SIX HOURS OF ENDLESS WALKING, many conversations, one shared handheld peach pastry, a small taco, several bites of a burger and fries, one molasses cookie, a couple swallows of soda, one shared dish of Amish-made ice cream and hundreds of photos later, I left the Rice County Steam & Gas Engines Fall Show on August 30 exhausted. In a good way.
This event held at the showgrounds in rural Dundas over Labor Day weekend saw ideal weather and record crowds during the 50th anniversary celebration focused on “preserving a bit of yesterday for tomorrow.” That’s exactly what this organization accomplishes. From horse power to steam power to gas power, the early days and evolution of farming are on display in living history demonstrations. Rows and rows of vintage tractors and other agricultural equipment and on-site old buildings also showcase history.
I love everything about this show as it takes me back to my rural roots, reconnects me with the land and reminds me of the importance farming had, and still has, in Minnesota.
I love, too, the passion I see here in tractor collectors and in those operating massive steam engines, guiding horses, shoveling and shelling corn, pitching and threshing oats, sawing wood, making ropes, creating commemorative wooden shingles, stitching leather, pounding hot metal, and much much more.
I also love people-watching, seeing young and old alike immerse themselves in the past. This truly is a family event for all ages with hands-on activities for the kids and lots of reminiscing for those of us who grew up on farms. I watched kids spin on old-fashioned merry-go-rounds, grind corn, toss basketballs into hoops inside a grain wagon, pedal with all their might in a competitive kids’ pedal tractor pull, ride in an old-fashioned barrel train and on a mini train, steer tractors…
A flea market, music, food…they, too, are part of this well-organized show. It takes a lot of volunteers, a lot of work and dedication, a lot of time and commitment to pull this off.
This organization has grown this event, which began with a threshing demonstration in Faribault in 1974, sparking formation of the Rice County Steam Association and the first show near Warsaw in 1975. The 1916 50 hp Case steam engine that started it all 50 years ago was pulled out of storage at the Rice County Historical Society Museum for display at the 2025 show.
Everywhere I walked, everywhere I looked, I saw smiles. I saw, too, an inter-generational connection over a shared love of tractors, farming of yesteryear, the rural way of life.
In the noise of roaring farm machinery, in the belch of steam from massive steam engines, in the dust flying from shelling corn and threshing oats, in the clop of horses’ hooves, even in the scent of horse manure, I observed and experienced rural life as it once existed. Labor intensive. Dangerous. Family-centered. But at it’s core still the same. Valued. Honored. Truly a way of life rooted in the land and cherished by those who live upon and tend it.
PLEASE CHECK BACK for more posts about this show.
© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
What a massive event! I love that you share these old-fashioned type of events with us! Thanks for the great post, Audrey! ❤
You’re welcome, Penny. Glad you enjoyed this post.
I spent time most years on the family farm. I remember we used work horses for some tasks and tractor for others. After a while we only used the tractor; we hung out with the aging horses. We milked a small herd of cows, first by hand, then by hand and machine, then by machine. The thing that never changed was the intimacy we had with the animals, the barn cats, and one another.
That’s such a good point, that the relationships among animals and humans and between humans remained close even as farming evolved.
Oh My Tractors – ha! Beautiful horses too. Love seeing the kids getting into it and having fun. Thanks for sharing – Happy Day – ENJOY!
You would love this farm show!
it’s wonderful to see the mix of generations and traditions at the event. and that parade, wow!
The parade went on for more than an hour, I think. Because this marked the 50th anniversary, many more tractors comprised the parade. And many more people attended.
Once again it’s fun to visit this event through your eyes and pictures and words. Looks like you had a wonderful time. The weather was wonderful too.
We had a great time, Valerie.
I had to come back to this fun post because of this Charlie Berens’ video, “Playgrounds now vs. Playgrounds then,” which has a segment on vintage merry-go-rounds: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1C4AkfbW3k/
Oh, gosh, Charlie Berens, love his comedy.
What a long but wonderful day you had filled with hundreds of Photos to enjoy later. This looks like a really amazing event. Thanks for sharing!
It’s always a fun event. I still can’t believe we were there for SIX hours!
I just found out the ploughing competition is in my village tomorrow, Audrey, so I doubt you can fly here in time! Lots of side shows, vintage tractors and shire horses. Just a taster on this clip. https://youtu.be/ZUTxopK3vTw I also thought of you last week when I attended a march in London to protest Trump’s visit. Keeping active and engaged makes retirement wonderful. Best wishes to you from across the pond.
Enjoy the ploughing competition. That sounds like a lot of fun.
Thank you for protesting Trump’s visit to London. I was wondering how he would be received by the general population. Yes, I will continue to protest and do what I can. Every day brings a new issue of concern. Every day I say to myself, “I can’t believe this is happening in our country! And why can’t his supporters see the threat he is to our democracy, our health, our freedom of speech, so much?” These are scary times in the U.S.