“It hadn’t been used for original purpose in many years and had become a junk catchall.”
When moving to the ranch 52 years ago, the what-then-appeared high-quality steel grain bin seemed an asset.
It served for a few years as storage for the always-very-small milo crop produced on the uphill gumbo land. Before long, farming costs were more than was being produced so the land was planted to tame grass brome.
Hog and horse feed corn-milo mixture was purchased from the elevator, hand-scooped off, and stored in the bin. That became too much work, so a trailer was acquired for hauling feed where it stayed until fed to livestock.
After being empty for a while, the bin became a storage unit so to speak. Soon, everything on the ranch that wasn’t being used was pitched into the grain bin. The grain bin became so full it was nearly impossible to shut the door.
A friend looked in the grain bin and saw something he wanted and asked what it’d cost. “Free, if you’ll take all of the rest of the stuff in there,” was the response.
He agreed and had two pickup loads before everything was cleaned out. But the bin soon filled back up with things “to be used later.”
After a half century, it was decided the bin was in the way and should be removed. Several attempts to sell it locally failed. One farmer said he’d take the bin free if he could figure out how to get it moved.
Eventually, the grain bin was consigned to an online computer auction without much optimism for any bidding. But surprising, it did sell to somebody in Texas.
“Do you know how to move it?” the buyer was asked when calling about getting the bin.
“Oh sure, we buy grain bins all the time,” the woman replied.
Several days later, a big fancy pickup pulling a flatbed gooseneck trailer pulled into the ranch yard.
It was only a few hours, and the rusted bin was completely dismantled bolt by bolt. They hauled it about nine hours to near Houston, Texas.
“We will advertise the grain bin and resell it,” the buyer said. “They’re in high demand for people making gazebos, marketplaces, even storage.”
Reminded of Acts 13:14-52: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
XVII–35–8-27-2023
