I just learned there are women that love steam engines! Ladies of Steam educate people in the historical significance of antique engines, operate a Minneapolis Steam Traction Engine, and sell a calendar every year

 a clinical psychologist at the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and an agricultural engineer met in 2011 at the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion (WMSTR) in Rollag, Minnesota.

 Both women grew up in families full of steam enthusiasts and have had hands-on engine experience since their early teens. 

As they became better acquainted, Jen and Nicole hit on the idea of establishing a platform where interested people could share their interest in the steam hobby. 

When they started a Facebook page in 2015, they never expected to draw steam enthusiasts from more than 60 countries. “We had international participation within the first week,” Jen notes, “and currently have more than 10,000 followers.”

"There are so many cool women who love steam, and we wanted to start up a Facebook page to celebrate them, and interact with them," added Eden-Roth, who hails from Sartell. "Within just a few weeks, we had gone international."

In 2019, the two branched out, recruiting other women in the hobby to participate in their inaugural Ladies of Steam 2020 calendar, which they sold through Etsy. “We wanted to include women on a global level,” Nicole says. The calendars were an immediate success, selling out on the first printing.

the 16-horsepower, 1916 Minneapolis engine was the machine that we learned on... we ended up purchasing it. Now it's our family's machine, and we take it out every year, just for teaching (at the Steam School), and for Rollag

As a means of bringing more women into their group, however, one of the things the duo likes to do each year is to host an all-female, mini "steam school" during Rollag

They've expanded to do similar classes at other steam powered events in the area as well, including the James Valley Threshing Show and the Albert City Thresherman Show

But of course, Rollag is their first love: Wallace says that her grandparents first brought her to WMSTR when she was just 11 months old.

https://www.facebook.com/ladiesofsteam/

https://www.farmcollector.com/steam-engines/ladies-vintage-steam-zm0z20augzbut

https://www.etsy.com/listing/754448157/2020-ladies-of-steam-calendar