Heavy Crop Buckles Bins, Augers

Heavy Crop Buckles Bins, Augers GRAIN HANDLING Miscellaneous 32-5-5 Contributing editor Janis Schole reports a conver-sation she recently had with Roger Gutschmidt, who farms near Fredonia, N.Dak. Apparently there have been numerous problems in his area this year with heavier-than-normal wheat. Hard Red Spring Wheat has been reported at weights of 64 to 67 lbs. per bushel, compared to historical averages of anywhere from 55 to 60 lbs. per bushel. The heavier crop, due both to better varieties and this year's crop conditions, is damaging augers, trucks and bins. Gutschmidt says the unloading auger on his Deere combine got a "kink" in it from the heavy wheat. He's in the process of repairing it with a reinforcing auger sleeve he made to fit over it, and he's also installing an extra transport cradle (look for a story on that in the next issue). Roger also sent us a picture of an 80,000 bu. bin in Fredonia that recently buckled due to the heavy wheat. He says the sidewalls of the bin were just not strong enough for the current crop. He has also heard of truck hoists not being able to lift loads of wheat, with frames twisting, axles snapping, and tires blowing out. According to Gutschmidt, one of the top-producing wheat varieties that especially tipped the scales this year is called "Glenn". "An elevator manager told me that it's the best and nicest looking wheat they've ever had come in," he says.

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