Iron County Fair to feature 1900s horse-drawn hay baler

SAXON, Wis. - Saxon farmer Kenny Clement said Iron County Fair-goers will be treated to some new tractor-related events during this weekend's three-day celebration.

Clement said an early 1900s vintage hay baler that is horse-drawn was found at the old DeRosso farm near the former Cary Mine in Hurley.

He said Kayla Saubert and her horse will operate the old baler, which is also called a hay presser.

"We've tried it out and actually baled a couple of bales with it," he said.

He said Saubert has trained her riding horse well and the animal will do just about anything that she requests, including baling hay.

Clement has said an old shovel rig from Ashland that operates in back of an Army truck will also be on display. Used for loading manure, it operates with cables alone and was also used as a stump-puller. He's unsure whether the shovel will be operational, but it will be available to be viewed on the back of the truck.

Also, Saxon cattle farmer Eugene Luoma plans to reactivate his oat thrasher as a blast into farming's past.

Most members of Kenny and Sandy Clement's family return every year to the fair and they help out wherever they can.

Clement said he is proud that one of his grandsons, who attends Iowa State University, is working on a farm this summer after spending some of his formative summers at the Clements' farm.

The fair will again pay tribute to a variety of antique tractors and events related to them.

Lake Superior Tired Iron Tractor Club members, under the leadership of Kasey Krall, of Saxon, not only participate in the Iron County Fair, but are involved in many other area events all throughout the summer.

"We had 30 tractors on display one year," Clement said Monday.

Little kids, and adults alike, get a kick out of sitting on the tractors and pretending they are driving them.

On Saturday at noon, the popular Kiddies Tractor Pull, involving foot-powered little rigs, will return. Registration for the kiddies' tractor pull begins at 11 a.m.

The schedule for other tractor-related events at the fair includes:

-Saturday: Antique tractor pull at 12:30 p.m.

-Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m., 10th annual antique tractor and equipment show, featuring demonstrations; 12:30 p.m., antique tractor parade throughout the fairgrounds.

The tractors and equipment are displayed in the blacktop parking lot adjacent to the softball field, near the poultry barn. They are available for viewing throughout the fair.

Daily gate admission fees allow fair-goers to attend all of the events at no added cost.