Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association
Encyclopedia
The Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association puts on the second- or third- oldest Threshermen
’s Reunion in the United States
. It is held in the middle of August each year, from Wednesday through Saturday, in Kinzers, Pennsylvania
, about eight miles east of the city of Lancaster
. The association’s name is taken from the 1890s book Rough and Tumble Engineering: Book of Instructions for Operators of Farm and Traction Engines
by James H. Maggard.
ry, and moved from farm to farm to bring in and thresh the wheat harvest. Many crews covered several states and several hundred miles each season. Farmers and their wives would compete to gain and keep the services of the best threshing crews by laying on heaping portions of the best food they could cook. Threshermen were made obsolete by the development of the combine harvester
, in the 1940s and 1950s, but the joy of seeing old friends – and all that great food—mandated that Reunions be held, even if there wasn’t any threshing to do!
at the east end of Kinzers, Pennsylvania, about eight miles east of the city of Lancaster. Young and his father had maintained a number of steam traction engines, and Young served as an officer of the Pennsylvania Threshermen and Farmers Protective Association. A number of local steam engine enthusiasts encouraged Young to hold a Threshers Reunion to showcase his collection of engines, and the PTFPA agreed to provide free food and advertising for the event. The Rev. Elmer Ritzman, the founding editor of Iron Man Album (a magazine devoted to preserving the heritage of threshing and farm life in general, now owned by Ogden Publications and titled Steam Traction Magazine) was a major proponent of the first R&T show, and served as an R&T director for many years
, plus three barns full of old steam engines and old stationary gas engine
s, including an Otto-Langen, one of the world’s three surviving examples of the first commercially successful gas engines, almost all of which are kept in operating condition, and are run during the Threshermen’s Reunion and other shows. There is also a 2/3 scale Shay side-geared steam locomotive that provides rides, as well as a smaller live steam locomotive that pulls train cars full of happy kids. Most of the events, especially the Threshermen’s Reunion, has scores of crafters, including local Amish
and Mennonite
residents, and scores of flea market
vendors who come from all over the country.
In addition to the Threshermen’s Reunion, held in the middle of August, R&T offers a two-day “Steam School” of hands-on learning, an Antique Tractor Pull in April, a Spring Steam-Up in May, Blacksmith
Days in June, and a celebration of A Time of Harvest in October. In addition, various collectors associations hold events at R&T, including John Deere
Days and an International Harvester / Farmall show.
Threshing
Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of cereal grain from the scaly, inedible chaff that surrounds it. It is the step in grain preparation after harvesting and before winnowing, which separates the loosened chaff from the grain...
’s Reunion in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is held in the middle of August each year, from Wednesday through Saturday, in Kinzers, Pennsylvania
Kinzers, Pennsylvania
Kinzers, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated community located in Salisbury Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Kinzers is located along U.S. Route 30....
, about eight miles east of the city of Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
. The association’s name is taken from the 1890s book Rough and Tumble Engineering: Book of Instructions for Operators of Farm and Traction Engines
Traction engine
A traction engine is a self-propelled steam engine used to move heavy loads on roads, plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location. The name derives from the Latin tractus, meaning 'drawn', since the prime function of any traction engine is to draw a load behind it...
by James H. Maggard.
Threshermen
Threshermen were crews of laborers who owned their own traction engine, and threshing machineThreshing machine
The thrashing machine, or, in modern spelling, threshing machine , was a machine first invented by Scottish mechanical engineer Andrew Meikle for use in agriculture. It was invented for the separation of grain from stalks and husks. For thousands of years, grain was separated by hand with flails,...
ry, and moved from farm to farm to bring in and thresh the wheat harvest. Many crews covered several states and several hundred miles each season. Farmers and their wives would compete to gain and keep the services of the best threshing crews by laying on heaping portions of the best food they could cook. Threshermen were made obsolete by the development of the combine harvester
Combine harvester
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a single process. Among the crops harvested with a combine are wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn ,...
, in the 1940s and 1950s, but the joy of seeing old friends – and all that great food—mandated that Reunions be held, even if there wasn’t any threshing to do!
Reunions
The first Rough and Tumble reunion was held in 1948 on the grounds of Arthur S. Young's farm equipment dealership south of U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania
In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, U.S. Route 30 runs east–west across the southern part of the state, passing through Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on its way from the West Virginia state line east to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River into New Jersey...
at the east end of Kinzers, Pennsylvania, about eight miles east of the city of Lancaster. Young and his father had maintained a number of steam traction engines, and Young served as an officer of the Pennsylvania Threshermen and Farmers Protective Association. A number of local steam engine enthusiasts encouraged Young to hold a Threshers Reunion to showcase his collection of engines, and the PTFPA agreed to provide free food and advertising for the event. The Rev. Elmer Ritzman, the founding editor of Iron Man Album (a magazine devoted to preserving the heritage of threshing and farm life in general, now owned by Ogden Publications and titled Steam Traction Magazine) was a major proponent of the first R&T show, and served as an R&T director for many years
Traction Engine Collection
R&T has one of the world’s best and largest collections of old traction engines, with over two dozen machines. There are also all kinds of antique farm implements and machineryFarm equipment
Agricultural machinery is any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming. The best-known example of this kind is the tractor.-Soil cultivation:*Cultivator*Cultipacker*Chisel plow*Mulch tiller*Harrow**Spike harrow**Drag harrow...
, plus three barns full of old steam engines and old stationary gas engine
Gas engine
A gas engine means an engine running on a gas, such as coal gas, producer gas biogas, landfill gas, or natural gas. In the UK, the term is unambiguous...
s, including an Otto-Langen, one of the world’s three surviving examples of the first commercially successful gas engines, almost all of which are kept in operating condition, and are run during the Threshermen’s Reunion and other shows. There is also a 2/3 scale Shay side-geared steam locomotive that provides rides, as well as a smaller live steam locomotive that pulls train cars full of happy kids. Most of the events, especially the Threshermen’s Reunion, has scores of crafters, including local Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
and Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
residents, and scores of flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
vendors who come from all over the country.
In addition to the Threshermen’s Reunion, held in the middle of August, R&T offers a two-day “Steam School” of hands-on learning, an Antique Tractor Pull in April, a Spring Steam-Up in May, Blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
Days in June, and a celebration of A Time of Harvest in October. In addition, various collectors associations hold events at R&T, including John Deere
John Deere
John Deere was an American blacksmith and manufacturer who founded Deere & Company, one of the largest and leading agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers in the world...
Days and an International Harvester / Farmall show.
External links
- Rough and Tumble website, retrieved November 26, 2006