Drying bags of wheat

[ppottersfarm]

We cleaned (no dressing) some wheat last week into 1 tonne bags and it needs drying a bit as my moisture meter wasnt reading right. Its around 18% but wont be used till the spring so I’m a bit concerned it might go off. I was thinking of putting them on my drying floor in the bags to save trying to rebag it all if I decant it. Anybody done this before? I can get the air temp to around 80% at the hottest.

 

[Courier]

We cleaned (no dressing) some wheat last week into 1 tonne bags and it needs drying a bit as my moisture meter wasnt reading right. Its around 18% but wont be used till the spring so I’m a bit concerned it might go off. I was thinking of putting them on my drying floor in the bags to save trying to rebag it all if I decant it. Anybody done this before? I can get the air temp to around 80% at the hottest.

Im afraid this would be just too inefficient - Unless you can block up all the areas where the bag bottoms are not sitting - and even then possible condensation in the top layers within the bags could be a serious problem - How many tonnes/bags are involved…
My preference would be to tip them out over a complete section of drying floor and use ambient air during daylight hours…

 

[bobk]

We cleaned (no dressing) some wheat last week into 1 tonne bags and it needs drying a bit as my moisture meter wasnt reading right. Its around 18% but wont be used till the spring so I’m a bit concerned it might go off. I was thinking of putting them on my drying floor in the bags to save trying to rebag it all if I decant it. Anybody done this before? I can get the air temp to around 80% at the hottest.

I think it will be fine in bags tbh , plenty of air circulation ,

 

[essex man]

We cleaned (no dressing) some wheat last week into 1 tonne bags and it needs drying a bit as my moisture meter wasnt reading right. Its around 18% but wont be used till the spring so I’m a bit concerned it might go off. I was thinking of putting them on my drying floor in the bags to save trying to rebag it all if I decant it. Anybody done this before? I can get the air temp to around 80% at the hottest.

I don't think it would work, be really hard to seal gaps around bags.
Would the air even pass through bag material?
The only bagged stuff i have dried on my floor was onion sets in 25kg open mesh bags. Long time ago

 

[ppottersfarm]

Im afraid this would be just too inefficient - Unless you can block up all the areas where the bag bottoms are not sitting - and even then possible condensation in the top layers within the bags could be a serious problem - How many tonnes/bags are involved…
My preference would be to tip them out over a complete section of drying floor and use ambient air during daylight hours…

I could turn the heat down to try to avoid the condensation if needed?
I’m not really worried about being efficient as its a one off due to my mess up. Problem I have if I empty the bags I’ve no way of refilling them unless buying a bag filler for a one off job.

 

[Steevo]

I think ambient air would likely work well in carrying the moisture out of the bags but it might take a while. Even with the gaps around the bags, the air passing over/around the outsides would surely help to draw moisture out of the bags in time in the same way washing will dry outside on a windy day even if it's cold.

I expect warm air likely would cause condensation as said and make the problem worse.

Worst case scenario - trial it for a week or more and see what happens. Can't see it doing any harm. If nothing else it might help condition the grain and/or keep the temperature inside the bags down.

Whatever you do, would be worth checking the temperature inside the bags regularly too, in case they did start to heating. If they did start to heat you'd potentially have no choice but to empty them anyway.

 

[Badshot]

How many bags are we talking about?

Only thing I'd say is keep them off the ground.
Put them on pallets so air gets right round them and I'd happily keep them as is.

 

[ppottersfarm]

How many bags are we talking about?

Only thing I'd say is keep them off the ground.
Put them on pallets so air gets right round them and I'd happily keep them as is.

20 tonnes.

 

[Courier]

18% is hardly “high” moisture for smallish amounts … what is the intended use ?

 

[fudge]

Surely rebagging wheat is less financially painful than buying wheat seed in the spring? Better to spread it out on drying floor as stuff dries very quickly at a couple of foot deep.

 

[Nearly]

if there were just a few...but tip it out and rebag it.

 

[ppottersfarm]

18% is hardly “high” moisture for smallish amounts … what is the intended use ?

18% is hardly “high” moisture for smallish amounts … what is the intended use ?

Seed for the spring.

 

[ppottersfarm]

if there were just a few...but tip it out and rebag it.

Rebag it how? Ive only got one loader and a 2.5t grain bucket. I’d need to buy a bag filler which would never be used again.

 

[Courier]

There surely could be a neighbour with an old trailer with a bagging off chute for re-bagging after conditioning 20 tonnes on a flat floor …. Is this to keep for seed, sale or on farm feeding ?

 

[bobk]

Rebag it how? Ive only got one loader and a 2.5t grain bucket. I’d need to buy a bag filler which would never be used again.

My seed is in open bags with a delivery chute underneath , it was 20% when bagged , not even warm

 

[fudge]

Rebag it how? Ive only got one loader and a 2.5t grain bucket. I’d need to buy a bag filler which would never be used again.

Why not borrow a grain trailer and fill the bags out of the small door. No need for a bag filler.

 

[zero]

Stand them on pallets, not touching each other in any open shed with a good roof and a free air flow. It should be ok so long as it was properly ripe when cut, ours have been ok over the years but were in ½ ton bags.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Get it spread out and dried, then open a farm gym and charge people to shovel it back into the tonne bags.

 

[yellow belly]

Rebag it how? Ive only got one loader and a 2.5t grain bucket. I’d need to buy a bag filler which would never be used again.

you can put it in a trailer and bag it out the grain shute after drying

we fill bags from the trailer shute of a baily 14 tonne trailer
it is easier with 2 people but can be done on own
fill a bag then move forwards fill next bag

seed may keep if kept cool but 18% is a bit high under 17 would be much less risky

 

[Andy26]

you can put it in a trailer and bag it out the grain shute after drying

we fill bags from the trailer shute of a baily 14 tonne trailer
it is easier with 2 people but can be done on own
fill a bag then move forwards fill next bag

seed may keep if kept cool but 18% is a bit high under 17 would be much less risky

I do similar, to get some extra height I put the trailer wheels on railway sleepers.

Put an empty bag on forklift tines, then wrap filling chute around trailer chute and fill.