Grain elevators

When we left off on our Thanksgiving trip, we were still a long way and several grain elevators from our destination.

Cows grazed in fields they shared with a rain bird (the sprinkler system behind them).  Of course, all I wanted was a photo of the grain elevator.

This one shared the photo with a water tank.  The first time I saw those new style water tanks, I thought they looked like the world's largest flash light.

You can tell we were passing through truck country.

The fields have all been harvested

and these were the very first bales of hay I've seen all year.

Because much of my state burned this spring, I was glad to see this county used its right of way, which each county is responsible for mowing, to recycle excess grass by creating hay bales.  Wise use of what would otherwise go to waste.

This grain elevator sits in the center of this small town

that only has one stop light.

Now we were truly in the country.

Gravel roads were the norm, as were signs shot up by those eager to try out their weapons.   I'd rather see people shooting at signs than at other people.

It wouldn't be long now.

The fields on the left had been harvested, while those on the right had been planted with possibly winter wheat.

We had arrived!

I could tell we were the last to arrive, though.

I love Scott's parents' beautiful home.

They recently had it resided.  I'll be glad when I can take photos that don't have a radio antenna in the photo.  Ironically, that was the last photo I took that day.

 But let's talk for a moment about grain elevators.  One of the reasons I love them is because I used to live in Hutchinson, KS. and no matter how long I was away, I knew I was home once I saw the grain elevators that could be seen for at least 10 miles on a clear day.

Hutchinson is noted for the largest and longest grain elevator in the world.

Here it is shown from the other side.  This is the side I would see when I was nearly home.


This postcard shows its size.

Imagine my surprise when I did an internet search just to be sure I was right about my beloved grain elevators and found

until 1998, the largest grain elevator in the world was in Haysville, KS.  According to  http://virtualglobetrotting.com/:

This 2,717 feet long cement structure is is listed as the largest grain elevator in the world. In 1998, an explosion at the facility killed seven people, and heavily damaged the structure. The elevator is composed of 246 individual 30 foot by 120 foot tall connected concrete tanks in three parallel rows, all under a single headworks. The strucute had a capacity of over 20 million bushels of wheat, enough to supply all the bread consumed in America in a six week period. The facility is owned by DeBruce Grain, Inc., which was fined $685,000 for the explosion.

Somehow it doesn't have the same dynamic image of the one in Hutchinson.  BTW, Hutchinson has at least six other smaller grain elevators located in other parts of the city. 

I didn't write the quote, so the word should be structure in case you were confused.  I'm not sure what the article meant by "headworks," but they may mean the "headhouse."  Traditional grain elevators are typically designed so the majority of the grain handling equipment such as the conveyors, scales, and cleaners are located inside a building or structure, normally referred to as the headhouse.   Further, you saw that one of the elevators had metal silos attached to the elevator.  Silos normally store grain that has not been dried or cleaned.

Thanks for joining me today as I explored grain elevators and Scott and I reached our destination. 

I was hoping to create a piece of art for either AJJ, TioT, or MM &M for tomorrow.  But I have not felt well all day, and, as weird as it may seem (I seldom need more than 4 or 5 hours sleep), I have slept most of the day.  Since I have two more posts from Thanksgiving weekend, if I'm not feeling better, I'll show Thanksgiving morning in my next post.