Plans progressed. A schedule of events was taking final shape. Committees were formed responsible for each scheduled event, and chairmen were assigned the responsibility of exercising each event. Floyd McDunn was given the responsibility of conducting the potato picking contest, the main event. Two upstanding “Irishmen” (Perry Mork and Alfred Nelson) had the task of providing the “Potet Suppe”, the potato soup, for all the attendees. The important task of publicizing this day of celebration was given to Paul Jacobson.

As if what had been planned so far was not enough, a very special feature was added to the days’ events — a mystery public wedding would be conducted in a specially-erected chapel located in downtown Barnesville, for all to attend. The couple to be married would remain a mystery until the actual event occurred.

By mid-August the schedule was near completed. Even though the existing schedule of events was quite “awesome”, local planners, not being satisfied, decided to add a super “spectacular”, a blood-chilling, breath-taking, sensational, 10,000-foot jump from an airplane would be undertaken by a dare-devil, wearing large “bat wings”. As August moved on, entries begin to arrive for the potato picking contest. From the Pacific to the Atlantic they came, from the Gulf to the Canadian border. As was described in the local paper (Record Review) during this time, invitations went out to big men, little men, fat men, thin men, all to vie for honors in this “National Spud Picking Contest”. The contest would be broadcast, actually broadcast from the site of the potato picking, and the progress of the contestants would be transmitted over radio station KVOX, Moorhead.

Saturday, August 27th was a day of warning! On this day all Barnesville businessmen, and all Barnesville employees, must begin to wear their potato sacks. “It’s a sack on your back or four bits!”

On September 1st the rules for the potato picking contest were finalized. It is interesting to note that one rule specifically states that a judge in the field cannot be assigned to a picker from his own neighborhood. Now, does that hint that there could be possible favoritism shown from judge to picker?

A late August heavy hail storm jeopardizes the availability of a potato crop site, heavy damage is reported in the Baker vicinity.

The list of pickers is confirmed at 18. Six different states are represented by this list of pickers. (A dark horse among the list of pickers was a Mark Bodine from Paris, Missouri. However, when the list of contest field judges was released, it was noted that all are from Baker or Barnesville. How could you not be a judge from a pickers neighborhood, with the exception of the poor unfortunate picker from Missouri).

The potato plot for the potato picking contest was selected — a field one and one-half miles northeast of Barnesville, on the Art Bredemeier farm. Parking space adjoining the field was laid out affording parking for at least 2000 cars. They indeed were expecting a large crowd.

The day of celebration was filled with planned activity from 11 am to midnight — two parades, Drum and Bugle Corps, bands, a German Band mind you. (It must be noted that there was a potato soup contest occurring most the day and the Norwegian Band Members must have thought it would be too difficult to play their horns with a mouthful of potato soup.)

For a while it seemed the “Bat Wing” man plunge might be in jeopardy. Just prior to the scheduled jump at the Barnesville Potato Days, the “Bat Wing” man met his death when his safety chute failed to open. However, officials at Barnesville were assured that a replacement had been found and the event would go on as scheduled. [more]