Aug 19 2009
Le Sueur Pioneer Power Show in Le Sueur, MN
My kids have grown up on a farm, so they can distinguish a tractor from a combine, a baler from a swather, a barn from a silo, and so on. Because farming is part of their heritage on both sides of the family, we’ve also tried to show them how farming was done in their grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ days. Photos of early tractors, grandfathers’ memories of farming with tractors, exploring the old barn: these are a part of my kids’ family history.
Perhaps one of the most exciting things, though, is to actually see the old equipment in action. For this, a visit to a pioneer power show or threshing bee is ideal. I grew up going to threshing bees in places like Park River and Stump Lake and Rollag (oh, how my dad loved Rollag), where we’d see the wheat cut and gathered into shocks and then fed into the threshing machine.
Last year, we took our kids to the nearby Le Sueur Pioneer Power Show in Le Sueur, Minnesota. This annual event features not only threshing demonstrations, but a lot more. Buildings from pioneer days are open, with demonstrations of things like early printing machines. The sawmill is in action, and there’s a petting zoo for the kids. Old-time machinery of all types is on display. A pancake feed and other food stands keep hunger away, and for the kids, there’s a miniature train ride and a playground.
The highlight of the day, though, is the parade. This isn’t just any parade: it’s a parade of tractors and other pioneer equipment. Each year there’s a different type of tractor featured; last year there were rows and rows of Farmall “M” tractors; this year Ferguson and Eagle brands are the feature, along with fire equipment and the 150th anniversary of the log cabin on-site.
A pioneer power show or threshing bee is family-friendly; it’s a great way to let kids learn about farm history, whether or not they have agriculture in their heritage.
This year’s Le Sueur Pioneer Power Show will be held August 28-30. Admission is $7 per person for all three days of the show, with kids under 12 free.
