The 13th annual edition of the Butterfield Summer Sizzler centered around the Stars-and-Stripes of a Fourth of July celebration on Saturday, July 4 – but added to the day, of course, was plenty of sizzle.
Voss Park and Butterfield Lake, both near Butterfield, was the “home” setting for the majority of the celebration’s events. This year, the bulk of activities kept folks busy all day long on the Fourth, but events actually began on Friday evening, July 3, with a Tractor Pull.
Throughout the celebration, there were plenty of activities in which both children and adults participated, lots of food to eat – exciting events to watch – and a campground full of campers set to savor it all.
The Sizzler originated from a day that was promoted as a “day for the community,” and included a Flea Market sponsored by the Butterfield Community Club Auxiliary. Attendance for those events was suffering, and so a few community members, including Barb (Mathistad) Warner and Steve and Mary Wright, promoted the additional activities, creating the shape of the current festival.
It was – and remains – a fun time for families and people of all ages.
Event sponsors include: Andy’s Auto, Butterfield Foods, Braaten Farms, Butterfield Community Club Auxiliary, Casey’s General Stores, Crystal Valley Cooperative, Darfur Sportsmen Club, Dick Downs, Donald V. Larson Post #9607, Eagles-St. James, Gary and Etta Mather, Rory Haler Construction, Harlan Helget, Heffele Construction, Lampert Lumber, Midway Farm Equipment, Miller Sellner Equipment, NAM Design, Noi’s Asian Delight Food, Odin State Bank, Olson Custom Cabinets, Peterson Pit Pumping LLC, Pioneer Seed-Kurt Blomgren, Harder Agency, Rich Haglund Seed, T & K Transport, Tri-County Implement, Triumph State Bank-Butterfield, United Prairie Insurance Agency, Butterfield Municipal Liquor Store, Olsen Truck Service Center, Prochazka Transport/Producers Hybrid Seeds, Butterfield Lions Club, D & L Leinenweber, Fleet & Farm Supply Inc., Hall’s Across the Prairie & Southwest MN K-Fence, Hall and Carlson Performance Machining LLC, Hall Hydraulics and Machine, Mike Hall, Welding Shop-Andy Hall, Jeremy Hall, SuperFair Foods, Jim and Jackie Harrington, Butterfield True Value, Gene and Joyce Lenning, Early Childhood Family Education and KNK Golf Cart.
Following is a photo gallery of some the sizzlin’ stuff:
BUTTERFIELD’S BRET BRAATEN, one of the organizers of the pull, pits his Farmall 806 against the “Iron Bull” weight sled – with great success.
THERE WERE PICKUPS squaring off against each other and the sled during Friday night’s pull, too, including this “E85 Powered” Chevrolet.
BLANE BRAATEN OF Butterfield was a busy flag man during the pull. The Tractor Pull was sponsored by Braaten Farms, T & K Transport and Dick Downs.
THIS FORD TRACTOR rares back, lifting its front wheels, as it begins to pull.
PULLIN’ IS FOR the girls as well; sittin’ pretty in pink on this “Priceless” Oliver 88.
PLENTY OF BLACK smoke rose into the sky as this Case tractor left the starting line on its pull
EVEN MORE BLACK smoke – including this trail reaching new heights – messaged skyward the power of this John Deere 6030 – “Over Budget.”
MORE WEIGHT WAS added to the sled – and then it was time for the Super Farm Class to strut their stuff.
THE FIRST OUT of the gate in Super (“Souped-Up”) Farm was this John Deere 4320, driven by Wayne Muller of Windom, with plenty of smoke, sound, speed and strength.
STARS-AND-STRIPES waved over the Voss Park grounds on Saturday, July 4, celebrating both this nation’s Independence Day and the Butterfield Summer Sizzler.
