Delameter’s Old Time Threshing Bee

By Staff
Published on December 1, 1985
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George and Bill at the tractor rest home rock in the Delameter front yard.
George and Bill at the tractor rest home rock in the Delameter front yard.
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2. Calvin Fields breaking the land open (note steel wheels, rubber spun out).
2. Calvin Fields breaking the land open (note steel wheels, rubber spun out).
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3. Crushing rock with size model steam engine.
3. Crushing rock with size model steam engine.
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4. Threshing like it used to be done.
4. Threshing like it used to be done.
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6. Part of the get-together fun they won in 13 seconds.
6. Part of the get-together fun they won in 13 seconds.
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7. An easier way to saw. All these people, engines, and activities could be seen at Delameter's Old Time Threshing Bee near Lee's Summit, Missouri, this past August. Look for news of next year's show.
7. An easier way to saw. All these people, engines, and activities could be seen at Delameter's Old Time Threshing Bee near Lee's Summit, Missouri, this past August. Look for news of next year's show.
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5.'Uncle' Bill Browning in 1930 Fordson pulling separator.
5.'Uncle' Bill Browning in 1930 Fordson pulling separator.
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2. George and grandson parade the Titan.
2. George and grandson parade the Titan.
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3. Harvey Jones on 1917 Indian from his motorcycle collection.
3. Harvey Jones on 1917 Indian from his motorcycle collection.
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Guests gather around antique tractors and cars at this year's show.
Guests gather around antique tractors and cars at this year's show.
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1. Putting the Titan on electronic scale before pulling sled.
1. Putting the Titan on electronic scale before pulling sled.
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4. Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Haverfield and their stone burr mill.
4. Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Haverfield and their stone burr mill.
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6. Why did they make left-handed walking plows? This question is always asked when you see one of these rare left handers at a show.
6. Why did they make left-handed walking plows? This question is always asked when you see one of these rare left handers at a show.
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511 Graff Way Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64063

Delameter’s Old Time Threshing Bee was held north of
Lee’s Summit, Missouri, on August 24 and 25. Talk about a good
host! If you are close by next year, come on in. George and Dorothy
Delameter are as nice a farm host as you’ll find anywhere.

George and Bill Browning’s tractor rest home was the site of
the 2nd annual Old Time Threshing Bee. Our record breaking wet
August almost drowned it out, but it cleared enough to get it
in.

George loves to show you some of his 35 or so collected tractors
and old threshing machines and so the Delameter Threshing Bee was
born last year.

George travels the Grain Belt Nebraska, the Dakotas and Wyoming
servicing and repairing the head house scales in grain elevators
when he is not restoring something old. He is ably assisted by his
neighbor ‘Uncle’ Bill Browning, a retired carpenter/farmer,
in his restoring work.

Between the two of them, they have restored 30 tractors and
associated pieces of farm equipment and have another 30 or so in
the process. Their pride this past winter was the 1920 Titan that
they acquired in full dress rust and stuck up condition, and had
running and in new paint for this show.

An article in the local Examiner by Brent Hoskins
described the threshing bee: ‘With equipment owner George
Delameter seated on the binder and Bill Browning on the tractor,
the work began. They traveled in a large circle around the outside
edge of the 2-acre field. Every few moments several bales of wheat
would pile upon the binder’s catcher and Delameter would pull a
lever, dropping them to the ground. Others followed the machinery
closely, picking up the bales and placing them upright in shocks to
allow them to cure and dry.’ The threshing bee was attended by
members of the Sni-Valley Antique Machinery Association who have a
noble motto: ‘Behold the work of the old… let your heritage
not be lost, but bequeath it as a memory, treasure the blessing.
Gather the lost and the hidden, and preserve it for the
children.’

George and Bill are also very active in the Midwestern Missouri
Tractor Collectors Association at Adrian, Missouri, as well as
anywhere else when someone asks their help.

Thanks for wanting to share our farm heritage, George and Bill.
You are both good showmen and neighbors.

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