BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Silos Are Silent Sentinels

When you're in Fentress County, Tennessee, you know you're in the country! Everywhere you look, the scenery is so pastoral, it could have been painted by Norman Rockwell.

And…if you start looking for them…there are silos everywhere you look.

Did you ever wonder how they work?? Most people would assume that grain is put in the top and taken from the bottom but that's NOT how it works. The grain or silage, which is actually chopped hay, is loaded into the top of the tower with a grain elevator, a conveyor belt, and gravity does the rest. When feed is needed, it's taken from the TOP! That's because the weight of the silo's contents makes it impossible to remove from the bottom. You'll notice that most silos have an appendage running up the side; this is actually a chute for with rungs for a farm hand to climb up in order to drop a usable quantity of grain down.

As the level of the grain decreases, a door or hatch located at intervals can be opened, allowing a farm hand to walk or crawl in and shovel feed into the chute. If a large quantity of feed is needed, an auger can be inserted to facilitate removal.

Tower silos are typically made out of interlocking concrete blocks, held in place with metal hoops. The primary hazard to operators is dust suspended in the air; it is highly combustible and can lead to horrific explosions. Spontaneous combustion can also occur, if the silo's contents are overly moist. A variety of potentially toxic gases can be produced by the silo's contents and farm workers must always take care in conditions where there is limited oxygen. Inhalation of mold spores can also occur.

Large-scale feeding of livestock is usually associated with dairy farming or herds of beef cattle. With so many farms subdivided now into smallholdings, many of the old silos are silent sentinels to the area's past, when farming was a way of life.

For information about Big South Fork real estate or horse properties in Jamestown, Tennessee, go to www.trailridersrealestate.com

There's also a lot of information about the are on Tennessee Recreational Properties' website.