A producer once told me, “My father always said, 'When it's in the bin, everything's fine. I don't believe in that! Until it’s in my bank account, it’s not over!” And he’s absolutely right.
When the grain is finally stored, a significant part of the work is done. The harvest is protected from the elements, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe from all risks! Heated, moldy, crusty grains, etc. Be vigilant, there are still plenty of unforeseen events waiting to happen!
In this article, I present the key points to watch out for in order to secure your grain storage and, by the same token, secure your harvest revenues over the winter. I'll tell you about the main storage risks you'll face this winter, how to eliminate them at source, and what tools are available to help you implement them.
Whether you’re storing 100 tons or 10,000 tons of grain, the risks remain the same, and so are the principles of storage. Only the magnitude of the financial impact changes.
Enjoy your reading!
What are the main storage problems to watch out for this winter?
Risk of heated grain
Once dried, stored grain is still at risk! And yes, even though your dryer has cooled your grain, there's still a risk of it heating up in your bin, especially the core.
When filling, filling from the center creates a hammering effect. This compaction of the central part of the bin reduces aeration. In addition, grain broken by handling will accumulate in the center, while intact grain will roll towards the wall of the bin.
If temperatures are particularly warm at harvest, say 20 degrees Celsius, grain leaving the dryer will be slightly higher, between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. At these temperatures, your grain may continue to perspire, and thermal runaway could occur. And it goes fast!
The solution?
Quite simply, remove grain from the centre of your bin. The reason we say it so often is that it works, and it's essential. The larger the bin, the greater the phenomenon, and the greater the financial consequences. Have you just installed a bin weighing over 1,000 tonnes? Please don't play with fire!
In addition to being highly dangerous, the grain cone formed during filling prevents the grain mass from cooling down evenly. Air always travels by the easiest route, just like water in your fields. So while your bin is cooling, air will only pass close to the wall. By removing the central part of the bin, you unpack the core and level out your grain, allowing even aeration throughout the entire mass.
Tired of climbing to the top of your bin to see if your grain is cold? Use our wireless sensors! In addition to measuring CO2, they measure the moisture and temperature of the air leaving your grain mass. No more toggling back and forth between scales. Just track the temperature from your cell phone.
Find out more about our wireless sensors
Risk of crusty and sticky grain
The harvest is over, you've dried, decompacted and cooled your bins. Finally, you're done. But no, it's not over yet! You may still have storage problems, such as crusting over your bin or grain sticking to the wall of your silo.
How can this happen? The answer is simple: as your bin cools, the hot air leaving the grain mass can condense on the roof of your silo. Even at 10 degrees Celsius, if the outside temperature is very cold, there's a risk of condensation on the roof. This condensation can be quite significant, creating water droplets. If these drops fall onto the grain, over time you'll have a layer of grain that will harden and form a crust.
CAUTION! DANGER!
In addition to blocking your discharge hatches, the crust that forms on top of your bin will form a grain bridge. This famous bridge is actually THE MAIN CAUSE OF DEATH in grain bins.
Reference CNESST : Grain bins (in French)
Another point to watch out for: condensation can still occur during the winter, despite the cooling of your bins. Although this condensation may not occur to the same extent, it will appear in the form of frost. In the intervals between night and day, this condensation will melt and run down the wall. This water will then swell your grain, promote mold growth and contaminate your batch of grain. If the ratio of damaged grain is too high, your trip could be downgraded on the next delivery to your buyer.
So what can you do to avoid the worst?
Step-by-step cooling ventilation helps prevent condensation. Condensation occurs when the temperature difference is too great - usually more than 7 degrees Celsius. To avoid these problems, we recommend cooling the grain mass in increments of less than 5 degrees Celsius.
Manually managing these narrow temperature ranges is complex. That's why automation solutions such as Hygrolog and Silog have been developed to simplify storage management. These systems provide precise, safe cooling.
You can also enhance your system with our wireless sensors that measure the moisture level in your bin. When moisture levels are too high, you know there's a risk of condensation!
Risk of moldy grain
Did you harvest soybeans this year? Wall mold problems are more common in soybean bins. More specifically, on the north side of the bin. Why is this? Condensation again.
A wetter field turn, grain that's slightly too moist, cold autumn days and a lack of ventilation at harvest are all causes favoring condensation on the walls. And if this condensation isn't removed by ventilation, you're at greater risk of condensation appearing on the walls of your bins.
Ultimately, moisture and grain don't make good friends! Excess moisture and cold conditions favor the development of mold. Excess moisture and heat, on the other hand, encourage fermentation and overheating.
Our recommendations for storing your grain properly and securing your income
In conclusion, although it may seem like harvesting brings your season to a close, there are still many challenges ahead. Monitoring markets, negotiating with your buyers and, above all, storing your grain!
Our recommendations for successful storage and keeping your grain safe this winter:
Remove the core from your silos, as soon as you put them in the bin
As soon as you fill your bins, plan to remove the core. Even if you haven't finished drying, remember that grain can still heat up, especially if the weather is very warm and sunny.
Cool your bins gradually
Cool your bins gradually, in increments of 5 degrees Celsius. This will avoid condensation problems and a lot of headaches.
Aerate your bins, especially in fine weather
In winter, when the weather is fine, the wall of your bin becomes very hot. Grain can sweat and generate moisture on the wall. This could lead to mildew in the spring or summer. So when the weather's fine for several days, it's always a good idea to aerate your bins for a few hours to get rid of the moisture that could build up on the wall of your silo.
Control the temperature of your grain mass through ventilation
During winter, aerate your bins when the temperature fluctuates between -5 and -2 degrees Celsius. There's no advantage to ventilating below these temperatures. On the contrary, you'll have problems in spring and summer if your grain is too cold.
Inspect your bins after every storm
There's no better way to prevent the worst from happening. After every storm, there's always snow coming in through the roof vents, no matter what brand of bin! If the snow accumulates, melts and forms a block of ice, it will block your grain outlet! Worse still, it could cause your grain to mildew and/or heat up this summer.
Make resolutions ;0)
Read our blogs on drying and storage.
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