Steading Plans |
| Letham
Shank steading
consists of some traditional stone walled buildings with slate
roofs. Most of the are used for small scale storage now as vehicles
are unable to enter most of them. The main working areas are now
portal framed buildings of steel frames covered with sheeting. |
 |
| The Hay Shed |
is a steel framed shed open on
two sides to allow easy access when stacking straw or hay bales.
It is 24 feet (7.2m) at the eaves allowing five 4' x 4' (1.2m x
1.2m) to be stacked on end. |
| The Machinery
Store |
is used for the storage
of most of the more 'delicate' machinery as it is completely weatherproof.
All repairs and maintenance are carried out here. |
| The Second
Machinery Store |
is a more open shed which
is used through the winter for items such as the plough, cultivators
etc. |
| The Store |
was known as the 'Turnip Store' as
it was used for storing fodder such as turnips and swedes when
the buildings on either side were old fashioned cattle courts. |
| The Wet
Grain Area |
is used to store grain
as it comes off the combine until it can be passed through the
grain drier. There is space for around 250 tonnes. |
| The Dry
Grain Area |
is where grain coming from the drier
via an auger and conveyor is dumped until it can be moved to the
long term store at the other farm. There is room for around 450
tonnes. |
| The Drier |
is a propane fired batch drier which
dries around 3.25 tonnes in a batch. This takes around one hour
to fill, dry, cool, and discharge each 'batch'. It is fed via an
auger in the grain intake pit. |
| The Corn
Barn |
is a traditional building where the
thrashing mill used to be located. This was in used until the 1950s
when combine harvesters became prevalent. It was originally driven
by a steam engine in the Engine House but latterly
was powered by a belt and pulley from a tractor. |
| The Straw
Barn |
was where the thrashed straw coming
off the mill was deposited. The straw was then moved to the door
where it could be fed into a baler to make more efficient use of
storage. |
| The Stackyard |
is exactly what it's name implies.
The sheaves of corn were stacked here after being dried in the
fields in 'stooks' and were then close to the thrashing mill when
thrashing commenced. |
High
Letham has
almost entirely new buildings, the 'old' buildings having been
demolished in the 1960s before we took it over. It has made conversion
of a large cattle shed into a long term grain store relatively
easy with only ventilation gaps to close and doors/gates to block
and fitting a new roller shutter door.
|
 |
| The Grain
Store |
as stated this building was a large
cattle shed but is now weather, vermin and bird proof as required
for grain storage. In an average year it holds around 700 tonnes
wheat, 150 tonnes canola and 100 tonnes barley. |
| The Hayshed |
is used to store 4' x 4' straw bales
for sale or use during the winter. It holds around 700 bales. |
| The Stores |
are traditional stone buildings used
to store machinery which is used less frequently. |
| The Cattle
Shed |
is used for overwintering cattle and
opens on to a grass field. The cattle are bedded on straw which
is kept in the hay shed. |
| The Machinery
Store |
This is a large open fronted shed
with good ventilation ideal for storing fertiliser which is purchased
in July for use in the following spring. Access is easy so machinery
used frequently is stored here. |
|
| |
|
