Celebrating Agricultural Heritage at the 40th Threshing Festival

The St. Croix Valley Collectors Association invites the community to attend the 40th Annual Threshing Festival on Sunday, August 17. This year's festivities will take place at Firefly Moments farm, situated at the intersection of 30th Avenue and County Road W, between River Falls and Hammond (1559 30th Ave., Hammond). Attendees can enjoy live demonstrations such as threshing, hay baling with vintage stationary presses, silo filling, corn shelling, and rope making. The event also showcases an array of antique tractors, hit-and-miss engines, and other historic machinery throughout the day. For younger visitors, activities include train rides, a goat pen, bounce house, and a pedal tractor pull competition. The event kicks off at 10 a.m., followed by a midday break featuring a meal of pulled pork, sweetcorn, and all the traditional trimmings, complemented by refreshing root beer floats. Highlights of the day include a silent auction and an antique tractor parade at 2 p.m., which is preceded by the annual crowning of the festival's King and Queen. This milestone 40th anniversary will honor brothers Bob and Dick Bjerstedt, who initiated the event by hosting a birthday gathering for Di...