What's it worth?

[Silver]

That is awful. I thought we had it bad here, but I no longer believe that to be the case.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Back in the day northern Minnesota had some wood fired grain dryers built by local Finns. They learned this in the old country. Worked OK for enough oats to feed the family cow and a team of horses. Have heard of some bigger ones using a wood fired hot water boiler but have not seen one in action.

Years like this require bean drying, and you have to go cooler and more humid to avoid lots of soybeans splitting. Need half or less of the drying rate used for corn. I was recently explaining to a NE Minnesota farmer how I was getting rich ;-) growing soybeans with high K cattle manure. He said yaaa, but we have no gas fired grain dryers in my area.

How many gas fired dryers are up on the Rainy? I hope your grain guys did not spend all their money on new combines?

 

[Aaron]

How many gas fired dryers are up on the Rainy? I hope your grain guys did not spend all their money on new combines?

I am not sure if the feed store/grain dealer has it's dryer set up on gas or propane. I know the local BTO is still using propane even thought he built his entire bin yard right beside the main natural gas line. I don't think the gas utility is interested in creating an access point for just his grain bins off the main supply line. So there is only two dryers I know of. Majority use just aeration fans. Very little access to natural gas beyond the main highway in this area. Heat is either electric, wood or propane.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Propane works, but it can be more expensive than gas.
Issue is aeration does not work well with wet beans.