Threshing The Wheat From The Chaff

By Joe Fahnestock
Published on November 1, 1972
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Left to right: Ray Ernst and Ray Vorhies.
Left to right: Ray Ernst and Ray Vorhies.
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Myself, Neil Erickson, visiting with one of the spectators name unknown. My youngest son. Glen, (foreman and engineer) is on the engine other observer is also unknown. Courtesy of Neil R. Erickson, 2113 E. Wheeler Rd., Midland, Michigan 48640.
Myself, Neil Erickson, visiting with one of the spectators name unknown. My youngest son. Glen, (foreman and engineer) is on the engine other observer is also unknown. Courtesy of Neil R. Erickson, 2113 E. Wheeler Rd., Midland, Michigan 48640.
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This picture was taken in 1890 on the Skelton Bros, farm east of Logansport, Indiana. Pierson Skelton is at the throttle. Walter Dunkle is standing at the rear. Courtesy of W. E. Fair, New Waverly, Indiana 46961.
This picture was taken in 1890 on the Skelton Bros, farm east of Logansport, Indiana. Pierson Skelton is at the throttle. Walter Dunkle is standing at the rear. Courtesy of W. E. Fair, New Waverly, Indiana 46961.
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Reversed. Courtesy of Charlie Harrison, R. D. 1, Butler, Ohio 44822.
Reversed. Courtesy of Charlie Harrison, R. D. 1, Butler, Ohio 44822.
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This picture was taken in 1919 threshing with iver veum rig on John Oberg farm at Hoople, North Dakota. It is a 28 HP Minneapolis engine and 40 inch Minneapolis separator. 12 bunch teams and men. In all, 20 men and two cooks in the cook car breakfast at 5
This picture was taken in 1919 threshing with iver veum rig on John Oberg farm at Hoople, North Dakota. It is a 28 HP Minneapolis engine and 40 inch Minneapolis separator. 12 bunch teams and men. In all, 20 men and two cooks in the cook car breakfast at 5
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Advance Rumely model taken in the early 1960s at a steam convention at Platte City, Missouri. Courtesy of Milton M. Glenn, 8625 West 60th St., Shawnee-Mission, Kansas 66202.
Advance Rumely model taken in the early 1960s at a steam convention at Platte City, Missouri. Courtesy of Milton M. Glenn, 8625 West 60th St., Shawnee-Mission, Kansas 66202.

My friend who signs himself as The Ypsilanti Cockroach has
written another letter. He claims our column is not only ‘all
wet’, but it is grossly misnamed. La Cucarache goes on to
explain that it is impossible to ‘thresh wheat from the
chaff’, arguing as he does that the correct title should be
‘Threshing The Chaff’.

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