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Posted: 5:35 p.m. Thursday, July 26, 2012

Homemade fudge booth a family tradition for nearly 60 years

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Homemade fudge booth a family tradition for nearly 60 years photo
Nick Daggy
Betty Stanton (center) sells fudge next to her daughter Rene Gabbard at the Butler County Fair Wednesday, July 25, 2012. Stanton, 82, and her family have been selling fudge and other hand crafted items at the Butler County Fair for 60 years. Staff photo by Nick Daggy

By Lauren Pack

Staff Writer

In 1954, a group of women from Millville banned together selling handmade goods at the Butler County Fair to make a bit of extra cash. Selling a mouthwatering favorite was Betty Stanton who served up hunks of peanut butter fudge for 5 cents.

On Wednesday, 82-year-old fair Stanton was back at the fair and so was her famous fudge.

Stanton munched on a Richard’s steak sandwich, a fair tradition, and watched performances near her booth now manned by her daughter Betty Joe Berger.

“She was named for the both of us,” Stanton said, noting her late husband’s name was Joe.

Berger said the founders of the booth called it the Opportunity Mart and for a time even had a store front in the Millville area. But over time, it became an annual project for her mother and father.

Stanton was the original fudge baker, using a family receipe, and eventually Joe Stanton became chief confection maker.

“We had a lot of fun and made a lot of money too,” Stanton said.

Berger said she still uses the original pans and makes the fudge one batch at a time, just like her parents. During fair week an estimated 3,000 pieces are sold. The 2012 price is 25 cents a piece. Other homemade items, included knitted garments are also sold in the booth located this year in the new fairgrounds building.

When completed, the new fair building will include a brick with her father’s name and a picture of a fudge pan, Berger said while pausing to wipe a way a tear.

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