Army Surplus Parachutes Protect Stored Grain

Army Surplus Parachutes Protect Stored Grain CROP STORAGE Grain Storage 5-3-16 "They fit a grain pile like a glove," says Canadian farmer Adrian Trenchuk, of Warspite, Alberta, who has discovered that army surplus parachutes "work great" for temporary grain storage. Trenchuk first tried the idea last fall. He bought two 65 ft. chutes at an army surplus store in Edmonton for $300 each. "I'm told they're the largest parachutes available and are used by the Armed Forces to drop heavy equipment from transport aircraft. The chutes turned out to be an excellent grain storage idea," says Trenchuk. "Two men can cover an 8,000 bu. pile in 15 min. One side of the chute is put down and held in places by pegs pushed into the grain. Then, the chute is unfolded, pulled over the top of the pile and fastened at the other end." Trenchuk notes that the nylon parachute material clings to the pile like a skin and the elastic base, in combination with the pegs, holds it in place. Rain, snow, wind, birds and animals are kept out, yet the chute's nylon material enables the grain to breathe," explains Trenchuk. "Plastic sheets, which cost more, are more awkward to use than parachutes. Also, poles have to be used to keep them in place and they're only good for one season. I expect to get at least two season's use from parachutes." The army and navy surplus chutes come without the attached string or shroud assembly. In checking with various suppliers, FARM SHOW discovered that chutes up to 65 ft. in dia. were available in Canada, but we could find no U.S. supplier with surplus chutes more than 28 ft. in dia. "The U.S. Government cuts up the bigger chutes to make sure that they don't get back into circulation as jumping or cargo chutes," one supplier told FARM SHOW. "The reason large 55 and 65 ft. dia. chutes are hard to find is because we buy up most of them as fast as they become available," said a Canadian supplier. "When we have them in stock, we'll sell and ship these large 55 and 65 ft. dia. chutes in the U.S. as well as in Canada." If you'd like to test the parachute idea for low-cost grain storage, here are several possible suppliers you may want to check with: FARM SHOW Followup, S.O.S. Army Surplus, 10247 97th Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J OL9 (ph 403 422-3348). FARM SHOW Followup, Schreck Wholesale, 3100 North Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60657 (ph 312 477-0112). FARM SHOW Followup, American Army and Navy Surplus Stores, 400 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. 55401 (ph 612 333-8325).

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