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For those wondering what the story is with a Silo: when you store grain in a bin, generally it is "dry"(there is a certain level of moisture content required to be considered dry enough for a bin). In a silo, the moisture content is higher. When you pile up a giant pile of stuff, and it has water in it, it ferments. This is how silage is made. Fermentation will create heat, and gasses as a byproduct. The heat dissipates when the fermentation is complete, and in a normal silo that unloads top down, the gases that get released simply vacate out the top over time as they release. That is not to say there is no danger- when we filled silo back in the day, we either had to climb RIGHT AWAY to level and set the unloader up when we finished filling, OR we had to wait several days to make sure fermentation was complete and the silo aired out. We never waited like that, we just took care of it right away and had no issues. In a bottom unload Harvestore, the top gets "sealed" when you finish. this is to prevent rain etc from spoiling the feed from the top down, but also can trap gasses etc because there is no vent. Opening the top, allows the vent. Provided these guys waited a decent amount of time after starting the blower up, there was minimal risk for gas exposure in what they were doing with the shovels. the risk was all initially when the top got opened, OR if they had been foolish and gone in too soon. Smelly rotten feed isn;t the danger, it's the invisible fermentation gasses that got trapped in the sealed up Harvestore.
Did you here about the guy who fell in the grain bin? I think he fell in feet first and hit the fan and that was it. His parents judged our dairy cow show in Michigan about 1 month after it happened. (It was a few days ago).
The fan is outside the silo or grain bin... how could he hit the fan, unless he fell off the top outside the bin or silo? The only thing inside the silo or bin that could kill you (other than toxic gases) is the unloading auger if it's running... Confusing... Later! OL J R :)
Perhaps you could discuss the difference between a silo and a grain bin. Are silos being replaced with silage pits now that plastic is available? Also, didn't see the use of any safety equipment in case of a fall. What are the toxic gases? Fermentation products, or more? Could you also discuss silo-fillers' disease? How much of an exposure does it take to get substantial lung damage? Thanks!
We always opened the first vent while standing on the ladder, then went back down a few steps for a few minutes to let it vent. Never got enough gas that way to even be uncomfortable. But we only stored silage, not grain. I think that ws the technique taught by Harvestore when they built it.
My late grandfather had to clean out one of his concrete stave silos back in the '80s. It wrecked his lungs. He passed in late 2013 due to respiratory failure.
been there done that! I recall once that damn auger inside the last 3 feet snapped off, we had rotten build up crap from the base about ten feet up on the walls as a result, that was a pain in ass to clean up
It would be nice to have a full explanation of what's happening and the dangers that are involved in this video, especially for those who tune in to learn how farms work. But thanks for the update.
Why you're never supposed to do that job alone... supposed to have a safety line and someone outside to make sure you stay conscious and can pull you out (from a safe position themselves, hence the safety line) if you pass out. A couple guys died working on the space shuttle back in the early years because of that... the rear compartment of the shuttle with the main engines, plumbing, and fuel pumps was purged with pure nitrogen gas as a fire prevention measure before the shuttle was launched... some guys went in there to do some work and ended up passing out from lack of oxygen (breathing pure nitrogen) and ended up dying in there. They changed the procedures after that to prevent similar accidents. Later! OL J R :)
I always hate the off-gassing of my popcorn at the movie theater and it’s just a quart not 20,000 bushels must be awful but not as bad as 20,000 Clintonals or Obumals Thanx from the left coast near the Krapitol of California
know what you are talking about, rotten corn smell I would describe closest to the smell of a septic tank or human sewage in general, smells like money gotta love it!! lol
Thanks for this lesson. Is there any reason you would not pressure wash or steam genny the lower area once the grain is out? That "stuff" at the end of the video looked nasty...
The biggest downfall to them is nobody cleans out around the gearboxes on them. Clean them out every year an you shouldn't have any problems but we have pulled a lit of them out an putting in a normal unloader for a harvestor
+How Farms Work Farming can be a dangerous business and ignoring common safety practices is one reason for that. There are stories of entire families being killed in manure pits due to methane gas, not to mention the explosion risk.
+hlyautey it's a farm we do what we do, and know our limits. pretty sure it ain't this dude's first time. the shits no fun, but we sure as shit don't need OSHA involved. I've got sick as hell from that shit, yeah it's dangerous, but ain't nobody else gonna do it for ya
awd3264 Nitrogen dioxide would be a bad gas because it could cause irritation some time after exposure. I guess fermentation is inevitable when you store anything in a closed in container. On the positive side I cannot imagine insects surviving under those conditions.
no gas mask? I would be afraid the gas buildup would put pressure on the lid, especially in hot weather, forcing the lid off like as small explosion. please take care.
