Share:

When it comes to a harvest, timing is important, especially with grain. It needs to get off the field and into grain bins as fast as possible. Having the right equipment is often what makes the difference. Merritt Mechanical-Fabrication in Cairo, GA, helps farmers across the Southeast work more efficiently. They offer these five tips to ensure your next harvest goes as smoothly as possible.

5 Tips to Get Your Grain From the Field to the Grain Bin

1. Buy Additional Semis

The most obvious way to get grain off the field and into the bin as fast as possible is to invest in an additional semi-truck. They are the backbone of grain hauling, and the more you have, the quicker you can get the grain off the field.

2. Update the Unloading Pits

grain binsTwenty years ago, unloading pits were designed to accommodate 500-plus-bushel straight trucks, which took time to unload. But times have changed. Today, a 1,000-plus-bushel double hopper-bottom trailer drops its load in seconds. Older pits just can’t handle that. If there is time before the harvest to update your unloading pits, it can help you save a lot of time.

3. Install a Grain Pump

Grain pumps last between three and five years longer than augers. They can also handle an impressive amount of grain very fast, up to 20,000 bushels an hour for some models. Along with their speed, they give you more flexibility to unload and load new grain bins beyond the reach of existing legs.

4. Give Grain Carts Maintenance

Though grain carts rarely break down, they still need maintenance, from checking the oil levels to testing the torque on the wheel lugs. Always check all components for wear and tear, including augers, hydraulic hoses, the PTO shaft, and wiring.

5. Dry on High

While it sounds counterintuitive, you can gain speed and cut costs if you operate the drying shed at its maximum temperature. If you turn the burner down, you may be using less fuel, but you will also be drying fewer bushels per hour. The most efficient way to dry grain is at maximum capacity.

If you’re looking for the fastest way to get your grain from the field and into the grain bins, schedule a meeting with the agricultural construction team at Merritt Mechanical-Fabrication. Give them a call at (229) 377-5586. Visit them online for more information.

tracking