Grain drying complexes are always hot, both literally and figuratively. Primarily, it's hot from the furnaces and fireboxes where fuel is burned.
Grain drying complexes are always hot, both literally and figuratively. Primarily, it's hot from the furnaces and fireboxes where fuel is burned. Heated air passes through the grain mass, heating it and evaporating excess moisture. It's also hot in a figurative sense: vehicles arrive at the unloading sites one after another, bringing tens of tons of grain from the fields. It is crucial not to let the grain sit for too long; it must be cleaned and dried in the shortest possible time so that it can be stored in the granary for a long time.
The grain drying facility of OJSC "Ladna" received a visit at what seemed to be the most unfavorable time for the employees. A breakdown occurred; the furnace where firewood was burned went out of order. The operators and repairmen now have even less time for conversations.
The complex was promptly switched to a backup boiler – running on diesel fuel, and the grain drying process did not stop. Meanwhile, welder Viktor Smazhevsky began the repairs.
The losses caused by the breakdown can be assessed by the following comparison. The fuel for the wood-fired boiler consists of logs and planks from old, dilapidated buildings being dismantled in the villages, and firewood from the forestry enterprise. All of this, of course, costs a certain amount of money, but it is incomparable to the use of diesel fuel. When using the latter, up to 40 liters are burned per hour. This is why, upon detecting the breakdown, all efforts were directed towards its repair.
Our dryer is the oldest in the district, and perhaps in the entire republic. I remember it was installed back in 1982. I worked on it one summer, and in the autumn, I was called up for military service. And now, 35 years later, I have returned to the dryer. Nothing has changed.
While agricultural organizations in the district were transitioning to new complexes produced by "Lidaray" or "Amkador," OJSC "Ladna" continued to operate the old Polish complex and a floor dryer.
Meanwhile, the welder arrived and began repairs. The drying process is not interrupted. A vehicle arrived with lunch. The dishes are prepared at the "Virazh" cafe of the district consumer cooperative. The catering facility is located nearby, so the food is delivered quickly.
Another MAZ truck arrived with grain. The driver, Alexander Solovyov, came from Tselina – this is the name of the largest field in "Lyadno", covering an area of over 70 hectares, located between the villages of Slobodka and Velikoye Zhezhlin. The truck was first weighed and then directed to the unloading area.
With a few nimble, skillful movements by the driver, the side of the MAZ truck opened, and the ripe, crimson-filled wheat grain began to pour out. As the body of the truck is raised, the red stream turns into a waterfall. A high mound is formed. Meanwhile, Alexander closed the side and, without delay, headed back towards the combine harvesters.
There is currently nowhere to store the grain; all sections of the drying complex are full, and the drying process will take many more hours. To prevent the freshly delivered grain from spoiling, it is quickly spread out, and the mound disperses like a wide lake. The weather in recent days has been favourable to the farmers. Although it is not scorching hot, there are no rains, so the grain will not get wet.
An experienced shift has assembled at the dryer. In addition to Yuri Shalok, Vladimir Khomchenko and Igor Podgol are working, with overall management of the process carried out by the head of the grain storage facility, Yulia Shartukh. Grain arrives from the field with a moisture content of 19-22 percent. For it to be stored well in the granaries for many months without loss, this indicator should not exceed 14 percent. Thus, hour after hour, the operators "drive out" the excess percentages.
I arrived at the dryer again the next day. The wood-fired boiler was working at full capacity. The "lake" of wheat remained on the unloading area as it was. However, I was corrected: the wheat brought in yesterday in the middle of the day had already been loaded into the dryer; this was a fresh delivery.
Vasily MATYRKA