Farmers have completed harvesting corn and soybeans for storage over winter. Listed below are some points to remember to help prepare grain for winter storage and to maintain grain quality.

Make sure there is good water drainage away from the bin. Leaks at the bottom or through a fan opening will cause grain damage.

Clean empty bin of all old grain and fines, clean up around outside of bin, remove spilled grain, debris and control growth of vegetation around the outside of the bin. Spray inside the wall, floor and outside the base of the bin, wall entry door and the unloading auger. The combine or sheller should have been cleaned and sprayed at the end of and beginning of the season. Contact your local chemical dealer for an approved product for spraying harvesting equipment and grains.

Use grain cleaner or fan to take trash and fines out of the new grain going into a bin. A squirrel case furnace fan is excellent at auger entrance. Run aeration fan in bin when filling. Broken grain and fines increases the cost of drying and makes ideal conditions for insects, spoilage and restriction of airflow.

Replace worn out grain augers (150,000 to 200,000 bushels). Worn augers damage grain.

Use grain spreader in bin (electric model for wet grain, gravity type for dry grain) to keep grain level.

Dry grain to safe moisture level. Corn and oats should be at 13 percent for storage of 9 months or more; wheat and soybeans should be at 11 to 12 percent. High protein grain has to be drier.

If there is a stirral bin, when drying is complete remove 200 to 300 bushels of grain and run it back through the auger into the bin. However, have the grain fall past a fan or through a cleaner to take out fines and debris. With stirral system, fines and debris accumulate in the center of the bin.

Level the grain in the bin. Do not cover up the opening between the bottom of the roof and the bin wall. If the grain must be peaked in the roof, draw out 100 to 150 bushels after filling, or make a dimple in the center of the peak. This will stop chimney effect of air circulation in bin.

Cool grain down to 35 to 40 degrees for storage over winter. Insects are inactive at these temperatures. In March or April, when the outside air temperature reaches 40 to 60 degrees, run aeration fans to warm up the grain so it is equal to the outside temperature. A thermometer placed on top of the grain (if you're moving air up through the grain) or a fan exit (if you're moving air down through the grain) will show when the grain temperature reaches the desired level.

Watch batch dyers. Each batch could be dried to different moisture contents. High moisture and high-capacity dryers sometimes dry the outer area of corn but not the center. The moisture in the center migrates out after the grain is in the bin. High temperature drying often causes stress cracks in corn. The corn then breaks up when it is being moved. Some buyers ill not accept corn with stress cracks. Also, be aware that temperature adjustment must be made on moisture tests. An added plus is fanning grain cleaner at the exit of the batch dryer. Contact your chemical dealer for an ideal time to apply approved material.

Cover the fan and unloading auger opening at the bottom of the bin to stop air circulation in stored grain after the grain is cooled for storage.

Airway tubes on walls are a plus when drying in a bin. Airway tubes are a must if the drying bin's wall panels are sealed on horizontal edges. This eliminates wet corn or walls which leads to future moldy corn.

Around May 1, treat the top of the grain with an insecticide. Vapona strips suspended above grain controls Indian Meal Moths coming in to lay eggs. It is cheaper to prevent a problem then paying to correct one.