In the time it took to read the title of this article, you could have lost footing on a slippery grain bin ladder, causing you to plummet to the ground. If you’re lucky, you’re only a couple of steps up the ladder, and you’ll walk away with a few nasty bruises and an aching body. If you’re not so lucky, you’ll have made it further up the bin before losing your grip and the outcome is worse. It only takes a second.
When it comes to drying systems, you have a few different options and with those options, a few decisions to make. The first step is determining whether an in-bin or portable drying system is a better fit. The best choice depends entirely on your operation and grain drying needs.
Both in-bin or portable drying systems come with pros and cons. Portable dryers, like GSI’s and Sukup’s, can handle a higher moisture input and maintenance can be performed no matter how much grain is in the bin. That being said, you will need a wet bin and transfer equipment to get the grain to and from the dryer.
Upgrades. Upgrades. Come get your upgrades. No, you’re not at the ballpark hearing a man call for anyone who wants a hot dog. You are, however, reading about grain handling equipment and upgrades, two things you don’t hear together all that often. Even though equipment like grain dryers can feel stagnant compared to some of the other types of equipment we have, GSI has been chipping away at improvements to make life easier for growers.
You’re probably pretty in tune with the challenges and dangers grain bins present — especially when entering them. Not to mention, having to climb into a bin to shovel leftover grain is time-consuming and labor-intensive. This is especially true with trucking companies climbing into bins less and less, leaving potentially 50-plus bushels in the bin. We want to bring equipment and upgrades to you that will maximize your grain usage, make your work simpler, and be safer for you and anyone you work with. One such newer piece of equipment is Sukup’s Sweepway® .
Identifying opportunities is just as much of a cornerstone to Stutsmans as serving customers for success is. As gas-powered combines and shelled corn started to become more popular in the post-war ’50s, on-farm grain bins started coming onto the scene. Recognizing the opportunity to pioneer the selling of grain storage and drying equipment in southeast Iowa, Eldon brought on the Black, Sivalls & Bryson (BS&B) line of bins. At this time, Butler was their biggest competitor.
In between Hills and Sharon Center, a quick eight-minute drive from Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc., nestled on a gravel road sits two farmsteads that have been next-door neighbors for almost 90 years. The first farmstead has been in semi-retired farmer and long-time Stutsman customer, Doug Lackender’s family since 1898 when his great grandfather, Abraham Lackender, bought it. The other farmstead belonged to Eldon Stutsman and remains in the Stutsman family today.
“Our histories are intertwined,” Doug Lackender said.
Grain bins are a long-term investment. The average grain bin in our area lasts 40 to 50 years, but when taken care of they can last for generations. However, just because a grain bin should last over 40 years, that doesn’t mean it won’t need repairs or even upgrades from time to time. The biggest or most common issue our service team has encountered lately — grain bin floors. Beyond being a headache, floor issues also impact the bottom line from poorly ventilated corn to loss through the floor itself.
Fall harvest is a bustling time. It’s the pinnacle of the crop season – the Super Bowl for row crop growers if you will. It can also be one of the most tragic and devastating times. The stories usually go something along the lines of “a corner was cut,” “a deadline needed to be met,” “exhaustion had set in,” or “it has been done this way in the past and nothing bad has happened.” We realize how exciting, exhausting and potentially dangerous this time can be. So, here are a few grain equipment fall harvest safety tips for when you’re in the thick of it:
There’s nothing worse than being in the thick of harvest and having a piece of your equipment break down, especially your grain dryer. We want to help you avoid this frustrating occurrence as much as possible with a few tips on performing pre-season grain dryer maintenance this summer, to create in-season success.
Did the thought, “it’ll make it through another season” cross your mind this fall? Or do you have a special set of instructions to start up that old fan or heater? While grain handling equipment does have a long life expectancy and basic repairs here and there are normal, it’s become harder to find parts for older systems. How much do you keep investing to get by just one more season? Where do you draw the line and invest in new?
