ALBERT CITY, Iowa — Tim Hogrefe had fun, but worked hard during the Albert City Threshermen and Collectors Show.
"I farm, but this gives me a really, good idea of the hard work farming was back then," said the 23-year-old who was in the process of tossing wheat bundles into the threshing machine.
Hogrefe was grateful that the day was cool, just in the 70s. During the three-day show, Hogrefe and his threshing friend Brady Bonin, also of Albert City worked while being watched by many of the show's 11,000 visitors.
The grounds included 22 acres of wheat, with 11 acres made into bundles and the rest left for combining demonstrations.
The potato patch was something new. It was an idea that Randy Koenig of Sioux Rapids brought to the Threshermen's Board and with the aid of Sue Glienke of Greenville brought it to fruition.
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"I saw it done at the Weigert Prarie Farmstead near Palmer," said Koenig. "It looked like a lot of fun and something that should be added to the Threshermen Show."
The land was prepared for planting using horse power. On April 1 the seed potatoes were planted with horses and a potato planter. Varieties selected were Indian Red, Lakota Red, a russet and Yukon gold. Koenig's brother Jeff donated 150 pounds of seed potatoes.
Randy Koenig pulled the plow through the almost mature potato plants.
The Weinhold family from Alta — Rachel, age 9, Conner, 7, and Lindsey, 5 — were among the many potato pickers.
"I like potatoes," said Rachel, her face beaming as she held an overfilled bag of good-sized tubers. "Fried, mashed, it doesn't matter, potatoes are good. It is a lot of fun picking up potatoes."
The show grounds hummed with activity.
"We are known as a working show," said Duane Madson, a board member. "We want our guests to see things in action, to see how farming was done through years past."
Visitors saw corn picking and shelling demonstrations, a hammer mill and saw mill in operation, shingle making, combining, raking and baling, and horses at work.
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Minneapolis-Moline tractors and implements were featured at the show this year. Lynn Wennell of Albert City picked 74 day variety corn that tested 19 percent to 20 percent moisture.
Matt Scheuring of Manilla and Nels Olson of Madrid brought a Minneapolis Moline Model 88 combine. Olson was looking at a tractor to buy when he saw the old combine in a weedy patch. Te combine was manufactured in the 1950s and didn't come from the factory with come a corn head.
The 2013 show will be Aug. 9-11. The Albert City Threshermen and Collectors will host the Iowa State International Harvester Convention.
