by Terri Kelly Barta
The 26th Annual Sodbuster Days will be held on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12. The two days are chock full of activities for the whole family. This event is open from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. It is sponsored by the Fort Ransom Sodbusters Association and North Dakota Parks and Recreation.
Park the vehicle and either ride the horse-drawn shuttle wagon or take a short walk down the road to the Sunne Farm. Visit the roped off area outside to observe pedal-powered woodworking. The tent area displays people flint knapping and weaving. Inside the display building are pioneer crafts and homemaking skills, various demonstrations of lefse and rommegrot making, homemade ice-cream making, butter churning, with sampling available. The display building also houses a food line with beverages, sandwiches, scalloped potatoes, beans, cookies, etc. to purchase. Steam-powered toys, Brazilian Embroidery, and quilting are on display.
Walk up toward the Sunne House to see tatting and spinning, and more.
Step into the Summer Kitchen for a sample of doughnuts made right there.
Women dressed as pioneers bake pies over an open fire. On Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. the pies will be auctioned to the highest bidder.
A short walk down the hill brings visitors to two operating blacksmith shops; working engines, small, large, and stationary; the cook car where muffins are sampled; the horse barns with horses to pet, and across the road the log cabin where sauerkraut is made.
At noon on both days a wheelwright demonstration takes place. Visitors may watch demonstrations of horse-powered threshing at 1:00 p.m. and horse-powered haying at 2:00 p.m. Other horse-powered field work will also be demonstrated.
Children (preschool – 12 years) will enjoy the simple games and crafts of prairie days. One popular contest is the watermelon seed-spitting contest. These games and crafts are held from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. both days, outside the Sunne House.
In  addition to  the above activities, An Old Fashioned Simply Country Dinner of baked chicken and all the trimmings will be held on Saturday after the pie auction. It is catered by the Ransom County Roadhouse in Fort Ransom and served in the Sodbuster display building on the Sunne Farm.
A Catholic Mass will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11 in the music building. Father Jerald Finnestad is officiating.
Live Old-Time music will be played both days in the music building with Arnold and Emery Strander and Friends. Seating and dancing space is available. A Music Jam Session will be held from 8:00 – 10:00 p.m. in the music building. Everyone is welcome to join in.
On Sunday, July 12, breakfast is 7:00 – 9:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome.
An Interdenominational Church Service will be held at 9:00 a.m. with Pastor Dave Carlson officiating in the music building at the farm site.
A parade at 10:30 Sunday morning will be held in the park through the Sodbuster grounds.  All entrants welcome.
Contact 701-642-2015 for more information on the parade.
A Turn-of-the-Century Style Show takes place at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Log Cabin.
Plan to attend! Bring the family (several generations of them, if available) and enjoy a weekend in beautiful picturesque Fort Ransom State Park and the town of Fort Ransom. Pets on leashes are welcome. Camping and picnic facilities are available at the park which is located 2 miles north of Fort Ransom on paved road. The daily park entrance fee is waived that weekend for Sodbuster Days.

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