Somerset Steam & Gas Pasture Party: Unparalleled Venue, Undeniable Fun

The three John Deere tractors puttering down the highway are the first indication that you’re getting close. Just a quarter mile further down the two-lane country road and the gleaming, twin silver silos of the Somerset Farm come into view, marking the gateway to a field full of grandiose farm equipment representing nearly a century of technological development. White wooden letters suspended across the triangular, rooftop peak of an aging barn announce the sponsor of today’s pasture party: the “Somerset Steam and Gas Engine Association.” Appropriately enough, a trail of steam rises from a locomotive, detached from any accompanying train cars, which is being driven across the miniature hills and depressions of the pasture by a young man in a conductor’s cap. The steady chugging of the train envelops the field in an aura of antiquity, creating a surprisingly calming refuge.

As the sounds of mechanized equipment whirring to life are amalgamated into the unique musical score of a field party, the ear and eye are drawn in several directions at once. Walk straight through the entryway of a wrought iron, maroon gate that opens onto the main event and you’ll find yourself at an old-fashioned sawmill demonstration. Surprisingly agile, work-worn hands load 2” wide, raw wooden boards - piled three high – onto a conveyor belt that whisks the beams towards a circular saw, which spins at such a high velocity that the hooked edges of the rim disappear into a hazy gray ring of movement. As the saw hits its target - the dead-center of the boards - the beams are quickly, cleanly sliced in half. Though this 19th century sawmill model was once an impressive power tool, it has become a hydro-powered toy display for the dozens of assembled onlookers.

Seeking something a little edgier? Follow the crowd to the red clay demo strip where a lineup of tractors awaits. The farmers aboard these imposing, 7-foot machines rev their engines as they take to the track, slowly but surely coaxing the tractors back upon their rear wheels and causing the front axles of the machines to lift off the ground, still spinning rapidly and revealing the full force of the machinery. While admiring fans burst into applause at the feat, the official event judge offers a play-by-play assessment of the monster wheelie; contestants will be judged by the smoothness of the maneuver and the duration of the trick.

On a track of a different sort, miniature ponies parade around a circular ring, to the delight of the children who sit proudly upon the obedient animals. Pony rides are not the only place where beasts compete with machines for the attention of the crowds at the pasture party; several two-horse wagons moving rapidly through the crowds assembled throughout the expansive field of Somerset Farm are packed with children and parents enjoying a country hay ride. Aside from providing another form of entertainment for the wagon riders attending this annual celebration of old-fashioned mechanics, these beasts of burden are representative of the oldest form of engine known to man.

The motor and heavy equipment displays found throughout the field provide a timeline of more recent developments in the realm of modern machinery, all of which have long surpassed the original form of horsepower. The history of the modern engine begins with the kerosene Witte, a “headless” machine circa 1920, which was one of the first pieces of machinery to replace manpower as the force used to perform such farm chores as threshing wheat. Slightly more contemporary machines on display include a band organ from the 1930s, which churns out sweet windpipe tunes, and a 1950s-era, hand-powered “reel” motor, once used for mowing grass.

The Somerset Steam and Gas Pasture Party, where education and entertainment are seamlessly interwoven, offers a rare opportunity to directly connect with a unique piece of American history. After taking in the machine demonstrations, chatting with the friendly experts who are willing and eager to discuss their antique equipment, and enjoying a ride aboard the kiddie cars pulled by All Terrain Vehicles or the old-fashioned horse and buggies (depending on your age of course), pause a moment to savor the feast for the senses at the Somerset Farm. Indulge in the traditional fairground treats of hot dogs, hamburgers, and the local favorite – rib eye steak sandwiches. Or treat yourself to a homemade milkshake from the 4-H concession stand. No fresher, more decadent, treat can be found than these vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry shakes, made from milk culled straight from the surrounding central Virginia dairy farms. The pastoral scene of a quaint farmhouse, bordered by verdant fields and distant forests that stretch clear to the edge of the pale blue horizon on an early September afternoon, calms the mind, while the thrill of a down-home pasture party excites the senses. Come experience for yourself what the locals already know – life’s just a little more vibrant in Orange, VA.