Grainswest - Tech 2023

Tech 2023 grainswest.com 35 the field bin, and the truck always knows where to pick up. It really reduces the stress level at harvest.” The Grain Giant is hitched to a clevis on a tractor using a two-inch hitch pin. The discharge auger is raised and lowered with hydraulics, as is the draw bar, suspension cylinders and sweep auger. At 22 inches in diameter, the Grain Giant’s discharge auger is quite large. It is PTO driven from the tractor and features an adjustable discharge spout powered by an electric actuator. During transport, the auger pivots and folds in. The unit’s sweep auger runs lengthwise inside the bin and is controlled hydraulically from the tractor. The sweep auger dictates the amount of grain that enters the discharge auger. It can be operated remotely from inside the transport truck. The Grain Giant is also equipped with cameras, both on the discharge auger and at the rear. A camera mounted on the auger allows the operator to see inside the bin during loading. An additional camera acts as a rear-view mirror during transport that allows the operator to determine whether the grain door is open or closed. Perhaps the most attractive feature is the remote control, which allows a farmer and trucker to load without additional “ This machine might not be for everybody. But on my farm, it was probably one of the greatest investments I’ve made in a long time.” – Garth George labour. If the Grain Giant cannot be moved off the field at day’s end, its electric tarp secures the load against overnight precipitation. When the Crusons launched production, they assumed the product would have the greatest appeal to farmers with especially large operations. As it turns out, the first units were sold to farms closer to 3,000 acres in size. “The reason these people were buying the unit is they just didn’t have the help,” said Cruson. Alberta grain farmer Garth George calls his Grain Giant “head office.” George manages a 6,000-acre grain farm in Marwayne where grain is forward priced and sold right off the combine. This makes for a very stressful harvest, especially when truckers are in short supply. He was frustrated by the scarcity of available truckers and that he often had to pay them to sit around and wait for the grain cart to return. George initially used the Grain Giant last fall. In his experience, production went up, while his stress level went down. He was able to cut costs because the new system kept truckers moving. “This machine might not be for everybody,” he said. “But on my farm, it was probably one of the greatest investments I’ve made in a long time.” Large-scale Australian farmers have turned to mobile field bins to tackle their grain handling needs. Vale Industries nowmanufactures a Prairie-friendly take on the Aussie equipment. Photo: Courtesy of Vale Industries.