Clinton News-Record, 1983-08-31, Page 22Valves, gauges, taps, pipes, whistles, nuts and bolts make up the complicated steam
machines that once brought the harvest in from the fields. (Blyth Standard photo)
The )3IytFi
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Fully Licenced
WELCOMETOTH
THRESHER REUNION
During your visit to Blyth come and
enjoy delicious food!
r—DININGROOM HOURS: ---N
Friday and Saturday 11 am -2 pm
5 pm -12 midnight
11:30 am -7 pm
Sunday
LOUNGE ENTERTAINMENT
Friday and Saturday
September 9th, 10th, 1983
"THE NITE LITES"
9 pm -1 am
Also
"SATURDAY MATINEE"
T res r s
events for very
rs
By Shelley McPhee
In 1962 threshermen met in
Blyth for the first time to
show off their giant steam
machines. Approximately
400 people turned up for that
first show.
The reunion grew beyond
those originators' wildest
dreams and last year more
cthan 10,000 participants and
visitors took in the three day
event.
The annual reunion has
grown from a steam engine
display to a full fledged
country style family affair,
with exhibits and contests to
interest all ages.
Watching large steams
engines, model steam
engines, shingle machine,
braker fan, hay press, gas
tractors, gas engines, horse
power and hand fed
separators at work is still the
main attraction to this
spectacular show, but the
reunion also offers many
different old time crafts and
contests.
In the Blyth arena visitors
can see and buy apple doll
creations, spinning and
weaving, wood carving,
ceramics, cake decorating
demonstrations, hand
knitting and sewing,
homemade baking and
produce, jewelery, ice
cream making and butter
churning.
Outdoor exhibits will in-
clude an impressive life
saving display by the Blyth
Fire Department with the
Jaws of Life. Gram will be
threshed, lumber will be
sawed by steam and there
will be four and six horse
hitchs and a black smith
shop.
Energetic men and boys
can join in log sawing con-
tests, the belt setting com-
petition and bag tying.
The reunion also offers a
wide variety of musical
entertainment, from the
Clinton Legion Pipe Band on
Saturday and the Mount
Forest Cameron Highlan-
ders Pipe Band and OPP
Band on Sunday, to the toe
tapping sounds of the
Komoka Seniors old time
band who will play at a
Saturday night dance in the
arena from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Seaforth Community
Band will be playing on
Sunday. Earl and Martha
Heywood will be on hand
with their CKNX-TV mobile
speaker for the old time
fiddler's contest and step
dance competition.
The reunion will have its
official opening on Saturday
at 4:30 p.m. with a downtown
parade and opening
ceremonies. Local mer-
chants have decorated their
store fronts and will be of-
fering sidewalk sale specials
throughout the weekend.
The 22nd annual event will
conclude on Sunday with a
giant morning church ser-
vice at local churches and on
the grounds at 10:30 a.m.
The Heywoods will be
leading the service.
From the start of the show
on Friday at 1:30 p.m.,
Saturday at 9 a.m. and
Sunday at 1:30 p.m., to its
conclusion, there will be
something for all ages and
interests at this fantastic
country event.
Local cooks prepare
to feed big appetites
By Shelley McPhee
Something about
threshing, the fresh fall air
and the hard work involved
in bringing in the harvest
makes for big appetites.
Like the old days when
kitchen tables were laden
with hot, filling dishes for the
threshing gangs, industrious
volunteers at the Blyth
Thresher's Reunion are
preparing to satisfy all
tastebuds at this weekend's
event.
The thousands of visitors
and participants in the
thresher show will be able to
eat a bountiful meals to
satisfy those harvest ap-
petites.
The Blyth Legion Ladies,
under the direction of Lillian
Riehl, will be cooking for
hundreds in the arena
auditorium. They will be
providing sandwich lun-
cheons and hot dinners on
Friday and Saturday.
Proceeds from meal tickets
will be used by the Legion for
their work.
Meanwhile the Blyth Lions
will be barbecuing five, 30
pound roasts of beef for the
huge barbecue finale on
Sunday. Last year the Lions
fed more than 300 and this
year they are anticipating
equally large crowds.
