Even though to the naked eye one of our post-frame structures appears simple, under the roof and inside the walls often house a versatile, unique space ripe with opportunity.
Milmar Post Buildings is a locally owned and operated company based in northeastern Indiana that shares the same enthusiasm for your pole barn as you do. With over 20 years experience working in construction, our team understands how to specifically tailor your project to your needs.
In our last blog post, we discussed how to construct an optimal and code-compliant pole barn for housing animals. In the same vein, it’s important to understand how to properly outfit your pole barn for food storage, whether it be food for you animals or food you harvest. With ample space and naturally cool settings, storing food in your barn makes a lot of sense.
Follow these steps to cut down on waste and save money.
Storing Grain & Fodder — Because all animals are different, so are their diets. In running a barn with animals shop around to install a fodder system for your barn to economically and efficiently feed your animals. Once you find the right supplies installing an effective system can help you cut back on manual labor in feeding your animals.
It’s vital to protect your feed from weather and unwelcome insects and pests. Taking precautionary measures in storage can save you money, protect your supply and keep your animals healthy. Livestock feed should be put in specific distillers dependent on the percentage of moisture in the mixture. Doing this maximizes your money spent by preventing food spoilage from mold. If using a mixture comprised of strictly dry matter, use a bin designed to keep moisture and pests out. Metal storage containers tend to condensate, which can destroy your stock.
Storing Fruits and Vegetables — If you grow crops, storing food in your barn can help preserve your yield after harvest and before shipping. Keep your fruits and vegetables cool and dry and your storage facility clean. Use storage containers with surfaces that are smooth, so as to not damage the product. Also remember to keep mealy rotten fruits and vegetables isolated, or you run the risk of ruining the rest of your supply at the hands of an insect or spoilage.
Storing Dairy — A more difficult path to navigate in food storage is with dairy. Be sure to include milk storage vats or silos that are refrigerated at 39 degrees or colder for over 48 hours. This ensures the milkfat does not separate from milk, makes them easy to clean and transfer to ship.
Always be sure to comply with all of the USDA food handling regulations when storing food.
MilMar Post Buildings has a vast portfolio with projects under our belts with experience in commercial, agricultural and residential barns. Give us a call today to discuss your next project!