SeedarFarmers – Andrew Smith, Hallgarth Farm

This post is the first in a series about farms using Seedarmobile grain driers around the UK. It will hopefully demonstrate the wide variety of machines used throughout the country and show the application of the Seedardriers in different farm drying and storage arrangements.

SeedarFarmer #1:

Andrew Smith, Hallgarth Farm, Yorkshire

Model: 25 (ish) year old Mod. 2000 S

Burner hours this season: roughly 250

Why did you invest in a mobile grain drier?

We needed a self-contained machine capable of moving quickly and easily between farms.

Why did you go for a Seedar?

It was recommended by a friend and looked a well built machine.

What type of drier did you buy?

It’s a 20 tonne, PTO driven with a diesel fired burner.  I bought it secondhand about seven years ago, thought we would have replaced it by now but it’s still running nicely.

How does the drier fit into your grain storage set-up?

The drier’s positioned under an open sided shed, loading from a 12 tonne cone bottom hopper. It either discharges direct into lorries for immediate movement or trailers to tip back in the store if we need to keep it for longer.

How has harvest 2010 gone and what role did the drier play?

A fairly easy harvest this year, average ex field moisture content of about 17.5%. Has meant grain was tipped straight into store and then dried as required for movement off farm. The drier again has done a solid job, quickly drying down from these moisture levels to 14% in only 35 mins of burner time.

There’re no mechanical problems with it, but with the old girl’s now at 25 years and we may need to start thinking about a newer model (but only if the wheat price stops above £150/tonne). The newer type empty system, through the screens on two sides of the silo, looks a bit simpler to use than our swivel top chute. We could then stick the drier alongside the wheat shed then and it’d save a bit of rehandling.

Do you have a Seedargrain drier? Tell us how you are getting on with it, john@mecmar.co.uk.

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