The dinner sittings are
from 12 to 2 p.m. and from 4
to 7 p.m. and tue menu will
include baked potatoes,
corn, cole slaw, relish trays
and ice cream, along with
the barbecued beef.
The Lions also operate a
food booth on the grounds on
Saturday and Sunday and a
beer garden will be held at
the nearby Lions Park.
Lion member Larry Walsh
reports that this ambitious
venture is the biggest annual
money maker for the Blyth
Lions, bringing in more than
$3,000 for their community
projects.
The Lions have been
helping in the food depart-
ment at the reunion for 22
years now and they receive
appreciated help from their
wives and the Figure Skating
Club.
The Blyth Fire Depart-
ment will be joining the food
service at the reunion this
year. The members of the
volunteer brigade will be
hosting a pancake and
sausage breakfast at the fire
hall on Saturday morning.
More than 60 pounds of
sausage have been ordered
from the Blyth Meat Market
for the breakfast and Bev
Bromley will be donating the
maple syrup for the hun-
dreds of pancakes that will
be made by the firemen
turned chefs.
Like other meals offered at
the reunion, the pancake
breakfast will help firemen
raise funds for their new
emergency van.
There's liitle doubt that
anyone will go home hungry
from the 1983 version of the
Blyth Thresher Reunion.
Best Wishes
to the 22nd Annual
Reunion
Geo. Burkholder
AUTO BODY
COLLISION REPAIRS
AND REFINISHING
24 HOUR TOWING SERVICE
BLYTN 523-9474
j
®u : tiful
Harvest
Clinton News -Record
September 21, 1933
The golden grain with
nodding head
Fills all the land with
bounteous store
To fill the hungry mouths
with bread
That none may want from
shore to shore.
No! every mouth will not be
filled;
For man has built a fence
around,
The gleaner has no welcome
here,
This land is mine, Keep off
my ground.
My sturdy arm hath plowed
the fields!
My arm hath cast the golden
seed,
I'll reap my fields, and build
my barns,
Of others I will take no heed.
Oh selfish man! Who built
the worlds?
Who gave thee power to sow
the seed?
Who sent the gentle rain
from heaven?
And sunbeams dancing
overhead?
'Twas God our father sent
the sun
To stir the life that hidden
strength:
The blade, the ear, the
ripened grain;
And the harvest home at
length.
Oh foolish man, what could
we do
Without that mighty hand
divine?
Our feeble power is loaned to
us
That we may bless all
humankind.
Shall we not worship at the
shrine
Of him who rolls the worlds
along,
Commit our every care to
Him,
And fill our days with thank-
ful song?
-by J.B. Lobb, Clinton
Exciting log sawing con
winners at this test of sk
Thres
September 3, 1975
The Blyth Standard
Some 10,000 people are
expected to invade Blyth this
Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, looking for history
to come to life.
In Canada, history has
always been considered a
dull subject. Even dead.
Canadian history has until
recently at least, been
written as if the writer was
seeking the answer to in-
somnia. The interesting
parts have been ignored or
written about so poorly that
even those who actually took
part in the events would
probably start dozing if they
At harvesting time
Clinton News -Record
September 14, 1933
Today I lingered near a field
of wheat
Tossing its tawny plumes
against a sky
Of peaceful blue
How far removed it seemed
from bread to eat
And hungry lands where
bread is but a cry
To strike fear through.
There with the sun lying
mellow warm
Upon golden -rippled waves
that fragrant air
So gently spread,
I breathed a simple prayer,
"God keep from harm
All harvest fields, that no
child anywhere
Need lack for bread."
-Lekie Dean Robertson, in
Good Housekeeping.
22nd
Huron
Threshe
REU
Blyth, On
SEPTEMBE
Large Steam Engines, Antique cars, Threshing Machines.
& engines, Log sawing, belt setting, bag tying, Step da
contest,' crafts, bean soup pot, souvenir dishes, etc.
HOT MEALS SERVED ON THE G
Saturday Night Old Tyme Dance in Are
Free parking for cars; Trailer Park room
camping with hydro & water.
°Wayne Houston
President
R.R. 3 Moorefield Ont.
NOG 2K0