See Antiques of the Farm for 3-Days in Charm! by John Leck If the roar of a steam whistle, the chug of an old engine or the thrill of a tractor pull is missing from your 2018 summer plans, be sure to mark your calendars for the Doughty Valley Steam Days! The 18th annual event will be held July 26th, 27th & 28th, 2018, just off State Route 557, near Charm in Holmes County Ohio. A wide variety of operational exhibits set in an “on-the-farm” atmosphere will surely be interesting and educational for people of all ages. At the Doughty Valley Steam Days, a person from the 21st century can see for themselves how steam and gasoline engines helped people accomplish jobs on the farm and in industry 100 years ago. In the early 1900’s, it was steam that powered mills, lighted cities and plowed the soil of the Great Plains. Gasoline engines were common for small power needs where electricity was not available, but for big jobs, only steam powered engines were up to the task. The participants of the Doughty Valley Steam Days gather to reminisce and bring the past to life for all that visit. Dozens of working demonstrations will be active during the 3-day event. The 2017 reunion included 17 working portable and traction engines ranging from 6 to 90 horsepower, and over 20 of the steel wheeled tractors expected for the 2018 reunion. The event started in 2001 as a small gathering of local antique farm machinery collectors, but has now grown to be the largest gathering of steam engines in Eastern Ohio, with some traveling over 100 miles to be part of the reunion. Most of the steam engines on display are in the form of steam powered tractors- a self-propelled steam power plant. The portability, versatility and the power available through their belt pulley allowed for numerous labor saving and production enhancing machines to be invented. Grain threshing, shingle making and sawmilling are just a few of the machines on display at the Doughty Valley Steam Days. There will likely not be an idle belt all day. Visitors can also expect to see dozens of preserved and restored ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� in operational displays. Field demonstrations of horse and steam plowing are also planned. Steam plowing was a common use for steam tractors on the open prairies, not on the hills of Eastern Ohio where horses were more ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� market area where several booths will be set up offering items related to farming, antiques and household wares. There are special events in the evening for folks stopping in after work. 20 Farmerstown & Walnut Creek, Ohio Area Continued on page 21
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