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Nw Iowa | We have drive over drags with small pit, 500 bu pits with 10000 bph leg, 10000 bu per hr leg with no pit but two drags, 1 for front and back hopper. We now have alllegs but used air for years. Air systems have become much more sophisticated than they used to be as far as grain quality etc. I have a neighbor that started out with system I described above and is now putting in a pit and both wet and dry legs and a dump pit. Things are so expensive, even a pit did right is mid blowing. So money is always the issue and I guess in our case we are always improving something. So getting a wet bin and dryer and large bin is the start and things that will pay back the fastest and with proper planning you should make it so you can add legs, load outs, pit etc. Since Covid things have went absolutely nuts and when people talk doing it right you will be at 5 to 6$ Or more a bushel so sit down when you get quotes for what some have suggested.
So back to your questions, you really need to know what your storage needs are, how much are you going to dry per day, your livestock operation gives different needs than some one who is only grain farming as I am guessing you put up a lot of hi moisture grain etc. Than decide what your max budget is and see what bushels and handling you can afford or what you want to spend. Side draws on bins allow you to empty top portion of bin without using any mechanical or electricity, also takes top off as far as any crusting or snow as usually that will flow right thru a side draw. Dryer size doesn’t have to be as big as some think if you are putting up livestock feed that takes edge off in a wet corn year but should be fairly automated so it can run on its own without baby sitting it. Air systems have evolved so much since I have had them that you need to talk to someone that works with them everyday.
As far as dryer I would really look at a screen less dryer like Neco or Sukup. We have a tower that does 2500 a hr and have had a lot of 40000bu days with one combine and still only run under 20 hrs but you run into a lot more expense as it takes a leg to fill it, takes a lot of demand electrical charges because you are starting a 100hp motor. It takes more power as you are forcing air thru a screen where as a screen less dryer just has to push air thru those big triangle shaped holes. Ours is on the edge of town and really could not let bees wings escape into the air. You really have to tour some guys sites to talk to them what is pros and cons and see for yourself what makes sense. | |
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Starting a grain bin setup from scratch...please advise
