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Photos from Tuesday, May 11 and Thursday, May 13

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Our view of the homestead changed this week when the 60-year-old-silo was taken down. Franklin Silo Repair had a lot of prep work to do on Tuesday. Notice the dust coming out of the top of the silo. That is about all I saw on Tuesday – dust.

My brothers Dale and Clair and I were trying to come up with a date when the silo was built. Dale checked some of Dad’s bills and paperwork and I looked through some of Mom’s diaries. We couldn’t find anything.

Clair though it might have been in the early ’60s. Dale said, “I remember the silo being built but thought I was in grade school – maybe 5th or 6th grade – which would put the building date between ’57 and ’59. I remember the Terre Hill crew eating breakfast with us. Clair and I remember helping to dig the footer.”

I was probably too busy being a teenager that I have no recollection of it being built. 🙂

In the following pictures you will see why they needed to cut these holes into each six-foot section.

Dale talked to the crew on Tuesday. They have a scaffolding inside and were using a concrete saw to cut six vertical slots around the silo at the point where the rings met.

This is the same person/business who took down the ninety-year-old silo in December. (above) He took this one down tile-by-tile which took much longer.

A December photo. (above) If you missed seeing those pictures, go to The Demise of a Ninety-Year-Old Silo – My Journey – by Doris High

After watching him take down both silos, I am convinced that he knows what he is doing. 🙂

I kept my eye on the homestead during the early morning on Thursday so I wouldn’t miss the removal of the first section. Franklin Silo Repair (white truck) was already there when the large yellow crane arrived – just before 9 am.

When Mountainside Excavators Inc. arrived a few minutes later, and the crane was in place, I knew it was time to get my camera and go to the farm. By this time the township had closed the road, but I had access to the back driveway at the farm – meaning I didn’t have to go around the block.

Almost ready to start

Thumbs up from the silo demolition boss. 9:45 am.

There was a platform on the inside so he could work with and prepare each level – and guide the crane operator.

A shot of the platform from the inside of the silo.

We couldn’t imagine how they were going to take this apart, but we soon learned and marveled at the skill of each person: the silo demolition boss, the crane operator, and Art Groff (Mountainside Excavation) and his employee.

The first section was smaller than the rest. Looks like maybe four feet instead of six feet.

Carefully placing it on the trailer – Montainside employee, Art (Mountainside boss) and Travis Dull (our great nephew and co-owner of the farm).

Doing a bit more sawing before lifting the second section.

Since you often seen the homestead view from our house, I thought you would enjoy seeing our house from the homestead. 🙂 The car is ours. Cerwin came to watch the first two sections being removed.

Back to the silo and removal of the second section. Notice how they used the holes that were created on Tuesday.

The silo demolition boss estimated that each six-foot section weighed about 8 1/2 tons.

Putting it on the trailer next to the other one.

Taking the first two sections to the offloading location. Notice the difference in size between the first and second sections. The rest were all six-foot sections.

This is the farm driveway that I used to get there. You can see our house on the left. Mountainside Excavating is in the middle of the picture – between our house and the long chicken houses. He didn’t have to go far for his job today. Art and I grew up in this neighborhood and stayed here. 🙂 It has been so many years since I saw him that I didn’t recognize him at first.

The offloading was as interesting as the removing of the silo sections.

I was fascinated as I watched these two loaders offload the pieces. They carefully lifted the silo section while Art pulled the trailer away.

Then they put it on the ground.

Art giving directions to Travis.

The next two sections being removed.

Notice, there were wires for the crane operator to avoid.

As I watched the demolition part, I thought, “This is what little boys dream about when they are playing with their toy trucks.” 🙂

Sections 5 and 6.

By now the silo was low enough that I could watch him work the three hydraulic jacks to lift the top section from the one below it.

This boy appeared to be the son of the silo boss (they looked alike) and kept a close eye on what was going on. Probably a future employee for his dad.

Cutting a steel reinforcement section.

That is quite a hook.

The last two sections.

Silo boss’ son, my brother Dale, Travis, the Mountainside Excavating team, and my sister-in-law, Dot.

Art and Travis talking to the silo boss.

They were a bit concerned about the final section. Silo boss watching with concern. The section was put down again while he did some more work to free it from the ground.

Up up and away! Dale, Travis, silo boss

The platform and leftover rubble

Now they can relax. I don’t think anyone made a mistake.

The final load

The rubble included the silo unloader and the bottom section of the ninety-year-old tile silo.

It appears they filled an old window with rocks before building the silo. I remember that window – when my Grandpa Hershey had horses in this section of the barn.

Watching the final offloading and demolition.

The silo is now a pile of concrete pieces. Travis said it will stay like this for a while – to see if they need some of it for fill when they landscape the area where the two silos once stood.

The entire operation took about 2 1/4 hours – plus the many hours of preparation.

Mountainside Excavating going home by our house.

I was impressed as I watched the skill of each person involved in taking the silo down.

Our new view of the silo.

Our new view of the homestead.

Dale and I were discussing how delighted we are that Travis and Steph (his wife) and his parents (Larry and Karen) are continually updating the farm. It make our hearts smile that the buildings and land are being cared for with a passion.