Each year at Lakeland College’s Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland (SMF), the crop technology SMF unit plants the seeds for the next year’s class to harvest, and the same is true for the new grain shack. The students who worked to bring the project to life won’t get to use it, but they are excited knowing that the next crop of students will benefit and learn from their hard work.
Jodie McWatters, second-year crop technology student and project manager on the SMF, was tasked with heading the project to replace the old grain shack.
“The farm needed a new one for the safety of farm staff and students,” McWatters explains. A grain shack is used for grain moisture testing, storing implements and information as well as tracking grain capacity in the bins.
“It fell to me as project manager to form a committee to make it happen.”
McWatters and the other students studied the old shack, discussed necessary dimensions and aspects of a replacement. They purchased the new grain shack from UFA in Vermilion, though the finishing touches, including painting and insulation, were up to them. The new shack is 8x10 feet with tin roof and walls matching Lakeland College colours. It is fully insulated, wired for electricity, and has a heater.
“I’m honestly so proud of this, it’s my favourite project I’ve gotten to work on this year,” McWatters says. “I’m a quiet person, so it was definitely out of my comfort zone to lead a group to get this project done, but seeing it go from scratches on paper made in the back of a truck to something that’s actually standing on the farm. It was a bit of a bonding experience for us. It’s good to be building this for future generations of students. Next year’s students can use it to build on their knowledge as they leave their own mark on the farm.”
The heater is a critical part of the new shack, as it means the students can now store their moisture tester there all year – conveniently located in the bin yard. McWatters and her committee are banking on the new grain shack to increase efficiency and accuracy for future crop technology SMF units.
“The moisture tester was out in the Research Centre before,” McWatters says. “This past harvest, there was a lot of moving back and forth from the bin yard to the Research Centre to test our grain. This new location is definitely more convenient and an improvement from what we had before – and it’s got a lot of heart and soul put into it.”
McWatters favourite part of the new grain shack is the bin board inside. The board was designed and made by the committee to help with organization. All bins are listed and numbered, with capacity, commodity and grading aspects. Contact information for grain companies the SMF deals with and farm staff is all listed.
The grain shack project was the result of a proposal put forth by the SMF team, made possible with funds raised at Feast on the Farm, an annual Lakeland College fundraiser. McWatters is grateful for the opportunities these funds give students.
“It’s nice to see donors putting funds like this towards us to benefit our education but also our learning experiences, which we can take back home with us.,” she says. “We get to pursue something that builds the farm up, along with using our knowledge and building new skills at the same time.”
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