That's what the bags in the top are for... they allow air to enter and leave the silo to prevent pressure buildup or vacuum to develop, which can (and does) implode the silos... They act as a "bladder" to hold air inside the silo, yet keep it (and the oxygen it contains, which will spoil the feed and allow it to rot) separate from the gases inside the silo produced by the silage as it ferments. As more silage gas is produced and comes out of the silage, it pushes up on the bags, which then expel air out the vents on top of the silo. As the gases cool and contract, reducing in volume, air can enter into the bags through the vent and the bags expand to take up the extra space, equalizing the pressure. If the vents get plugged up or the bags don't work correctly, then yes the silo can pressurize and removing the hatch on a pressurized silo could blow it off in your face when you release the locks holding it on. Similarly, if the vents plug up and the bags cannot take in outside air when the silage is unloaded and/or it gets cold and the silage gas contracts inside, a vacuum can be produced in the silo that at some point could cause the silo to implode on itself, as the weight of the outside air crushes the silo in on itself. That's why it's important to make sure the bags and vents are installed and working properly. Later! OL J R :)
It's to preserve it. There are basically two ways of preserving grain or forages for livestock feed-- dry feed, which has had the moisture reduced to the level that bacteria and molds/fungi that would decompose or "rot" it cannot live or function on the stored grain or forage, (called "dry grain" or "dry hay"), OR, it can be stored wet and FERMENTED to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi which would rot and decompose it. Yeasts and some bacteria will grow and ferment the sugars and some starches in the stored grain or forage IF the moisture levels and temperature is within tolerances, and in the process they produce alcohol and carbon dioxide (and some other gases) as well as acetic acid (vinegar), which lowers the pH of the stored material. This process essentially "pickles" the grain or forage, preserving it. For it to remain "pickled", the oxygen in the atmosphere has to be kept out. This is done in trench silos by packing the forage down very tightly, squeezing as much of the air out as possible, so that as it ferments the remaining oxygen is used up and displaced by carbon dioxide and gases produced by the fermenting process. In Harvestore silos, the remaining oxygen in the silo is "used up" and then more oxygen from the atmosphere is kept out by the vent bag system at the top, which allows for expansion and contraction of the gases in the silo by fermentation production and heating/cooling, by allowing air to enter and leave the silo in the vent bags, which keep it separate from the silo gases inside, expanding or contracting the bags like a 'bladder' (same way your lungs work to take in and expel air). In stave silos, which are not sealed and air can enter, there is more waste as the top of the silage is exposed to oxygen and "rots" forming a "cap" or crust that then excludes air from getting to the silage underneath. Silage has benefits for the livestock as well... they like the alcohol just like people like having a beer or other alcoholic beverage. The acidic environment of the stored forage or grain results in partial breakdown (sort of like digestion) of the stored forage or grain, allowing more of the nutrients to be easier to extract and use by the animal consuming it. The "pickling" effect of the alcohol and acetic acid preserves a lot of the nutrients that would otherwise be lost during the drying process, which is why silage is more nutritious than dry hay in most cases. If you've ever eaten a pickle and drank a beer, you've had the equivalent of properly made silage... Later! OL J R :)
For those wondering what the story is with a Silo: when you store grain in a bin, generally it is "dry"(there is a certain level of moisture content required to be considered dry enough for a bin). In a silo, the moisture content is higher. When you pile up a giant pile of stuff, and it has water in it, it ferments. This is how silage is made. Fermentation will create heat, and gasses as a byproduct. The heat dissipates when the fermentation is complete, and in a normal silo that unloads top down, the gases that get released simply vacate out the top over time as they release. That is not to say there is no danger- when we filled silo back in the day, we either had to climb RIGHT AWAY to level and set the unloader up when we finished filling, OR we had to wait several days to make sure fermentation was complete and the silo aired out. We never waited like that, we just took care of it right away and had no issues. In a bottom unload Harvestore, the top gets "sealed" when you finish. this is to prevent rain etc from spoiling the feed from the top down, but also can trap gasses etc because there is no vent. Opening the top, allows the vent. Provided these guys waited a decent amount of time after starting the blower up, there was minimal risk for gas exposure in what they were doing with the shovels. the risk was all initially when the top got opened, OR if they had been foolish and gone in too soon. Smelly rotten feed isn;t the danger, it's the invisible fermentation gasses that got trapped in the sealed up Harvestore.
Thanks for the update boss.
Love the videos man👍🏻
Love your videos man
Your videos are awesome!!
Nope not afraid of heights! LOL! Amazing views from the silo!
Did you here about the guy who fell in the grain bin? I think he fell in feet first and hit the fan and that was it. His parents judged our dairy cow show in Michigan about 1 month after it happened. (It was a few days ago).
