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Sheep in South Dakota are shorn every year in the spring. Sheep producers hire professional shearers to come to the farm or ranch to shear their flock.

• Throwback Thursday

Clipper No 1 B Fanning Mill 1997:071:003

• What's New Wednesday

In the wide-open spaces of South Dakota, sheep herders watched over large flocks, or groups, of sheep to guide them to food and water as well as protect them from predators. Most sheep herders in South Dakota were single men from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds in search of adventure, work or solitude. Sheep herders also included a few women or newlywed couples who spent their honeymoon year out on the range. Pictured here is a group of sheep herders and their sheep wagon taken by South Dakota Extension photographer Leland Sudlow.

• Throwback Thursday

Before antibiotics and vaccinations were available, hog oilers were popular implements on farms in the early 20th century. It was believed that the oil would smother the biting insect pests.

• What's New Wednesday

Designed and built by Lee Pinet of Mitchell, this plow guide was designed for row crop tractors. Pinet was born in Missouri in 1893 and moved to South Dakota where he worked as a machinist and eventually owned the Pinet Machine and Gun Shop in Mitchell.

• Throwback Thursday

This ironstone butter churn is missing its dasher and has a crack, but it has maintained its elegant beauty. An oval stamp at the bottom reads "A. Mittelstaedt Milbank, So. Dakota", meaning it originated from Mittelstaedt's in Milbank.

• What's New Wednesday

John A. Farms was born in South Dakota in 1883/84 and died in Seattle in 1960. The sign on this building identifies it as J. A. Farms Garage, where John was the garage's proprietor.

• Throwback Thursday

Shoe lasts are the mold upon which a shoe is constructed. This last is made of cast iron and the foot piece is removable and can be lifted off and turned to make the opposite shoe.

• What's New Wednesday

This image is on a postcard and the back of the postcard reads “Coal Mining in Meade County took approximately tow to three days to mine enough for their own use. Wm. A. and Phoebe E. Thompson homesteaded on ¼ section near Mud Butte.”

• Throwback Thursday

On early 20th century farms, it was important to have a ready supply of rope. With a simple machine like this one, a farmer could make any desired length of rope.

• What's New Wednesday