He Custom Washes Dairy Barns

He Custom Washes Dairy Barns LIVESTOCK Dairy (17) 12-3-33 When dairy farmers in southeastern Minnesota want their barns cleaned inside, all they need to do is call Bob Theobald, Stewartville, Minn., who operates a custom "high pressure" barn washing service. Theobald custom washes barns for about 40 regular customers living within a 70-mile radius of his home. He hauls an 18 hp, high pressure washer and pump in a snow-mobile trailer pulled behind his car or pickup. Upon reaching the farm, he hooks the washer's 150-ft. hose to the closest water hydrant and puts on his raincoat and cap. Then he goes to work, using the washer's wand, which delivers up to 2,500 lbs. of pressure, to wash down the barn's walls, ceilings, pipeline, and curbs between the mangers and walls. Adjustable wand settings allow him to vary spray pressure and pattern. The washer, which weighs less than 250 lbs., pumps 41/2 gpm of cold water to blast dirt loose. "No hot water heater can keep up with the 4 1/2 gallon per minute rate," notes Theobald. Most farmers call him in once a year, although he does wash a few barns twice a year. He works mostly on summer week-ends, beginning in May and quitting in the fall before hoses can freeze up. He charges $30 per hour, with no charge for travel. What can Theobald do that most farmers can't do on their own? "Most dairy farmers own a pressure washer but they're usually quite small," he points out. "Farmers have told me that they used to clean their barns, but it took them up to three days to do the job, and they had a mess in there all the while. With my heavy duty, high pressure washer, I can do the job in five or six hours, and get all the dirt." To his customers, the thorough cleaning job is worth the cost. "At first, when I tell farmers what I charge, they say `that sounds kind of high. But after they see the job I do, they say `see you next year,"' says Theobald, who adds that milk inspectors often refer customers to him. Theobald has cleaned a couple of hog barns, but says those days are gone. "Most hog barns have pits underneath slat floors. While blasting water toward the slats, you also stir up the manure in the pit. The smell is almost unbearable." Theobald figures he spent about $3,500 for the washer, pump and hoses. "Holding a high pressure hose and äand six hours a day, with the pressure blowing against you, is a hard, dirty job," he says. "Even with a raincoat and cap, you get water and debris raining on you all day. But it's a custom service dairymen need and are willing to pay for. A washing service like this might be a good way for a college student to earn money during the summer," he adds. For more information, contact FARM SHOW Followup, Bob Theobald, RR 1, Box 328, Stewartville, Minn. 55976 (ph 507 533 8972)

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