{"id":53987,"date":"2025-01-28T20:41:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T20:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/agriculture\/bustin-out-all-over-people-events\/"},"modified":"2025-01-28T20:41:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T20:41:38","slug":"bustin-out-all-over-people-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=53987","title":{"rendered":"Bustin\u2019 Out All Over – People\/Events"},"content":{"rendered":"


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I tried to take a picture each morning of the equipment yard consignments beginning the Sunday before the event. What you see above is a progression of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. By the last check in day I was too busy to get a photo. But what you see on the last was half of what came in for the implement portion of the auction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bustin\u2019 Out All Over \/ SFJ Auction 2010 Report<\/h3>\n

by Lynn R. Miller
photos by Kristi Gilman-Miller<\/em><\/p>\n

If you were there you might have a good sense of the entire event\u2026 but then again you might not. I was there, from the beginning on throughout and I can\u2019t tell you first hand what all occurred. A lot of people showed up, things were happening in every corner of the lovely old fairgrounds pretty much non-stop. We had more items consigned than we have ever had, we worked up to three auction rings selling at the same time, and I can tell you it felt like a good time was had by most.<\/p>\n

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Out in the implement field during the auction it was difficult to see the equipment for the handsome crowd. Had to get there early in the morning or late afternoon, like below, to actually see the consignments.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The 2010 SFJ Auction Event is history now, a thick entry in our memory banks for what most of us would call a success, not all of us, but most. So it might be all right now to confess my early concerns. You see, I thought that the terrible recession we are in would hamper this annual gathering. People, I thought, wouldn\u2019t show up. We\u2019d have a smattering of consignments to try to sell to a handful of folks without much money. Vendors would hang back and the swap meet would be thin; those people who come every year as a vacation or to network or both would not be able to afford the trek. Yep, I had all those trepidations but I pretty much kept them to myself because I figured that this year was going to be the most important one for the auction and for all those reasons. We, all of us, needed it to work. We needed to get together and remind ourselves of what we truly valued. We needed a place to sell some stuff for a little extra cash, we needed to find that item at a price we might be able to afford, we needed to talk with others who could help us with that implement adjustment or that equine behavioral thing, or to bounce farming ideas off of. And we needed to be in the middle of all that raw positive energy.<\/p>\n

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The indoor arena was filled with small items, harness, people and scads of interesting horsedrawn vehicle consignments.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was a good month before the event that I started to feel the worries slip away; it was going to be a big one. So we trusted that instinct and built upon our plans to add several aspects to the event\u2019s time frame. We had already committed to doing a first time, small horsedrawn plowing match during our final check-in day. (That was a big gamble simply because the final check-in day is always a monstrous undertaking for staff and volunteers \u2013 tough adding another responsibility.) A.J. (Amy Jo) Ferris and Marilyn Warren worked to bring more vendors and demonstrators on to the grounds and though they were disappointed that all they invited didn\u2019t show, it was a tremendous success for all of us. With backyard chicken demos and Sheep dogs working and spinning and teamster round-tabling and blacksmithing and livestock displays on and on, it was a festival of back to the land sharing. With windmills and bread-making equipment and boot-making and wheel-wrighting and MUSIC, it was an absolutely grand time. Everybody smiling, everybody helping each other, everybody happy to be there \u2013 it was raw positive energy.<\/p>\n

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With two fine stagecoaches in the background, a group of youngsters attending as a school field trip are mesmerized by the auction doings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We had folks join us from New York, Alabama, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Carolina, Texas, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, Iowa, Ohio, Utah, Missouri, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, and British Columbia, amongst other states and provinces. Jim and Pam Smith brought their business, The Back to the Land Store, all the way out from Tennessee, to set up two booths for our trade show. It was a grand mix of folks.<\/p>\n

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Good friend Ed Joseph illustrates why carrying items before the crowd during the bidding gives him a chance to get in his bid as well.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That\u2019s not to say we didn\u2019t have problems and shortcomings. First; we had too much stuff to try to sell in three days of auctioneering \u2013 so we made the judgment to run two or three sale rings whenever we could. And we decided that we had to sell implements, outside, well after dark. With hindsight I now say that was a mistake but at the time we truly had no option, being limited to three days to get thousands of items sold.<\/p>\n

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Ryan Foxley, joined by Tom and Axel, did a superb concert of old time string music, many of the numbers coming from Ryan\u2019s new CD \u201cFollow the Plow.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Second; we refused to give up on the idea that the northwest needed a draft horse and mule auction and had to learn the hard way that there just isn\u2019t support from buyers or sellers for us to do it. So we say a fond and painful goodbye to that aspect of our event. No more horse auction. Instead we are toying with the European concept of a market fair for work and driving horses in which animals are paraded and formally introduced to seated buyers, then the animals return to the tie rail as prospective buyers haggle directly with horse owners.<\/p>\n

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These pictures might suggest that all there was to do this year at the Madras gathering stayed connected with the auction but that was not the case, as many demonstrations and clinics joined adhoc meetings and a thickset swap meet and trade show. It was truly an outstanding event all the way around.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In keeping with a crazy economy, prices at auction were up and down. Some things went way too cheap, while we set a few auction records on implements. You may have already heard the rumor that we were selling good rebuilt #9 mowers for $4,000 a pop. Put your mind to rest on your very next thought when I tell you I have already had 12 rebuilt mowers consigned for next year, a certain guarantee that the price will drop. We did have a beautiful Oliver 50 walking plow all complete, new\/old stock, with original paint and decals. It sold for $500. And we had a brand new Pioneer foot-lift sulky plow sell for $1,900. Pioneer forecarts variously outfitted, new and used, went for from $750 to $1,700 apiece. But there were plenty of serviceable implements that went dirt cheap. Even some excellent restored implements fell through the cracks when people weren\u2019t looking. But I guess that\u2019s what makes it an auction.<\/p>\n

