Silos. does anybody still use them for their origional purpose??

[FarmboyBill]

I musta seen 50 of them on the way from Tulsa area to Atchison Kans area. Not one do I think wasa in use. Anybody here use them for the origional purpose, ie putting silage in them to feed to livestock

[big rockpile]

I know my neighbors around here do.

When I was growing up we had 5 Upright Silos and one huge Trench Silo,we would fill every year.But we also put up 5 Barns full of Hay and 5 Bins full of Grain.But we raised all our feed.

big rockpile

[Scrounger]

Several people around here do. I wish I had one.....

[Faithful One]

You see these "new" steel grain storage bins going up everywhere.... But I also see many blue "Harvester" and those "traditional" grey silos seeminly abandoned.

[FarmboyBill]

Neighbor up where I came from dad put in 3 of those blue ones. He died, and his son quit useing them. Hed like to sell them, but he cant as its fixed that nothing gets sold offa the place

[fantasymaker]

Wish I had some! I saw one of the concrete stave ones on Ebay I think it finally worked up to a bid of $1.99
And wire corn cribs seems likethey were everywhere when i didnt need one now that Id like one I bet there isnt one in a 100 miles!

[DaleK]

We have a 16'x65'. Originally built for corn earlage in 74, then Dad used it for haylage and corn silage for about 20 years, then about 7 years ago we started using it for rolled HM corn. I wouldn't use it for silage again, doesn't hold enough, not reliable, etc. etc. We use 2 bunkers for corn silage and wrapped bales for haylage. Works nice for HM corn although I wish it was a bit bigger.

Had to put a new unloader in it last year, that was good for $12,000 for a cheap one that's really only good for HM corn.

[mtman]

i just bought a 10 ton one for 400.00 ill put grain in it for winter

[vulpinefarms]

What would be a good alternate use for large concrete silos? There are a couple on my folk's farm and I wonder if they were good for storage or growing anything. Any ideas?

[Jan Doling]

Vulpine Farms:
Could you repurpose one for a windmill? Or maybe an antennae for TV, cell phones, or internet? A light house?

[vulpinefarms]

Well, we have windmills, and satellite tv and dsl internet. Don't think we need a light house on the plains of Kansas... What about growing mushrooms? Hmmmm

[TedH71]

Heard or read something about some farmer's kid converting his into a house! Said the biggest problems were air conditioning and building stairs that would go around and around, lol.

[Michael W. Smith]

Originally Posted by Faithful One

.... But I also see many blue "Harvester" and those "traditional" grey silos seeminly abandoned.

Yeah, one of the local farmers has one of those blue "Harvester" silos. One day the neighbor's heard a huge KABOOM and went outside to see what it was.

Apparently the gas had built up in it and the top of it is all bent out of shape from the explosion. That was probably 10 years ago, and the farmer still hasn't done anything with it!

[montysky]

I have them and use them.

[Beltane]

I've always had a thing for silos...and I hate to see so many not in use. I really wish we had one. I guess I just want to see inside one...or maybe climb on top of one. Another winter like the one we just had around these parts and there probably won't be too many old ones standing for much longer.

[DaleK]

Little something for ya Beltane. Lying under the old silo unloader, replacing one of the blower paddles, -35 outside, about the same inside, blood dripping down my wrist from skinned knuckles. So I just figured I'd lay down for a minute and take a picture with my phone to commemorate the moment.

[Beltane]

That's awesome! Thanks!

[Tiffin]

I have one but not in use. Hasn't been used for 20 years or so. It leans a bit and I guess would need work to be able to use again. I probably could sell it but not for much as the labor to take it down is monumental. I have heard of people dismantling them and using the stone for walkways. I like the looks of it. It's the first thing I see coming down the road.

[Up North Louie]

We used to have a small stave silo years ago. It got blown apart by a lightning strike, and very likely saved the house. The barn, to which it appended, suffered minor damage.

It was great for the one milk cow and 3 or 4 steers we had at that time, the corn silage was a real boost. I wish it were still intact. Occasionally, when picking rock or grubbing out invasives, a silo shard will turn up, and we pitch them in a little memorial "pile-o-silo."

Don

[bowdonkey]

Yes, I still pee off of mine.