31st Annual Carstens Farm Days

A week ago were Farm Days at Carstens 1880 Farmstead just outside of Shelby, Iowa. Carstens is a historic farmstead that serves to exhibit and promote the history of farming and the farming lifestyle in Iowa. This was the 31st year of Farm Days, a weekend event where visitors can come to the farm and see historic buildings, tour the Carstens house, enjoy a pancake breakfast and homemade ice cream, watch demonstrations of antique steam engines at work, walk through the corn maze, and view a parade of dozens of historic tractors and cars in many styles.

Before Farm Days opened for the general public, Friday was Kids Day, and Jonathan and I were invited to visit. On Kids Day, groups of children from area schools come to the farm for demonstrations such as blacksmith, broom-making, threshing and digging potatoes in order to fry them. The volunteer who invited us was demonstrating on a loom in the chicken house. Why was the loom in the chicken house? Originally the loom had been purchased and brought to the farm on a horse drawn wagon. Once it arrived and was assembled, they realized that their was no room for it in the house. So they put it in the chicken house!

Saturday we went to see the rest of the happenings:


This is a steam powered tractor from the year 1912. It looks a little like a locomotive. After the parade, we saw it powering a saw mill which cut huge logs into boards.



Jonathan in the "original home", a one room building with a bed and a wood stove and not much else.




We sat for a few minutes to listen to this old-timey jam band.


Foggy Mountain Cloggers.



There were quite a few steam engines set up. This one cut logs, others shelled corn or ground the grain.


There were livestock displays including these cows and a mule around the corner.




Many of the buildings house vendors selling crafts or antiques.


Sunday morning, church was held in front of the old Carstens house. Area churches take turns putting on the service.

For more information about Carstens 1880 Farmstead, you can visit their website.

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