Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
Free events provide glimpse of farming history
COLFAX – Farming is the backbone of every country.
And organizers of the upcoming Old-Time Farming Days want people to understand the importance of farming and ranching.
Old-Time Farming Days are planned for April 16-17 across the road from the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds on state Highway 26 west of Colfax and for May 14-15 at the Tom Scharff farm, a couple miles east of Davenport at 42601 Four Corners Road East.
The annual Vintage Threshing Bee is also planned for Sunday, Sept. 4, at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds.
“We want everybody to come out,” co-organizer Eric Reiber said.
The Easter weekend event at the fairgrounds will feature teamsters plowing, harrowing and seeding, he said.
“I have no idea how many teamsters we’ll have,” he said. “But last year, we had 70-plus animals.”
Event-goers will be able to watch and learn about old-time farming, he said, noting a lot of the same people come year-after-year to be sure children understand how important farming is to the region, and the nation.
Most of the work will be done by horses and mules, Reiber said. But there may also be some demonstrations with antic tractors.
“It’s a great way to see how it (farming) was done a very long time ago,” he said. “And it introduces kids to history.”
The free event showcases how our grandparents farmed, he said, noting activities get underway early each day with teams getting harnessed up.
“It’s amazing the amount of labor that happens to get a little bit of work done with a horse,” he said. “But by mid-morning, there’ll be a lot of activity.”
Most of the activities will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. until the work is done Sunday.
Endicott Food Center will also be on-hand for a no-host lunch, he said.
The next event is May 14-15 at the Tom Scharff farm near Davenport.
“We’ll start about 9 o’clock in the morning and go to about 4 Saturday (May 14),” co-organizer Michelle Overmyer said. “Then, we’ll do it again from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday (May 15).
“We’ll be plowing, disking and harrowing with draft horses and draft mules. We will not be seeding.”
Overmyer and her husband, Jon Overmyer, participate in the Old-Time Farming Days annually.
“It’s something fun to do,” Michelel Overmyer said. “We love to farm and play with our mules and open it to the public for everyone to enjoy.”
It’s not just fun, it’s educational, she said, noting children need to learn more about where their food comes from, and she’s not referring to grocery stores.
“Why the U.S. exists is because of local farmers, and because of our forefathers who have planted the seeds every year for the next generation,” she said. “We need to educate the general public about where their food comes from. Farming and ranching is the backbone of every loving person.”
At the Davenport event, youth will be able to have a hands-on experience with some participants willing to take youngsters on their plows, weather permitting.
“We welcome youth,” she said, noting people of all ages are welcome to come, “bring their cameras and take lots of pictures.”
The Old-Time Farming Days wrap up Sunday, Sept. 4, with a Vintage Threshing Bee back in Colfax.
At that event across from the fairgrounds, participants will harvest the crop planted during the April event.
This year, the Vintage Threshing Bee moves from Labor Day to Sunday, Reiber said.
Moving up the event by a day should help alleviate pressure on participants and the Palouse Empire Fair, which immediately follows.
“There’s always a push with the carnival and exhibitors moving in, so we’re going to see if it (moving up a day) doesn’t make it a little less stressful for everyone,” he said. “Besides, it allows everyone to get home a little earlier on a holiday weekend.
Roger Harnack is co-owner and publisher of Free Press Publishing. An award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher who grew up in Eastern Washington, he's one of only two Washington state journalists ever to receive the international Golden Quill for editorial/commentary writing. Roger is committed to preserving local media, and along with it, a local voice for Eastern Washington.
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