Events  

 

History of The Threshing Bee

Germ of the Threshing Bee came from Mr. and Mrs. Everett Metzentine of Wamic, who used old farm machinery to harvest part of their wheat crop, with their family participating the first year and friends and neighbors helping the second year.

 

After the second harvesting bed, Bob DePreist of DePreist Farm Equipment of Dufur, on business, discussed the fun event with Mr. Metzentine. They talked about Dufur being an ideal spot for public enjoyment of a wheat harvesting using old-time machinery and draft horses, the latter also of major interest to Mr. Metzentine. He then attended several of Dufur’s Chamber of Commerce meetings, presenting his ideas, and the first Dufur Threshing Bee and the following two, 1971, 1972, and 1973, were sponsored by the Dufur Chamber of Commerce.

In 1974, the newly formed Dufur Historical and Cultural Society of Dufur was asked if its members wished to continue the event, the change in sponsorship showed no effect on the success of the harvest festival. The Society sponsored the 1975 and the 1976 Threshing Bees, and since the Society believed that the entire community should be involved, each year following their first one in 1974, a special Threshing Bee Committee was formed, to conduct each succeeding year’s event. The 1977 Threshing Bee will be the fourth one having a completely separate committee members each year. Chairmen have been Mrs. Lewis Walkart, 1974; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Hix, 1975; Mrs. Robert Olson, 1976; and 1977, Mr. Bill Hulse.


The Metzentine and DePriest Families are Grand Marshalls of the 2010 Dufur Threshing Bee

 

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