The fan is outside the silo or grain bin... how could he hit the fan, unless he fell off the top outside the bin or silo? The only thing inside the silo or bin that could kill you (other than toxic gases) is the unloading auger if it's running...
Confusing...
Later! OL J R :)
Perhaps you could discuss the difference between a silo and a grain bin. Are silos being replaced with silage pits now that plastic is available? Also, didn't see the use of any safety equipment in case of a fall.
What are the toxic gases? Fermentation products, or more?
Could you also discuss silo-fillers' disease? How much of an exposure does it take to get substantial lung damage?
Thanks!
They sure don't want those lids coming off
We always opened the first vent while standing on the ladder, then went back down a few steps for a few minutes to let it vent. Never got enough gas that way to even be uncomfortable. But we only stored silage, not grain. I think that ws the technique taught by Harvestore when they built it.
My late grandfather had to clean out one of his concrete stave silos back in the '80s. It wrecked his lungs. He passed in late 2013 due to respiratory failure.
That looked like it needed some serious power washing and allowed to dry thoroughly before sealing back up.
You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes-is that feed still good on the bottom? seems like alot of waste if its not
I thought that large tank was to storage milk when I was young...
Can you make a video of you refilling it?
I didn't think anyone used silos anymore. Most farms I know store silage in bunkers covered with plastic.
been there done that! I recall once that damn auger inside the last 3 feet snapped off, we had rotten build up crap from the base about ten feet up on the walls as a result, that was a pain in ass to clean up
Please tell us you pressure wash before the refill. Great Vid. Thanks!
I know a kid who it happened to he was unconcious for awhile he's blind now it was sad
I been in a silo when I was a kid, but I never climbed one and most likely never will.
What would happen it the tower was full and the bottom auger broke ?? how would you get the corn out?
You can see the toxic haze sum times with bags
It would be nice to have a full explanation of what's happening and the dangers that are involved in this video, especially for those who tune in to learn how farms work. But thanks for the update.
My friends nephew died in a grain bin. He was by himself and went in to clean out the bin and the gas got to him and he never made it back out.
Why you're never supposed to do that job alone... supposed to have a safety line and someone outside to make sure you stay conscious and can pull you out (from a safe position themselves, hence the safety line) if you pass out.
A couple guys died working on the space shuttle back in the early years because of that... the rear compartment of the shuttle with the main engines, plumbing, and fuel pumps was purged with pure nitrogen gas as a fire prevention measure before the shuttle was launched... some guys went in there to do some work and ended up passing out from lack of oxygen (breathing pure nitrogen) and ended up dying in there. They changed the procedures after that to prevent similar accidents.
Later! OL J R :)
this is the job for the young people, so i was told when i was 15 and had no clue why i was told to do it.
Are you going to fill up the silos again?
we used to do this in europe 20 years ago, we have different systems now,
Rotten/spoiled soybeans are the worst smell.
Makes me literally puke. Cant stand the smell
Rotting grain sorghum is just about as bad...
Later! OL J R :)
Is that high moisture corn in there?
All that crap at the bottom, doesn't that contaminate the rest of the feed ?
I always hate the off-gassing of my popcorn at the movie theater and it’s just a quart not 20,000 bushels must be awful but not as bad as 20,000 Clintonals or Obumals
Thanx from the left coast near the Krapitol of California
know what you are talking about, rotten corn smell I would describe closest to the smell of a septic tank or human sewage in general, smells like money gotta love it!! lol
So the only way companies have to get to the top is the ladder???
Thanks for this lesson. Is there any reason you would not pressure wash or steam genny the lower area once the grain is out? That "stuff" at the end of the video looked nasty...
RAKRail If you needed to refill it that same day for the cattle, you wouldn't. It's generally good practice to do so.
Makes sense... I figured if you had the "dry time" it would be best. Thanks for your reply and I really enjoy the videos.
Yea, my Great uncle became unconscious on top of a silo, but he didn't fall
The biggest downfall to them is nobody cleans out around the gearboxes on them. Clean them out every year an you shouldn't have any problems but we have pulled a lit of them out an putting in a normal unloader for a harvestor
Is this where you store all your corn?
Pietsch Farms Not even close. Just for the high moisture corn for the cattle.
Did you have a silo mask on? I hope so!
Hey Ryan, Still finding videos I have not made a comment on.
Can you spread the "gunk" on your fields for fertilizer?
Yep just like manure...
You should use an atmospheric monitor. This is a confined space and OSHA would have a field day if anyone got hurt.
Good advice, but we're a family operation so OSHA can't touch us.
+How Farms Work Farming can be a dangerous business and ignoring common safety practices is one reason for that. There are stories of entire families being killed in manure pits due to methane gas, not to mention the explosion risk.