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Marcus Morgan, Kris Turmon & Scotty Taylor. Marcus and Scotty round out our auctioneer stable and Kris is co-manager of the auction office along with Kathy Blann.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The plowing match was very well received, so much so that the fairgrounds has offered us four times as much area to plow next year so we\u2019re thinking about expanding the horse workings to include demonstrations of field implements, perhaps even some that will sell later at auction.<\/p>\n

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In the hat, that\u2019s the ubiquitous and erstwhile Brit McLin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year we featured a Ryan Foxley and friends string band concert, featuring Axle, Tom and Ryan. It was truly fabulous. Everyone who attended was transfixed and engaged with the old-time and new-time music. By the end there were even folks dancing, older generations taking the cue to teach the younger ones a few steps. What a hit! We\u2019re going to do whatever it takes to bring them back next year.<\/p>\n

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There was serious jamming; here SFJ webmaster Derek Phillips joins poet Paul Hunter for a Woody Guthrie sound-alike contest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking of that, along with folks wanting Ryan back, we\u2019ve already received lots of suggestions and requests for next year\u2019s event. On top of the list: more specific clinics i.e. a cultivator setup presentation, field trials of implements, butter-making, bread-baking, windmill suitability discussions, sheep shearing, sack sewing (as in grain sacks), walking plow adjustments, and a whole bunch more. We\u2019re definitely going to be challenged to get it done. But we have the human resources to make it come true.<\/p>\n

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Kids loved the livestock displays.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking of which; we can\u2019t begin to name every single person who made this year work but behind the scenes from day one were the Miller family, the SFJ staff, the Turmons and the Jefferson County Fairgrounds staff. Lou and Marilyn Warren worked for months coordinating all of the RV\u2019s and camping, a monumental task they accomplished with style and grace. A.J. Ferris (Amy Jo) also worked for months and until her nerves were frayed putting together the swap meet and trade show which included most of the demonstrations and clinics. She coordinated advertising for our program and put together our list of sponsors. She also did all of the front-line paperwork for the horse sale. Hers is often a thankless job (unless we do individually thank her) but I assure you were it not for her energy, intelligence, attention to detail and smile it would not come off at all! The staggering minutiae of running the auction office and mountains of accounting is superbly handled by Kathy Blann and Kris Turmon with their crew of assistants. Setup for such a frenzied and complex event takes a lot of planning but that is worth nothing without a ground crew to pull it together. For this I was joined by my auction co-manager and good friend, Dennis Turmon, and our front line crew which expanded this year to include some new additions: Ed Joseph, Ron and Anita Van Grunsven (of Idaho), Jon Neuenschwander, Jon Peasley and family, Bob and Julie Olson (of Colorado), Joe Jeffray (of Alberta, Canada), Phred Weinert, Kristi and Scout Miller, Juliet Poullion (of Washington), Harry Ferris, Robert Clark (of Montana), Lise Hubbe, Walt Bernard, Mr. & Mrs. Jonathon Jude, Patrick Baginski and girls (of California), Barb Tobie, Doug Hammill (of Montana), John Erskine and Glen Mahan (both of Washington), Clarence Wilson, the Mike McIntosh family, the Klesick family (of Washington), Paul Hunter and Robin Keller (of Washington), Betsy Wittick and friends (of Washington), and a busload (literally) of friends from Evergreen State College in Washington. Countless other auction goers lent a hand wherever and whenever it was needed. Add to this our outstanding group of auctioneers; Dennis Turmon, Marcus Morgan, Scotty Taylor and Dan Macon (of California) along with terrific clerks Joyce Sharp, Suzie Clarke, and Allie Thurman. And one young, energetic and enthusiastic runner, Kelley Thurman. Whew! And that\u2019s only a portion!<\/p>\n

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Lynn Miller, Jon Peasley and Bob Olson display proper \u2018ringing\u2019 postures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No dates set in stone for next year. We are definitely staying at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds so long as they will have us. It\u2019s enough to say we are shooting for around the same time in April. We\u2019re trying to work out some bugs in the days of the week business. This year it was Wednesday through Saturday. Most folks liked it but some were upset over the change and want to go back to concluding on Sunday. To stir things up I said we should make the event Monday through Friday, to which one auctioneer was heard to growl \u201cwho needs him?\u201d (A fund is being started to raise money to send me away to France for an April in Paris. That way things could be done right with next year\u2019s auction and swap\u2026.? My feelings should be hurt\u2026 shouldn\u2019t they?)<\/p>\n

Once again we must conclude with a great big thank you to several dozen volunteers and a fantastic crew and staff without whom this event would not happen. Thank you friends, one and all! LRM<\/p>\n

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And our photographer actually caught an unauthorized person, seated next to Ray Jensen, trying to bid.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Jacob McIntosh.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Plow match winner Clay Penhollow. Clay also heads up the Mounted posse parking crew.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Gerald Lee.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Ron Martinson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Marvin Brisk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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U.S. Draft Horse and Mule Plowing Champion left, Lynn Miller modeling his Mark Twain tie and Jim Butcher, right, US Plow Championship coordinator. These are three men you wouldn\u2019t want to meet late at night in a Mexican restaurant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A scene from the horse auction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n