Whether a farming operation is large or small, farmers need to have a way to store the grains that they harvest. A grain elevator bin is one of the main parts of a grain elevator. The grain is stored here, and there may also be silos or tanks for storing grain. There is also a bucket elevator. This lifts grain to the top of the grain elevator and dumps it into the storage area. It is not uncommon to see many silos in one elevator. Grain elevators have been used for grain storage since the about midway through the 1800s.
It is important that bins be clean before any grains are stored inside. This should be done well before the harvest, at least three or four weeks. Particles of grains that remain stuck inside the grain storage bins Oregon attract insects, and cleaning helps to prevent infestations and destruction of new grains to be stored. Fumigation may even be necessary for areas that can’t be cleaned, followed by the application of an insecticide. The bins should be completely dry before storing any grains inside.
The grain also needs to be dry before being stored, otherwise it could develop mold. When this happens, the grain crop is completely destroyed. Wheat should have 14% moisture or less before being stored for up to nine months. If it is being stored for less than nine months, the moisture should be 13% or less. When storing barley, the moisture should be 13.5% for nine months or longer storage, and 13.5% for less than nine months.
One of the preferred methods of emptying grain storage bins in Oregon is to open the door at the bottom and let gravity do a big chunk of the work. Conveyor and other unloading tools are also used throughout the process, depending on the size of the operation. It all begins with the doors opening, and the grains pouring onto either a conveyor belt, which sends them to a bulk carrier, or directly into a vehicle for transport to facilities that turn the grains into flour and other products.
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