Threshing Bee, set for Sept. 14-15, brings history alive

If you’ve never participated in an old-fashioned threshing bee, next month is your chance. Antique and horse-drawn equipment will roll out to harvest wheat at the Jefferson County Historical Society’s Eighth Annual Threshing Bee, Sept. 14 and 15, at its new location north of Madras.

For the second year, the free, family-friendly event will be held at Casad Family Farms, owned by Chris and Cate Casad, at 2595 NW Elm Lane, where nearly 3 acres of Sonora wheat – almost double last year’s acreage – will be ready for harvest.

The event will get underway Saturday, Sept. 14, around 9 a.m., when Mike McIntosh, of Terrebonne, with his team of Percheron horses, will operate an antique John Deere reaper-binder, which will cut, collect and bundle the wheat.

Once the wheat is bundled, volunteers will load it into an antique Ellis Keystone wooden thresher – owned by JCHS board member Dave Campbell – which separates the wheat kernels from the chaff.

“Anyone who wants to bring a pitchfork and gloves can participate,” said Chris Casad, who was pleased to host the event for the first time in 2023, when the historical society had to move the event from the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.

“Last year was great,” said Casad. “There was a record turnout. It was fun to have here.”

Antique equipment, including old-time cars, trucks, tractors and motor bikes, as well as farm-related equipment, will be on display, and a small engine club is expected to participate.

The reaping, binding and threshing will wind up around 4 p.m. Afterward, attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and participate in a jam night, or just enjoy the music. There will be food carts on site.

On Sunday, Sept. 15, from about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., threshing will continue and participants will be able to bale straw in a hand-fed antique stationary baler.

For more information on the event, contact Campbell at 541-475-7327, or Chris Casad at 541-815-6483.

Holly M. Gill is a Jefferson County Historical Society board member.