I have planted about 4 acres of corn and would like to store some to feed to my hogs and chickens. I would like any advise or tips or plans on building an old-fashioned corn crib. Thanks - Jimmy Holbrook

-- Jimmy Holbrook (jimmyholbrook@hotmail.com), May 18, 2001

Answers

The one I made handled 10 acres of corn. Make a circle of snowfence or corn crib or other stiff wire. Fasten it together at the ends and it will stand by itself. Probably a diameter of 15 feet would do. When the crib is full of corn, add another circle of wire smaller than the first and sitting on top of the corn. Fill also with corn. Held together all winter for me. If possible, line bottom with wood pallets or such to keep it off the ground and let the air circulate to stop spoilage and give the cats room to get at the rats. good luck!

-- bert moorcroft (moorcroft@bcinternet.net), May 19, 2001.

I was thinking os a box, made from all pallets,, should allow enough airflow,, the wire idea seems easy enough

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), May 19, 2001.

I grew up on farm in Iowa when corn cribs were still used. Most at time were frame construction with boards on sides spaced with inch or so air gap. Top edge of each board was sharply beveled so rain wouldnt stand on it as it dripped from board above. The whole corncrib was built on a raised cement slab. Little swing out panels were built at bottom of corn crib to get corn out when sheller came around in spring when corn had dried. This was usually only done if there was surplus corn not fed to livestock and had to be sold to the local feed elevator. When sheller came they had a conveyor to sheller that would lay under a swingout panel. This is why the concrete slab was built foot and half or so above ground level. The panel was lifted and corn scooped onto the conveyor. If a lot to do, family and friends would come help for the day. You then went and helped them.

If we got a bumper harvest, we built the snow fence round type described in previous post to hold the surplus. This was fed first since it was more exposed. After top layer filled, you could cover top with tarp and lay old tires on tarp to keep it in place.

There were also prefab round metal grate type corn cribs.

Think an early settlers type corn crib built out of split logs is mentioned in one of the Foxfire books.

-- Hemit John (hermit@hilltop_homestead.zzn.com), May 19, 2001.