THERE WAS NO Chicken Dance flash mob demonstration – but in its stead, there was an early Saturday morning Chicken Two-Mile Walk, Chicken Kids 1/2 Mile Fun Run and a Chicken 5K Run. Above, the walkers stride out at their start. (Kim Blomgren photo)
THE KIDS POWER off the starting line in the Chicken 1/2 Mile Fun Run. (Kim Blomgren photo)
EVEN THE CHICKEN Man himself got into gear, encouraging a young runner to hit the finish shoot strong. This fitness event was sponsored by Dick Downs, Pioneer Seed-Kurt Blomgren and SuperFair Foods(Kim Blomgren photo)
A THUNDEROUS HERD of serious runners pounded the gravel roads around Voss Park for the Chicken 5K Run. (Kim Blomgren photo)
WINNING THE Chicken 5K Run was Josh Sonnabend. (Kim Blomgren photo)
THE TRACTORCADE LEFT Butterfield’s Voss Park at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning, and arrived in Odin for lunch at the Odin Cafe and Grocery. Members of the Tractorcade were definitely in the Fourth of July spirit. The drive around both Watonwan and Cottonwood Counties was sponsored by Rich Haglund Seed. (Judy Harder photo)
TRACTORCADE DRIVERS PARK their vintage tractors along both sides of the street in front of the Odin Grocery and Cafe and Odin Craft Mill. (Judy Harder photo)
A GROUP OF the tractor drivers paused for a photo op inside the Odin Grocery and Cafe. Their dining table was appropriately decorated with the Red-White-Blue. (Judy Harder photo)
FOLLOWING THEIR MEAL, the folks were ready to head ’em up and move ’em out – and onward for there were more roads to travel. (Judy Harder photo)
LATER SATURDAY MORNING, young anglers took hook, line, sinker – and special bait – to Butterfield Lake near Voss Park for the Kids’ Fishing Tourney, sponsored by the Darfur Sportsmen Club.
THE HOPPER FISHING crew really did “take to the lake” – heading out on the waters to try their luck in an inflatable boat. Returning to shore following the contest are the group’s young anglers, Carsen and Tienna Hopper; their mom, Kris Hopper and grandpa, Jim Hopper. They are all from Mountain Lake.
HARLAN MUNNING OF Mountain Lake, left, waits for Bob Keech of St. James – the official “Weigh-In Man” for the Kids’ Fishing Contest, right – to clear his weight meter before he places his bullhead in the weigh-in bucket.
RYAN BLOMGREN OF Butterfield also caught a bullhead and is using this fish at the weigh-in.
OLDER SISTER BILEIGH Anacer, center, of Butterfield, is drafted to do the fish-handling duties for the lunkers caught by her younger sisters, Brie, second from left and Bella, behind the weigh-in bucket. Watching and waiting for the final weight decision are Angela Hall, left, official recorder for the Kids’ Fishing Contest; mom, Jennifer Anacker, second from right and Weighmaster Keech, right.
THEIR FIRST FISH goes in to determine its weight – and the trio of young men observe with anxious anticipation. Also closely monitoring the situation are Hall, left and Keech, right. The young anglers are, from left, brothers, Aiden Rehnelt and Sebastian Rehnelt, along with their cousin, Jack Lepp. The three were at the contest with Aiden and Sebastian’s grandparents, Rodney and Phyllis Lepp – and Jack’s aunt and uncle. Bullheads and perch were the popular catches on the day.
AT HIGH NOON, the Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull ground its first gears. Above, Tucker Braaten of Butterfield muscled his way to a second-place finish in the 5-Year-Old Division. The pedal pull was sponsored by Miller Sellner Equipment, Crystal Valley Cooperative, Noi’s Asian Delight Food and Rory Haler Construction.
BELLA ANACKER TRIED her luck in the 6-Year-Old Division.
IN THE 7-YEAR-Old Division, Jasmine Gordon, working the tractor in the above photo, and David Furst tied for the championship.
AIDAN OLSON OF Butterfield was also a competitor in the 7-Year-Old Division.
DECKED OUT IN Fourth of July holiday colors, Butterfield’s Matayah Hall pumped the pedals to a third-place finish in the 8-Year-Old Group.
10-YEAR-OLD Jake Evers of Butterfield strains to grab every inch of gravel in his pedal pull effort.
GRIT AND DETERMINATION were written all over the face of Mahryn Doughterty of Butterfield; an all-out effort that propelled her to second in the 11-Year-Old Division.
BUTTERFIELD’S BRICE ANACKER had an animated pull during his turn in the 11-Year-Old Division.
TYLER HOWE, FROM the state of Washington, was clearly pleasantly surprised and pleased with his pedal pull effort in the 11-Year-Old Category. He is the grandson of Dave and Aggie Bennett of Mountain Lake.
