Grain Leg Puts Idle Harvestore Back To Work

Grain leg puts idle Harvestore back to work CROP STORAGE Grain Storage 10-1-23 Jerome Christianson, Canby, Minn., quit feeding beef cattle in 1977. His 20 x 70 Harvestore«, built in 1969, and adjoining confinement feeding floor, sat idle. To put the major investment back to work, Christianson built a grain leg up the side of the Harvestore and turned it into a wet corn holding bin. An idle feeding shed was converted to dry grain storage, and a continuous-flow grain dryer and conventional steel grain bins were added. "That Harvestore may be the highest-priced wet holding bin in the country, but it works very well!" says Christianson. That means it holds a lot ù 17,500 bu. ù and can keep wetcorn in condition for 2¢ weeks. He can combine corn 24 hours a day for several days until the dryer gets a Harvestore-full behind. Then, he switches to beans for several days until the dryer catches up. To make the conversion, he removed the Harvestore's bottom unloader. A grain auger was installed beneath the original flat floor (about 4' high). At the beginning of harvest, enough dry corn is run through the unit to leave a natural grain cone to serve as a hopper bottom. The cone remains intact, funneling wet corn down into the auger opening. The dry-corn cone does not spoil, whereas a cone of wet corn might. Ralph Watkins

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