This time of year can present an ample opportunity for Miscanthus growers looking for a place to store their baled crop to make use of empty livestock or straw barns. The barn pictured on the left, for instance, is filled with straw every summer to serve as a commercial duck-breeding unit, but by March/April it is typically two thirds empty. As such, it is currently home to 72 Miscanthus bales instead.
These, of course, will be moved long before the building is needed for straw storage again. Many growers will have similar set-ups, with opportunities to utilise their empty barns there for the taking. My advice is to make the most of them while you can.
As a further example, here is an image of Miscanthus being housed in grain stores. On this farm, three stores are accommodating 50ha worth of crop. The stores will need to be empty by mid-July, which, with Miscanthus harvesting timings, they will be.
There are numerous advantages to storing the crop in this way, including:
- No capital expenditure on new buildings or bases
- No health and safety issues associated with sheeting
- No exposure to the elements
- Reduced arson risk (due to bales kept out of sight)
This is a great example of how to bale dry and store dry in an extremely cost-effective way and its all thanks to an integrated Miscanthus and grain marketing plan. Smart thinking! What’s more, as we always emphasise, baling dry is key to producing the best quality crop and therefore securing the best financial returns.
If you have any questions about best practice when it comes to baling or storing Miscanthus, please use our contact form to get in touch today.