cabot Community & Education Program Manager, Marie Frohlich. "We had more than one hundred entries, so you can imagine how difficult it was for judge and distinguished New England poet Geof Hewitt to choose three winners. Cabot would like to thank everyone for participating - we are grateful to have received so many poems that truly capture the spirit of dairy farming and life on a dairy farm."

    First Place Poem
    Untitled
    by Jackson G., Grade 5, Hinesburg Community School, Hinesburg, VT

    Cows walk through the morning's haze
    See a patch of grass and graze
    The farmers walk out of the barn with pride
    Cows and people side by side

    The cows moo and chew on grass
    Thinking and thinking while birds pass
    Thinking about what they would do
    Without all of you, yes, you
    And the farmers of Vermont, too

    The farmers have their thoughts as well
    Thinking and thinking of just how swell
    Milking cows deep sound so mellow
    Humming, mooing, like a cello

    Humans and cows
    Depend on each other
    Like a baby and its mother

The Butter Up Your World contest was co-sponsored by Potato Hill Poetry, a Massachusetts-based studio founded by Andrew Green, a former English teacher in the Vermont public school system who saw a need for students to share poems and to read and learn about poetry. Potato Hill Poetry is a realization of that need. Find out more at www.potatohill.com.

The three finalists will receive cash prizes: first place wins $100; second place wins $50; and third place wins $25. The complete poems from the three finalists can be found on Cabot's website at www.cabotcheese.coop.

ABOUT CABOT CREAMERY COOPERATIVE

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and we make a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and butter. Best known as makers of "The World's Best Cheddar," Cabot is owned by 1200 dairy farm families located throughout New England and upstate New York. For additional information on Cabot Creamery, visit http://www.cabotcheese.coop

    Contact: Bob Schiers
    (888) 214-9444 or bschiers@cabotcheese.coop

SOURCE Cabot Creamery Cooperative