Butterfield Advocate, Butterfield, Minnesota 56120
Temperatures hovered around the 90 degree mark over the weekend,
but the heat didn’t dampen the spirits of the Butterfield
Threshermen as they put on a bigger and better Gas & Steam
Engine Show than ever before. Both in quality and quantity there
was no doubt the sixth show was the best.
Gate receipts were off from last year’s huge throng, but
Wayne Kispert, Butterfield Threshermen’s Assn. president,
blamed this on a combination of the heat and three county fairs in
the area. ‘It was a great show,’ Kispert bubbled. Then he
poured accolades on Butterfield area residents for the fine
cooperation which again made the whole thing possible.
By his own estimation, Kispert says exhibits increased between
10 and 15 percent over 1971. In antique tractors alone he noted the
collection increased from just over 50 in 1971 to 64 last weekend.
All were new tractors never before shown in Butterfield and most
were just recently restored.
Almost as gratifying, Kispert said, was the big cleanup crew
which was at work Monday night after the show turning Voss Park
back into the beautiful area it is
As for the show itself, no doubt the new additions added quite a
bit in both convenience and comfort to exhibitors as well as
visitors. Engine House No. 2, constructed within the last month,
housed a burgeoning collection of antique cars and trucks. Joel
Knudson, director of the display, said he was amazed at the new
exhibitors who brought antique cars and trucks, many of whom he
didn’t know were coming. And they were unanimous in their
praise of the huge shed which allowed them to leave their valuable
antiques overnight without worry.
The concrete floor in Engine House No. I was a welcome addition
to the ladies who spent hours constructing antique exhibits.
Everything from an old fashioned bedroom to Bohemian lace work
(knipple sac) and antique dolls were on display and the big House
was packed almost constantly both days.
Saturday’s heat cut down on some of the threshing activity
because bundle pitchers were hard to come by. That didn’t stop
the threshing, however; just slowed it down a bit. Sunday, when a
nice breeze breathed air through the Park, it was much more
enjoyable for both the threshers and visitors.
The best part about Voss Park is that you don’t have to be
in the sun to see what’s going on. The shady grove of ash trees
provided an ideal escape from the hot sun as well as fine cover for
the numerous displays, eat stands and just paint resting.
Elvin and Torger Sulheim are two Association members who spend
long hours restoring gas engines. Here they are shown with a 1/2 HP
Plunkett Jr. they restored for Jacob H. Janzen of Roosevelt.
Threshing the 20 acres of oats was no problem at all, with as
many as four rigs running at the same time if you include the
miniatures. And for those who are interested, the 20 acres yielded
1100 bushels of oats minus one wagon of bundles which is headed for
Farm Fest USA at Vernon Center next month.
If the threshing machines didn’t cause any problems, the
steamers did. Of the six large steam engines at the show, only
three did any real work because of an assortment of ills which
beset the other three ancient giants. But there were all sorts of
tractors to take up the slack, and tractor power was not in short
supply.
This 7 HP Witte engine was restored by the Sulheims. It is owned
by Sam Wisner of Silver Bay.
This is an engine found by Leonard Hanson near Sheldon,
Wisconsin. It is a 10 HP twin cylinder LeRoy. The Sulheims restored
it.
WCCO-TV, which gave the show a plug on Friday night, sent a
cameraman down Sunday afternoon to give the show full treatment,
televisionwise. The GOP convention dominated both the 6 p.m. and 10
p.m. newscasts, but short shots of the Butterfield Threshing Bee
were intermingled among the politicians with enough skill to make
viewers realize that not all the hot steam was in Miami.
The TV coverage for the second straight year pointed out how the
Butterfield show has grown in stature among state and midwest –
even national – attractions. Visitors came from as far away as
Washington state and Kansas specifically to see the Threshing Bee
and one only had to walk through the jam packed camp grounds to
notice a multitude of license plates from other states.
A total of 117 campers — including some exhibitors given free
spots -enjoyed the Voss Park shade and facilities making the
camping aspect of the show one of its major attractions.
Exhibitors came from far and near to attend and show their
antique favorites. Iowa was especially strong on exhibiting,
sending a variety of displays which ran from gas engines to a scale
catapillar called the ‘Mighty Mouse’ that actually ran.
But of course it was the area folks who really made the show.
More and more local folks are getting interested in having some
sort of mechanized antique on display, which means more tractors,
gas engines and farm implements, especially, were on the
increase.
60 Cat is the second one restored by the Minions of Mt. Lake
Ben Bloemke’s 30-60 Aultman-Taylor at the Butterfield
Show.
Orville Huhnerkoch’s Rumely doesn’t seem to be bothering
this small lad.