Pioneer Power kitchen

Above: Kayla Zimmerman and Micah Peterson racked up National Honor Society service hours serving food at the “Thresher’s Kitchen.”

The 48th annual Le Sueur County Pioneer Power show is underway this weekend, and Cleveland school has a presence there.

Held about 10 miles north of Cleveland on a 140-acre grounds with over 40 buildings, the living museum event features food and music, as well as antique machinery of all types.   

Le Sueur County Pioneer Power association is a non-profit organization organized in 1977 by a group of friends and neighbors interested in promoting and preserving the area’s agricultural heritage. Today, LSCPPA has over 400 members.

Perched high up in this century-old tractor for the Saturday parade is school transportation director Nick Klaseus. The model 35-70 Minneapolis Moline was made between 1920 and 1929 in Hopkins, Minnesota and originally ran on kerosene. Weighing in at 27,000 lbs., it is probably one of only a handful left in running condition.

Under her father Tim Widmer’s watchful eye, Payton Widmer steers this 1952 John Deere down the parade route. Widmer and her twin sister Ashlyn will be first graders at Cleveland Elementary this fall. Their mother is school business manager Michelle Widmer.

Mitchell McCabe (CHS 2018) drove his uncle Mike McCabe's Oliver 1655 down the parade route. It was made between 1969 and 1975. Beside him are Reid Knish (left) and Taylor Syvil.

Dylan Zimmerman put in time at the Thresher’s Kitchen for Scout volunteer hours.

Not to be outdone by her (39 minutes) younger sister, Ashlyn Widmer got a turn navigating her dad’s John Deere tractor during Sunday’s parade.