Plowing bee set

The 2013 Old Time Farming Days plowing bee is set for this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on farmland across from the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds.

Stan Riebold, one of the organizers, said this is the 30th year for the bee. It’s all run by about 50 volunteers from as far away as Idaho and Clarkston, he said. About 60 draft horses and mules will be used in the bee, he said.

Antique equipment will be in action, including plows and drills, a threshing machine, derrick table, push header and steam engine.

Horse plowing and tilling with draft horses and mules will show spectators how farming was done in the past in Whitman County.

Riebold said they will plow, cultivate, harrow and seed wheat and barley on the 15 acres of land.

Spectators are welcome to take photos.

Plowing and seeding days were held earlier in Pomeroy on April 6-7 at the Garfield County Fairgrounds and west of Odessa.

A Vintage Threshing Bee is scheduled for Labor Day, Sept. 2, on the same land.

All events are free to the public. A no host lunch will be served in the Community Building, catered by Endicott Food Center.

If the weather is questionable, call before going out to the fairground.

Riebold said donations are welcome and will be used to maintain the volunteers’ equipment.

For more information, call Stan Riebold, (509) 595-7159, or Tom Henninger, (509) 648-3462.