FRAPA No. 309, 1095 Woodmoor Drive, Monument, CO 80132.
It was breaking day as I pulled into the Mallet Farm, northeast
of Pay-ton, Colorado, Sunday, September, 1986. The house was all
aglow as Ilene Mallet was getting the food ready and Glen was out
checking on the cook tent. Members and friends had set it up
Saturday. All display and parking areas were roped off, comfort
stations in place, water turned on to the hydrant and hay bales in
place for seats. Glen opened the gate and we were ready for a
show!
This had been the Mallet’s Day of Yesterday show in previous
years. This time a club was formed to take some of the burden off
the Mallet family.
It wasn’t long before exhibitors and people started to show
up. A free breakfast of pancakes and eggs was served to the
exhibitors who made it prior to 10:00 AM. This encouraged a good
early set up. Breakfast was available to the spectators as
well.
Promptly at 10:00 Glen fired up his 22-36 McCormick and belted
up to the John Deere thresher. He produced about 20 bushels of
wheat for the early crowd. During the day he threshed two more
times so everyone had a chance to watch. Ron Brauer then started up
his little Montgomery Ward hammer mill and ground several bushels
of grain. After that Glen got his hand feed fodder cutter going and
cut up some cow feed.
My son and grandson operated my display. I brought a 1925
’92’ May tag, belted to a 1916 IHC corn sheller with a 1930
’92’ Maytag pulling a 1987 Hurley elevator. This moved
shelled corn up to the hopper of a 1917 Fairbanks-Morse steel burr
mill, powered by a 1938 ‘LA’ 1? HP IHC gas engine.
Other displays…
A square tub Maytag washer waltzed through a few loads of
clothes with a Maytag ’72’ twin providing the power.
Wayne Russert had set up his tent with a hand-powered bellows
puffing air to a wooden framed blacksmith forge. This was to show
how a blacksmith could perform all sorts of magic with hot and cold
iron.
In the barn Rosie Weis was showing how to weave some of the home
grown wheat straw into dolls and wreaths of all shapes.
My wife, Mary, displayed some of her dolls. Doll furniture and
toys were on display along with additional dolls belonging to Ilene
Mallet, Betty Sturtz and Joan Rose.
Kathy Hopkins displayd quilts and showed people how EASY it is
to quilt! Several OLD quilts were displayed as well as the new ones
Kathy worked with.
Ruby Thomson tempted taste buds with butter on thick bread,
churned by an old hand stomper churn. She sang a little ditty that
she and her siblings used to sing as youngsters as they took turns
churning, and I got to taste some of the fresh buttermilk – the
first since I left the farm years ago!
Glen Mallet had set up the all wooden hand-made loom he built
for Ilene. This is a beautiful piece of woodcraft!
Over an outside open fire Joan Rose made soap, cooking down
tallow to ‘render’ it, then adding lye water as part of the
procedure – just like your forebears used to do. Several women
participated by wearing old fashioned dresses with sun bonnets,
which added to the theme of the show as they moved about the
grounds.
In the engine compound Ron Brauer from Payton, Colorado had a
3HP John Deere and 3 Maytags. Bob Seibert of Colorado Springs
brought his Fairbanks-Morse, Eclipse, Monitor and his ‘Mighty
Can Crusher’. Chester Akers brought from Pueblo his 1? HP John
Deere. Earl Thiebaud, from Black Forest, Colorado showed us some of
his collection; a 1905 Baker Monitor, a 1908 Galloway and his
‘never-go-dry’ water pump. Ed Adams of Manitou Springs
showed a 1? HP John Deere, a 4HP Cushman, a 1? HP Sattley and
’72’ Maytag. Wes Stratman came from Pueblo also with a 6HP
John Deere and a hand-cranked root cutter. Castle Rock, Colorado,
was represented by Jim Oltmans with a 1? HP John Deere. Ray
Rylander of Colorado Springs had his puzzle saw and engine working.
I brought a 1945 1?HP IHC ‘LB’, 1927 ’92’ Maytag,
1936 ’92’ Maytag, 1937 ’72’ Maytag, plus the
shelling and grinding setup.
We didn’t go hungry! Betty Sturtz and crew served up
300-plus hamburgers, 200-plus hotdogs, 40 home made pies, 15
homemade cakes, along with gallons of iced tea and lemonade and a
horse tank full of pop.
Parade of Power: This started promptly at 2:00 PM, with Ed
Kovitz introducing each entry. Around the cook tent, huffing and
puffing, came a little 1/3 scale Case steam engine to start off the
parade. This little steamer was built and driven by Dean Thomson of
Green Mountain Falls. He said it took 6 years to build and this was
his first show. Then came Charles Lamoreaux, from Black Forest,
Colorado, with his 1912 8HP Russell steam traction engine. Next was
the 1929 22-36 McCormick of Glen’s, driven by his son, Rick.
Rick supplied the public address system used to announce the
parade, a 1937 John Deere ‘B’ and 1939 ‘B’
Allis-Chalmers. Then came Don Start’s 1936 ‘C’ Case and
1939 ‘H’ John Deere. Ron Brauer had 2 1935 ‘H’ John
Deeres driving by and Waldo Whitmarsh, Payton, Colorado, brought
his 1946 ‘B’ Farmall. Bob Sharpe, Payton, Colorado,
displayed his 1947 Farmall ‘Cub’ with mower. He had just
finished cutting hay nearby and drove it to the show. Mil Harr came
down from Littleton, Colorado with his 1949 ‘B’ John Deere.
Walt Staack, also from Littleton, showed us his 1916 ‘R’
Waterloo Boy. Next, Jim Oltmans from Castle Rock came by with his
1940 ‘H’ John Deere, then came Jim Ertel of Colorado
Springs with his 1952 ‘Cub’ Farmall with front end loader.
Jim Waddel of Colorado Springs finished the tractor parade with his
1951 ‘G’ John Deere.
Ell Rasmussen of Colorado Springs showed his 1936 1? ton Dodge
pickup (Yes, pickup!). It was used by the Victor, Colorado Fire
Department for many years. Payton Fire & Rescue was next with a
1952 Chevy Fire truck, still in active duty. They stood by all day
to give us fire protection. Thanks, fellows!
Then came the classic and old cars. Richard Carter’s 1931
‘A’ Ford, Vern Noville’s 1930 ‘A’ Ford, C. J.
Whitney’s 1926 ‘T’ touring, his two 1926 ‘T’
coupes and his 1914 ‘T’ Roadster.
While Tom Chamber and Group played good ole time country music
the ‘ladies of the grill’ made Indian fry bread, served
with honey or sugar ‘n cinnamon. Everyone sat and rested for a
few short breaths and paused to look over the show.
As the crowd began to leave the clean-up crew went into action.
In an hour or so they transformed the show place back to Glen
Mallet’s pasture, as a peaceful quiet summer evening began to
settle on the scene.
I felt I should tell you how this year’s show went. We had
600 people show up, plus or minus a few. That’s quite a step up
from 1983, when a 4-person crew threshed-Glen & Ilene, Mary
& myself. I may have missed some people and/or their displays
and help. I am truly sorry if I did, but we thank each and every
one that pitched in to make us proud of our little show. Plans are
underway for a bigger and better ’88 show. Hope to see you
there!
