Granaries and corn cribs

In short

• The granary and crib stand on posts at least 50–60 cm (20–24 in) high, with sheet-metal rat guards on top of the posts. That way neither mice nor rats can climb up.
• A crib is narrow (60–100 cm, 2–3 ft), with its long side across the wind and a roof overhang of 30–50 cm.
• For a granary allow roughly 1.3 m³ per 1,000 kg of wheat, plus 20 % empty space. For a crib, 3 L per kg of grain.
• Inside: smooth boards with no gaps, openings covered with mesh of 6 mm (¼ in) or less, and no wood preservative or paint touching the grain.
• A full granary is heavy: 1 m of wheat presses roughly 770 kg on every m² of floor. For larger buildings ask a carpenter or structural engineer.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Granary, crib or bin
2. A site for the granary and crib
3. How large
4. Footings, posts and rat guards
5. The granary step by step
6. The corn crib
7. Filling, emptying and rotation
8. Upkeep through the year
9. Restoring an old granary
10. Safety when building and working
11. Common mistakes
12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Size calculator
• Materials budget
• Granary and crib sketch
• Seasonal building check
• The granary and crib year
• Filling and emptying log