Rt. 2, Box 66, Juniata, Nebraska 68955
It was a very warm day in August as the black smoke bleched from
the Minneapolis steam engine as it powered the McCormick-Deering
separator and the Oil Pull Rumely that was puffing away as it was
belted to the Case separator. This was the scene of the Second
Annual Hermann’s Threshing and Machinery Show. Exhibitors came
from all over the area helping make the show a success. Old
memories were kindled and a special interest for the things of
yesteryear was sparked in the minds and hearts of the younger
generation.
Exhibitors brought the steam engine, many tractors, gasoline
engines, and other pieces of machinery and some small articles. The
gasoline engines ran, bringing back memories of when they were used
to wash clothes, pump water, fan wheat, shell corn and all the
other uses the engines had around the farms of years gone by.
Bits of straw flew on the crowd as the bundles were pitched into
the separator. A team of white mules was hitched to the hay rack
that was hauling the bundles as the oats were pitched on from the
field. This was a new experience for the mules and once they
decided they didn’t like all the excitement and took off. A
real run-a-way! They were caught and all was well and they went
back to their pulling the wagon without any more problems. A small
patch of oats was left standing so they could bind it with the John
Deere eight foot binder. The children were fascinated as the binder
kicked out the bundles. They also got a big kick out of shelling
corn with the little corn sheller which they turned by hand, and
also blowing the whistle on the steamer. Plows were on hand and the
men had a big time seeing which of their old tractors could pull
the biggest plow the farthest.
The highlight of Sunday afternoon was the Parade of Tractors,
which was led by the Oil Pull Rumely followed by the Minneapolis
steam engine and the many other tractors. It was a real sigh to see
the old tractors running those who helped to make our country as it
is today: a prosperous farming country. A place in which we can be
proud to raise our children, but also we must keep i their minds
how the farming was done by our ancestors. We hop this will help
keep in their minds the memories of the old threshing
machines, the steamers and of tractors which were the ancestor to
the machinery of today.
