13 W. Plum St. Tipp City, Ohio 45371
Once again I had the opportunity to attend three threshing shows
in Minnesota this year, and believe me, they were all fine shows
and well worth attending. My son lives in Wyoming, Minnesota (a
recent move from Minneapolis), so it makes a nice base to start
from to visit the shows.
The first show we attended was LeSueur County Pioneer Power
Association, and that was my first time at that show. The weather
was a little breezy, a drizzling rain, and on the cool side-in
fact, a jacket felt real good.
There were many displays of all types of equipment, and most all
were in operation. There were many tractors of all types, but the
‘Minneapolis line’ seemed to fill more of the rows.
The main building, as I will call it, had many interesting items
of days gone by-old time wares that were used in the pioneer
kitchens, old farming tools (both horse drawn and hand operated),
old dress clothes, and many other numerous items. The show grounds
were beautiful, with many large trees, and gas engines running
under them. In fact, with all the activity going on you didn’t
have time to notice the cool weather. After my son and I completed
another round of taking in the sights, it was getting along toward
evening and we decided that we should be getting along. But before
we left, we paid a visit to the shingle mill, and here we picked up
a couple of shingles. No, we didn’t get them to patch a roof,
but rather to find a place on the wall to remind us of a wonderful
show we had been to.
As time was flying by, the following weekend was upon us, and it
was time to head up to Rollag to take in the W.M.S.T.R. Only this
time we made arrangements ahead of time in Fargo, North Dakota to
make sure that we had a place to stay. With that out of the way, it
was clear sailing to take in a show of ‘the big ones.’
This time we had better weather, except on Sunday, when it
really poured down rain for awhile. Everyone started for the
building down by the railroad track, and soon it was pretty well
filled with people seeking shelter from the rain. It wasn’t
hard to strike up a conversation, with so many people there, and
the main topic-well, you guessed it-the weather. I have been to
this show twice now, and both times I couldn’t help but be
amazed at those huge tractors and gas engines, and all running too.
This time up I had the good fortune to meet Mrs. Briden, the
secretary of the show; Mr. Merlyr Meyer, president; Mr. Darvin
Jahnke of the Gas Engine Committee, and this I had been looking
forward to. Speaking of meeting people, I met again my friend Jack
Maple and his wife Hazel. So we just kinda picked up where we left
off last year, only adding ‘in between shows’ experiences
that had developed.
Another ‘first’ for me this year was the driving of a
big Case tractor in the parade. This was quite an experience, and
is already logged into the memory book. All this activity really
makes a man hungry, and with all the places to eat, and all of the
varieties to pick from, it didn’t take long for my son and me
to satisfy our appetites.
With that, late afternoon was upon us, and time to make the long
stretch home, back to Wyoming. This was a very beautiful drive,
with awe inspiring scenery, so much that you dare not doze off,
lest you miss it. Well, after a few days’ rest and talking over
where we had been and what we had seen, we were getting ready for
the coming weekend to visit the Lake Region Pioneer
Threshermen’s Association, at Dalton, Minnesota.
Head up time came, and off we went. The morning greeted us with
a thick fog, but after about an hour it had lifted, and the weather
was clear and bright.
When we arrived at Dalton (another first for me) the weather was
perfect for a show and you couldn’t ask for a better day.
To me it seems that no matter what show you go to, there is
something at each one of them that you haven’t seen at another
show before, and this is what makes it interesting. The one thing
that caught my eye along with the ‘stiff leg crane’ and the
big Wheelock stationary steam engine, was a steam engine built by
the Northwest Thresher Company, of Stillwater, Minnesota. Since I
have been doing some research on this steam engine, it was ironic
that I actually got to see one ‘in the iron’, so to speak.
That alone made the trip well worth it, as were all the other
steam engines, gas engines, gas tractors, and all the other
things that make any show worth while going to.
The pitcher’s taking a rest while it gets its
‘throat’ cleared.
As my son and I were taking in the sights at the Dalton show,
who did we see again-yep, it was Jack Maple standing right by his
new addition to his Rumely family. That really brought a lot of
converstaion from everyone who stopped by. You really don’t
have to worry about what to talk about at an engine show, as all
the subjects are there.
Well, the hands on the clock were beginning to match the color
of the late afternoon, a signal to my son and I that we should head
out for home base. After making more new friends that day, and
bidding our late afternoon goodbyes, we slowly departed knowing
that our show visits were closing for the season.
I knew that in a couple of days I would be flying back to my
home state of Ohio, and already my thoughts were on a show that I
was sure going to attend in Cliffton, a little town not too far
from where I live, but a big show that has really grown.
But while on the plane, my thoughts were on the shows my son and
I had attended, the many things that we had seen and the many new
friends we had made. These will be good memories, for I know
memories are not like iron-they won’t rust.
Well, the Cliffton show really turned out nice. I saw a lot of
my old friends and really had a good time. But wait a minute-is
that Jack Maple over there? Well, it sure is. Boy, he sure gets
around-or is it vice-versa?
