Randall Farmers Co-op Union changes Jewell skyline

The Randall Farmers Co-op Union (RFCU) is making a bit of a change in the skyline of Jewell. The Jewell location, managed by John Herrmann, is adding to their grain handling capacity. Next to the "old" concrete grain silos is a new, 72 foot in diameter, 120 foot tall, silo.

This new addition to the Jewell elevator location will hold 400,000 bushels. The first bushels will not be wheat from the soon to be harvested fields. The structure is complete but the machinery infrastructure is still being put in place. Actually, the first harvest to use the structure will be the 2021 soybean harvest.

Much discussion and planning went into what type of a facility should be added to the location and where to place it. The new silo was deemed to be "the best bang for the buck." According to Kris Allen, general manager, the RFCU goal is to "keep up with the combines and trucks" of today.

With the new addition, the old wooden elevator will be phased out during the next three years. The wooden elevator was built after a fire destroyed an even older elevator on Feb. 26, 1968. According to a June 6, 1968, Jewell Republican, construction of the present wooden structure was to start on June 15.

Thank you to Linda Woerner for sharing information in her files about the dates of the elevator fire and rebuilding the wooden elevator.