BEAN BAG TOURNAMENTS require a soft touch, perfect arc of throw and, if necessary, exact slide on the board. Dominating the tourney under the Voss Park shade trees at one point were this 95-year-old “slinger,” Auger “Augie” Baarson of Odin and his grandson, Jeremy Curry of Mountain Lake. The tourney was sponsored by Butterfield True Value.
A FLEA MARKET, also under the Voss Park trees, featured a variety of items, including many that were handmade. That group included this polished and shiny table and bench, as well as a “pew-length” bench by Dain Jensen of Windom. Jensen used wood he rescued when he tore down the house on the former farm site of Walter P. Harder, four miles south of Mountain Lake. Boards recycled from the building were 24 inches in length. It took Jensen approximately 3 1/2 months to dismantle the house. He also noted that, in the attic, a completion date of November 21, 1899 highlighted the age of the structure. Jensen used 14 coats of urethane to provide the gloss on the table. The Flea Market was sponsored by the Butterfield Community Club Auxiiliary.
JENSEN HAD WITH him an example of the square nails that were used in building the house 116 years ago.
CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINER PHIL Baker,left, entertained youngsters from the Voss Park Stage twice on Saturday. Above, the dance moves by the volunteers became punctuated during Baker’s “Freeze” song.
KENT WINTERS OF Butterfield, at left, came from behind to win this head of the Snapper riding lawn mower derby, besting Mike Braaten, center and Travis Winters, right, both also of Butterfield.
SUPERSTOCK LAWN MOWER Race winner was Beau Melheim of Butterfield, left, out-dueling the Hall brothers of Butterfield, Mike Hall, center and Andy Hall, right.
A FAMILY AFFAIR kind of Snapper lawn mower race heat. At the starting line it is the Hall brothers – Tony, Andy and Mike – surrounding their dad, Dan Hall, Dan Hall, second from left. The Halls all hail from Butterfield.
THE GOPRO CAMERA on his helmet saved the moment for race victor Corey Cowell of Butterfield, right, to savor in the future as he came from behind to claim the win. The races were sponsored by Olson Custom Cabinets.
WERNER LEMKE, LEFT and his brother, Eldon Lemke, right, catch the breeze at the end of the dock on Butterfield Lake before participating in “Hands Around The Lake.” Joyce “Ma” Peek is the brothers’ sister.
AFTER SPLITTING INTO two groups, the 242 participants in “Hands Around the Lake” meet halfway along the Butterfield Lake Trail in order to spread out and stretch as far around the lake as possible. Although statisticians believe that it will take approximately 1,500 people to stretch arm-to-arm around Butterfield Lake, the 200+ was a strong effort, and while not making a complete circumference, the event did make more people aware of the 1.5 mile trail, as well as walking/biking safety and safe routes to school. In this photo, I am reaching out to my left . . .
. . . AND IN THIS photo, to my right was another line of “Hands Around The Lake” folks stretching out around the path’s curve.
AN OFFICIAL PHOTO post-“Hands Around The Lake” promoting for the next opportunity to complete the circle. The event was sponsored by SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Program) and Butterfield Summer Sizzler.
A NEW TWIST to the Blind Man’s Golf Cart Race was the addition of a raw egg balanced in a spoon, attached to the front axle of the golf cart. The goal was to complete the course around the hay bales without bumping off the egg and breaking it. The race was sponsored by Dick Downs, NAM Design, Olsen Truck Service Center, KNK Golf Carts and Butterfield Municipal Liquor Store.
COMING BACK STRONG in 2015 were the 2014 Blind Man’s Golf Cart Race champion duo of Jared Saunders of Odin, left and Brianna Soutthivong of Mountain Lake, right. The pair completed the course without any penalties – and the egg still on balance on the spoon. Additional activities on the day included the Butterfield Lions Club Pancke Breakfast, Taste of Butterfield, National Micro-Mini Tractor Pull, Pie and Ice Cream Social sponsored by ECFE, Butterfield Fire Department Fundraising Supper, Medallion Hunt sponsored by Eagles-St. James, “Nowhere Fast” at Buckshot’s Bar & Grill, raffle Drawing and Drawing for Pedal Tractor sponsored by Midway Farm Equipment along with other raffle prizes and Fireworks over Butterfield Lake, sponsored by the Butterfield Summer Sizzler and Triumph State Bank of Butterfield.
