As farms have increased in size, their storage requirements now mean far greater quantities of a single crop, whether it be canola or wheat. This means higher capacity, flat-bottomed bins. These are often centrally located, with larger capacity handling equipment and sometimes permanently installed handling equipment.
Farm growth pushes farmers to bring grain handling and conditioning home
Whether warm or cold, know your bin inside-out
Grain storage experts say a winter with irregular highs and chilling lows brings challenges
Reading Time: 3 minutes A warm winter, interrupted by at least one deep freeze, presents challenges for crop storage so diligence is required, said a crops market analyst with the Alberta government. Aerate and turn stored crops while monitoring grain bin moisture and temperature, especially when outside temperatures fluctuate, wrote Neil Blue in a recent news release. “Several cases […] Read more
Check your grain bins for spoilage
Reading Time: < 1 minute Several cases of spoiling crops showed up in February, says provincial crops market analyst Neil Blue. “Perhaps the mostly warm temperatures this winter and the January period of record cold temperatures have been a factor,” said Blue. After being placed into storage, crops respire for a month or more, and this can release moisture. Dense […] Read more
How to safely check your grain bins for spoilage
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canola Council of Canada has had reports of canola spoilage. There are three main ways to check grain bins and prevent it. Be careful and consider safety when climbing bins to probe grain and use appropriate safety equipment such as a harness.
Storage strategies change with bigger bins
As storage systems have grown, more attention is needed to keep crops safe
Reading Time: 4 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – In the 1970s, a standard bin was 14 feet in diameter with a capacity of 1,350 bushels. High rollers might add an extra ring to stretch that another 300 bu. There were bins 19 feet in diameter, with a 2,700 bu. capacity, but few farmers bought them because they were hard to […] Read more
Keeping grains safe when in storage
Reading Time: < 1 minute Storage considerations must be top of mind as a variable crop is harvested in Alberta. Grain temperature and moisture are two key factors for safe grain storage. If one or both are not properly managed, the risk of spoiled grain can increase significantly. To help prevent spoilage, the Canadian Grain Commission has developed storage charts […] Read more
Opinion: Hiding in plain sight – hazards posed by grain bins
It’s a risk that can’t be ignored. Last year, two farmers in Alberta died after falling from a grain bin
Reading Time: 2 minutes Last year, 11 people were killed on farms in Alberta. Over the past 11 years in the province, an average of just over 15 people have lost their lives each year on farms. Most were the owner/operators of the farm. We urge you to make a commitment now, to keep yourself, your family and your employees safe. […] Read more
AAFC seeks southern Alberta bins for insect testing
The goal is to help detect potentially new invasive pests to the area
Reading Time: 2 minutes Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is looking for six to 10 sites to monitor for insects in bins in southern Alberta this fall. It is an opportunity to further understand what is in the bins and how insects can be controlled. Participants who volunteer can ask for the results from their own bins and bin yard. […] Read more
Be safe and profitable when storing grain
Best practices for safety and preventing spoilage in bins frequently cross over, says safety expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pre-harvest season is a good time to think about best practices around grain bin safety. Sounds like one more set of things to do on top of about a million others, right? Not necessarily, said a farm safety specialist. Those already taking action to minimize grain spoilage are also eliminating safety risks, said Robert […] Read more
Large bins may be too large when it comes to drying canola
Bins hold a lot more these days, and that makes it challenging to push air through small seeds like canola
Reading Time: 3 minutes When is a grain bin too big to allow for proper drying? When it comes to canola, leading researchers may now have an idea. The Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute (PAMI) found that commonly used conditioning fans stall when canola is piled too high in a tall grain bin. Adding an extra fan in parallel didn’t […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
