VIDEO/PHOTOS: Threshing festival reaches into the past

But the amount of people willing to put it together has begun to wane.

The members of the Vintage Power Machines non-profit organization operate the land and facilities where the threshing festival is held. The space includes several old-fashioned buildings, countless tractors and old farming equipment.

“Our membership is getting older and the young people aren’t interested in it until they’re in their mid-40s. Our labour pool has just shrunk to the point where it’s tough for us to keep going. But there are about eight or 10 guys that just won’t let it quit,” said club president Gordon Steele.

He has been head of the group for 12 years and in that time he’s seen interest in joining drop. Steele believes this is a common problem for other clubs based on volunteers.

“It’s so much different than 10 years ago. We have to really go out there and impress upon people how important this is.

Despite their shrinking number of volunteers, they’re still willing to give tours almost any day of the week, as long as someone is available to do so, said Steele.

The land also is often used for school tours. Up to 400 children walk through the doors of the old-style general store each year. Getting the chance to educate younger generations about past methods of farming is one of the main reasons Steele enjoys all the hard work.

That workload is impressive considering how self-sufficient the Vintage Power Machines operation is.

“Everything you see on this site has either been done by volunteer fundraising or volunteer labour. We get no help from the government or anybody else,” he said.

But the realities of life could mean they need to slow down in the future.

“We pick up two or three [members] a year but we also lose three, four or five a year. Either through health problems or they pass on,” Steele explained.

Regardless of membership concerns, Steele is comforted by the fact that the land and buildings on it will remain a tool in teaching history for a long time.

“We’re one of the only museums in the north here that is actually a designated heritage site… so we’ll never be shut down. We’ll be here forever. All of our land and buildings are covered under that designation.”

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On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk

Vintage Power Machines 33rd Annual Threshing Festival

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Threshing festival reaches into the past

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