Old-Time Plowing Bee slated for this weekend

COLFAX - The Palouse Empire Threshing Association Spring Farming Days will occur this weekend, April 15-16, at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds on state Highway 26, west of Colfax, starting at around 9 a.m.

Organizer Mike Schwartz stated that the event is a group effort between him and the other organizers.

Schwartz explained that this would be the grain they harvest on Labor Day and that they won't plow this weekend.

"They'll be fertilizing, spring tooth, and harrow," he said.

He explained that spring tooth is an early cultivation process, and teams of horses will pull those in twos and threes to level the ground, making the seed bed to seed the spring wheat.

"Once they get something started on, they will start seeding wheat with a grain grill pulled by horses," he added about this weekend.

Depending on the weather, Schwartz said there would be around 8 to 15 teams.

He explained that they'd start work for a few hours, take lunch around noon, and then start working again through the afternoon, starting Sunday morning again following the same schedule until they finish.

There will be a mix of horses and mules for the teams.

Schwartz encourages everyone to come out, watch, and enjoy.

"It's pretty cool to watch if you've never watched it before," he said, adding that they're using farming methods typically used around 120 years ago in the Palouse.

"Hopefully, the weather will be good, and we'll have a good turnout," he said.