The 11th annual LeSueur County Pioneer Power Ass’n Threshing
Show was held Aug. 24, 25, & 26, 1984 at the club’s
permanent-showgrounds located in the gently rolling countryside 6
miles east of LeSueur, Minnesota. Good weather and large crowds
prevailed throughout the weekend.
From the original 15 charter members that started this
non-profit organization 7 years ago, we have grown to 250 members.
Also from the small 14 x 20 eat shack in the woods, which was the
first building in 1979, to the large machine sheds, all steel
shelters, miniatureland building, horse barn, complete blacksmith
shop, 1897 Dresselville creamery, large sawmill building, and
several smaller buildings that we now have. A 34 by 80 open
front machine shed was built this fall by the members using
club-sawed lumber.
We have now acquired the original 35 acre showsite plus
additional land we plan to demonstrate more field work with horses,
tractor, and steam. Corn will be grown to cut with a binder and
used for shredding and for the silage cutter. More grain will be
grown so we can keep the separators going steady. Most importantly,
it will be used for additional parking space. All this in store for
the ’85 show.
On to our 1948 stats: 250 gas engines, 150 old tractors, 3 steam
engines, 35 old cars and trucks, 8 teams of work horses, and many
miniature and model steam planter lids, wood and metal working
tools. Threshing is done with hand fed separators up to the large
36 by 60 machines, plowing from 1 to 8 bottom plows, corn
shredding, shingle and lathe mills, lumber planer, the newly
rebuilt veneer mill which intrigued many people, hay press, and
finally to the one and only 1890 Melonek and Deutsch sawmill which
was expertly rebuilt and anchored permanently on the showgrounds.
This is a 2 man mill with 1 man running the control lever for the
carriage and the other man standing on the back side of the truck
operating the set works. It is an extremely interesting mill to
watch at work. The 30 by 60 building erected over it was built with
viewing pleasure and safety in mind. A new demonstration for
’85 will be the operation of an Advance Rumely clover huller
with slat stacker. Also on the grounds waiting for resurrection is
a large stationary steam engine with generator which originally was
used in a creamery in Wisconsin.
To mention a few other areas of interest: parade of equipment at
1:30 on Saturday and Sunday; pancake and sausage breakfast; Ladies
Country Store; arts and crafts; Polka ecumenical church service;
musical entertainment scheduled for all 3 days; exhibition tractor
pull; children’s barnyard and playground; crosscut log sawing
contest; and most of all, plenty of friendship to go around. A
special thank-you goes out to our many exhibitors, both our club
members and non-members, some of whom travel as far as 400 miles to
participate.
Anyone interested in renting video tapes of our 1984 show
contact: Dennis Brown, Rt. 2, Box 232, Lakefield, MN 56150. Phone
507-662-5772. They make excellent entertainment for your monthly
meetings.
Our 1985 dates are: Swap Meet April 28 at the fairgrounds in
LeCenter, MN and Show dates August 23,24,& 25.
