Students took turns twisting twine into rope during demonstrations at the Farming of Yesteryear festival in Kiester. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

Dewey Roll, a blacksmith at the Farming of Yesteryear festival, talks the students from Kim Anderson's sixth grade class at United South Central about the dangers of blacksmithing. The festival will be open to the public this weekend in Kiester. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

Volunteer Esther Ziemer talks to some of United South Central's sixth grade students about what it was like to go to a country school during their field trip to the Farming of Yesteryear site in Kiester. The particular building they were in is the Eden Township District 2 building, which was once located in Winnebago County. The school was brought to the site by the Gopher-Hawkeye Power Association, a nonprofit organization that hosts Farming of Yesteryear. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

Blacksmith Dewey Roll and his apprentice, Doug Martin, demonstrate how to mold hot steel in his blacksmith shop on the Farming of Yesteryear property. The Gopher-Hawkeye Power Association maintains the site. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

The schoolhouse at the Farming of Yesteryear site was recently repainted with funds received through a Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation grant. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

Tracy Adams, with the help of a few others, showed students how early sawmills operated during the Farming of Yesteryear festival. On Friday, the Gopher-Hawkeye Power Association hosted classes from United South Central, St. Casimir's School and home-schooled children before the festival opens to the public Saturday. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

Willy Bias talks to Stu Hendrickson's class from United South Central about his 1920s steam engine. Originally his father's, Bias maintains the Port Huron 16-50 with the help of his son, Brian Bias, who has a hobby boiler's license. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

United South Central sixth graders learned how to make rope in a hands-on experience at the Farming of Yesteryear site. The festival will open to the public Saturday. - Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune