The Le Seuer Swap Meet, a Bounty of Goods!
Once in a while we get the chance to head north in April to the Le Sueur County Pioneer swap meet fondly called, “The Original Swap Meet”. Held April 22-24, 2016 at the Le Sueur County Pioneer Show Grounds this only happens if the corn is planted and it has rained or too cold and early for the soybeans. This year we decided to head north and walked this massive show that last year had 1,000 vendors and brought 12,000 people from 24 states and Canada.
The fun is watching my poor husband pour over the parts looking for Graham Bradley lights, literature he hasn’t seen before and just enjoying unwinding from the stress of planting. We had to walk a good stretch before even making our way into the show. We decided to attend the first day, because according to Keith, that is when the pickings are good! By the time it was all said and done, we walked six miles which is a good thing if you want to eat flea market food.
Those that attend these early spring swap meets are innovative souls. I love seeing the variety of rides they bring, the way they display their wares and the way they create makeshift heaters. Three young men simply used a tire rim as a fire pit; put a grill over it and a log on top of that. This would work as both a heater and later as a grill if they were so inclined. Around lunch time wafting smells of meat grilling could be caught at some vendor sites as they cooked up their own tantalizing options.
While shopping is always fun, it is seeing the differences from one state to another that catches my attention like the ski items that are used this far north. Ski shoes and snow mobiles were all around. Keith made me laugh when he pointed and said, “They have everything including the kitchen sink,” and sure enough, there it was.
The buildings at the show were filled with collections from different people. Perhaps the strangest was the shot glass collection. It was a day of looking, a day of seeing new things and since I was with Mr. Farmer, lots and lots and lots (LOTS) of parts! Making memories one day at a time, this farm girl loves the adventures we find on the road.