+hlyautey it's a farm we do what we do, and know our limits. pretty sure it ain't this dude's first time. the shits no fun, but we sure as shit don't need OSHA involved. I've got sick as hell from that shit, yeah it's dangerous, but ain't nobody else gonna do it for ya
Farms are not under OSHA jurisdiction.
They are if they hire employees, that are not family.
Working on a produce farm is hard work, but the smell of rotten tomatoes probably doesn't hold a finger to the smell of rotten corn.
+YLW Pyro nah, "normal" rotten veggies is the worst. Corn stinks, but it has a limit. Tomaters etc are worse.
alot of people actually died from getting stuck inside those silos. the lack of oxygen is real
Wonder if the gas formed in there includes methane?
chargermopar Nitrogen dioxide - is the most common, is very toxic and can kill you - , nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Lack of oxygen is another problem.
awd3264 Nitrogen dioxide would be a bad gas because it could cause irritation some time after exposure. I guess fermentation is inevitable when you store anything in a closed in container. On the positive side I cannot imagine insects surviving under those conditions.
no gas mask? I would be afraid the gas buildup would put pressure on the lid, especially in hot weather, forcing the lid off like as small explosion. please take care.
That's what the bags in the top are for... they allow air to enter and leave the silo to prevent pressure buildup or vacuum to develop, which can (and does) implode the silos... They act as a "bladder" to hold air inside the silo, yet keep it (and the oxygen it contains, which will spoil the feed and allow it to rot) separate from the gases inside the silo produced by the silage as it ferments. As more silage gas is produced and comes out of the silage, it pushes up on the bags, which then expel air out the vents on top of the silo. As the gases cool and contract, reducing in volume, air can enter into the bags through the vent and the bags expand to take up the extra space, equalizing the pressure.
If the vents get plugged up or the bags don't work correctly, then yes the silo can pressurize and removing the hatch on a pressurized silo could blow it off in your face when you release the locks holding it on. Similarly, if the vents plug up and the bags cannot take in outside air when the silage is unloaded and/or it gets cold and the silage gas contracts inside, a vacuum can be produced in the silo that at some point could cause the silo to implode on itself, as the weight of the outside air crushes the silo in on itself. That's why it's important to make sure the bags and vents are installed and working properly.
Later! OL J R :)
Smells like money!!! Woooweee!
Wait so do you feed this smelly stuff to cattle?
ll Apollo ll This got thrown in the manure spreader.
It's to preserve it. There are basically two ways of preserving grain or forages for livestock feed-- dry feed, which has had the moisture reduced to the level that bacteria and molds/fungi that would decompose or "rot" it cannot live or function on the stored grain or forage, (called "dry grain" or "dry hay"), OR, it can be stored wet and FERMENTED to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi which would rot and decompose it. Yeasts and some bacteria will grow and ferment the sugars and some starches in the stored grain or forage IF the moisture levels and temperature is within tolerances, and in the process they produce alcohol and carbon dioxide (and some other gases) as well as acetic acid (vinegar), which lowers the pH of the stored material. This process essentially "pickles" the grain or forage, preserving it. For it to remain "pickled", the oxygen in the atmosphere has to be kept out. This is done in trench silos by packing the forage down very tightly, squeezing as much of the air out as possible, so that as it ferments the remaining oxygen is used up and displaced by carbon dioxide and gases produced by the fermenting process. In Harvestore silos, the remaining oxygen in the silo is "used up" and then more oxygen from the atmosphere is kept out by the vent bag system at the top, which allows for expansion and contraction of the gases in the silo by fermentation production and heating/cooling, by allowing air to enter and leave the silo in the vent bags, which keep it separate from the silo gases inside, expanding or contracting the bags like a 'bladder' (same way your lungs work to take in and expel air). In stave silos, which are not sealed and air can enter, there is more waste as the top of the silage is exposed to oxygen and "rots" forming a "cap" or crust that then excludes air from getting to the silage underneath.
Silage has benefits for the livestock as well... they like the alcohol just like people like having a beer or other alcoholic beverage. The acidic environment of the stored forage or grain results in partial breakdown (sort of like digestion) of the stored forage or grain, allowing more of the nutrients to be easier to extract and use by the animal consuming it. The "pickling" effect of the alcohol and acetic acid preserves a lot of the nutrients that would otherwise be lost during the drying process, which is why silage is more nutritious than dry hay in most cases.
If you've ever eaten a pickle and drank a beer, you've had the equivalent of properly made silage...
Later! OL J R :)
Invest in a mask and some goggles dude 😂 maybe $30 could save your life
Cattle should be fed with corn silage and bales, not with corn alone, thats for birds